Some good news out of Spaulding field this Hump Day. Walker is shaking things up in response to numbers like these from first four games. From Dohn:

The Bruins allow 37.5 points and 415.8 yards per game, and are 106 th nationally (of 119) in third-down efficiency, allowing 48.4 percent of third downs to be converted.

"Where we're struggling is third and (2 to 6 yards)," Walker said. "There's some things we've been successful on the last few years, and I think teams are picking up on it, so we have to figure out how we can do better from the third and 2 to 6. We're awful right now, and we've got to get it fixed."

bucknellbruin already fanshotted one of the changes Walker is trying out in practice. He has inserted true freshman Dye (5-11, 190) in the nickel packages over red shirt freshman Courtney Viney (5-8, 150). Just by looking at the depth chart it stands out that Dye has the size advantage over Viney. More on the switch (and other shake ups) from LA Times reporter Chris Foster:

"We're giving him (Dye) a good look in practice," Walker said. "He's a bigger guy and a smart guy. He has the ability to do the things we want done. We're trying to find matches we think can help us."

That might also mean more time for Akeem Ayers and, possibly, defensive end Datone Jones. The Bruins have only four sacks through three games. They had 13 in the first four games in 2007.

Part of that was due to defensive end Bruce Davis. He tied for the Pacific-10 lead with 12 sacks. In 2006, the Bruins' Justin Hickman led the conference in sacks.

"It's kind of hard to replace guys like Davis and Hickman," Walker said. "Those are special guys. Even when we were not bringing pressure, they were able to get to the quarterback. We'll look a little bit at personnel."

Walker said that Ayers and Jones were players who could help the pass rush.

"It's something where we either have to blitz more or use more guys to cover," Walker said.

It will be interesting to track the development of kids like Ayers and Jones over next two years. From what I have seen to date, I love Ayers’s speed and I think it might not be a bad idea to stay with him at SLB than senior John Hale, who has really been struggling shedding blocks from that spot.

More on the defense from Dohn who had the following comments from CRN re. generating pressure on the QBs:

Despite opponents throwing the ball an average of 35.5 times per game, the Bruins have four sacks, and are not getting much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. UCLA's one-sack-per-game average ranks 102 nd, and the defensive line has accounted for three sacks - one each from starting ends Tom Blake and Korey Bosworth and one from reserve defensive tackle Nate Skaggs.

So how does UCLA get more pressure on the quarterback? "The answer is fundamentals, and the answer is zone pressure, and the answer is don't try; (use) three-man pressure and drop (into coverage)," UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said. "We haven't had a great edge presence so far, and it's maybe time to not try so much."

I think another issue to keep in mind is that our CBs like ATV has been giving opposing receivers a cushion because of the need to provide cover in case our safeties and LBs miss their tackles. In many ways it kind of reminds me a little (stay with me here) of our Ben Ball defensive strategery from last season. Remember the games LRMAM was out due to injuries? During those games our guards would sag off in their man to man coverage around the perimeter because they didn’t feel as confident in their interior defense without Luc inside. But when Luc came back in the rotation, DC and RW would feel lot more confident about exerting that suffocating man to man pressure up front. I think we have a little bit of the same deal going on here as well. Our CBs will be able to exert more tight coverage if they get better defensive coverage from their safeties (hello Brett) and the LBs and DEs up front. So hopefully giving Ayers and Jones more time will help that cause along with the insertion of Dye who might emerge as a more physical presence than Viney. Should be very interesting how it all shapes up on Saturday night.

On the offensive side of the ball, some good news at TE:

Tight end has gone from an area of concern to an area of surplus in the month since Logan Paulsen broke a foot against Tennessee. The coaches moved Nate Chandler back to the position from tackle and also decided to use freshman Cory Harkey rather than redshirt him.

"We don't pretend to have great depth, but all of the sudden the position looks like a position should look," Neuheisel said.

Moya is the primary receiving tight end, while Chandler is the better blocker. Harkey might be the most complete player. He injured an ankle against Arizona, but probably will play Saturday.

"I'm just getting back in the swing of things," Harkey said.

It is becoming apparent that Paulsen won't play this season. He said he must remain in a walking boot for another 21/2 weeks, though he hasn't decided whether he will redshirt this season.

Makes sense for Paulsen to get his medical redshirt this season and come back strong next year for what hopefully will be a final successful season at UCLA. By that time UCLA offense should be in even better shape with a year of Chow scheme under its belt.

Anyway, it is great to hear coaches shaking things up and not sitting still while dealing with adversity. Here is to hoping that the new kids like Ayers and Jones can use the experience this year to develop just like Hickman and Davis did under Walker last two seasons.

GO BRUINS.

Here we go. We will officially start our first game week of the Neuheisel era tomorrow. Right now all we can discern is a sense of calm from our football program. Despite all the issues we have prepped about last few weeks zeroing on problems around our OL and our QBs, there is no sign of panic around the our program. Yes, I am sure the coaches are concerned. But instead of making excuses they are working away to get our players prepared and finding a way to work with what they have in this season. And this all starts with the mindset of Norm Chow on offense. The LA Times today profiles the Bruin OC’s effort to build our team from ground up:

The Chow line forms behind Steve Young, the first quarterback he worked with closely at BYU. He has developed three Heisman Trophy winners -- Ty Detmer, Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart -- and his offenses have helped win three national titles.

"He's the type of guy who really tailors what he's doing to his personnel," said Detmer, who won the Heisman at BYU in 1990. "He doesn't force things down your throat."

Gentle spoon-feeding, though, is in progress at UCLA. Losing Cowan and Olson left the Bruins with Craft, who started five games at San Diego State in 2006 and spent last season at Mt. San Antonio College. Craft has struggled in practice and had three passes intercepted during last week's scrimmage.

"We're trying to figure out what Kevin Craft can do, and what the rest of the guys can do," Chow said. "We have to put them in a position where they have a chance to be successful."

In the past, that hasn't taken long. Philip Rivers was the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year playing for Chow as a freshman at North Carolina State in 2000.

"This is a position that can be so complex. 'If the coverage is this, do that. If they blitz, do this,' " said Rivers, who is now the starter for the San Diego Chargers. "Norm's not like that. It wasn't scientific. It was, 'If the guy's open, throw it to him.' There wasn't any writing down stuff or taking tests. Just draw up a few plays and let's go."

One of the guys who might figure prominently in Chow’s plan is TE Logan Paulsen. Logan has heard all the pre season talk about getting TE involved in the offense before. So while being excited about this coming year, he is also being  guarded about his optimism. If anything he has found a silver lining from playing in Dorrell/Norvell’s offense last season: it forced him to focus on pass blocking and running good routes (while the running back was being asked to slam up the middle down after down). Dohn on Paulsen’s "wait and see" approach to 2008:

"That's what it seems like, but it depends on how everything goes," Paulsen said. "It depends who we're playing, depends what is going on with the offensive line. Right now I'm hopeful, but I'm not counting on anything."

The quiet Paulsen, who is a co-captain and adorns the cover of UCLA's media guide, had 27 receptions as a sophomore in 2006 and was supposed to be instrumental last season in then-offensive coordinator Jay Norvell's offense.

Instead, the 6-foot-6, 255-pound Paulsen was rarely thrown to, and did not have more than two receptions in a game.

"I think last year, a big part of the disappointment was I felt like we didn't give everything we had, from the position, for the team," Paulsen said. "This year, I think the opportunity is going to be there for us."

But rather than dwell on his lack of use last season, Paulsen said it actually helped his overall game.

"What I pride myself on is being a complete tight end. That involves blocking, pass-protecting, running good routes," said Paulsen, who has started the last 22 games. "Even when you're not catching the ball, there's a lot of aspects of the game you can work on. I had the opportunity to work on pass protection a lot, so I consider that a positive."

And speaking of pass protection and TEs, Kevin Pearson from the Press Enterprise has write up on Nate Chandler’s transformation from a TE to RT. Pearson posted the following thoughts from CRN on asking Chandler to make the move:

"I had heard so many great things about him when I got here, and he is a gifted-looking guy, and then I watched him in spring practice," Neuheisel said. "While he could have been a really good tight end, he didn't have that natural receiver ability that I had just come from in the National Football League.

"When I talked to (strength coach) Mike Linn about his weight, here was a guy who not only would he be doing our team a favor, but we would be doing him a favor. If he stays healthy and motivated and does the things he is asked to do, he is going to be a guy they are coveting at the next level. I just know it."

Considering the reactions from Palcic and his OL team-mates, seems like Chandler is making an impression (to say the least):

"He has a great future here at UCLA," offensive line coach Bob Palcic said. "He has athleticism, and he will be a real good football player. He just needs more strength and experience, but he will get experience fast.

"I want to believe he is going to perform well. Do I think he is going to be error-free? I don't think I can expect that out of the kid, but I am hoping he can." […]

"Guys on the team talk, and he was one of those guys we thought could be a missing link on that line," center Micah Reed said. "When we heard he was moving to tackle, we were really excited. I thought maybe he was that link in the chain that we needed.

"He is a really violent player. When he comes off the ball, he can put a hurting on somebody."

Violent? lol I am sure lot of Pac-10 DEs and LBs are really happy to hear that. Read rest of Pearson’s article here which talks about how Chandler has been working to put on more weight (he is now up to 275) and embracing his new role in the team.

Chandler’s progression (this off season) is an example of what can happen when a head coach and his coaching staff have the ability to persuade his player about the vision for not just the entire program, but how a kid fits into that big picture puzzle. This is an element I have not seen or heard from Westwood in my 20 years of following our football program.

GO BRUINS.

We will start our Friday roundup with a little perspective from our defense. They are feeling confident after getting better of our developing offense during most of this fall camp. However, projecting that confidence doesn’t mean they are counting our offense out. Briah Dohn has a good report today in the Daily News on Reggie Carter’s (one of our key defensive leaders) perspective on our offense:

"I think we're the more confident group right now," Carter said. "We're the more experienced group right now, so I think we're going to have to uplift the team. But as far as carry, I think coach Chow is going to do his part, regardless of who else is on the field.

"He's going to manage the ball because he's a great coach, and he's smart, so he's going to help us out a lot in terms of controlling the game. So, I don't think it's going to be a burden on us."

The offense may not be a burden but as Dohn pointed out we have to be realistic about the issues such as the injury problem plaguing our OL:

Now, unless Micah Kia overcomes a broken hand to protect Craft's blind side in the opener, four of the Bruins' five offensive linemen will make their first career starts. And three - left tackle Brandon Bennett, right guard Sonny Tevaga and right tackle and converted tight end Nate Chandler - will play for the first time.

Only center Micah Reed, who played guard last season, has started a game, and left guard Nick Ekbatani last played in 2006.

It could force Craft to throw the ball quickly, and put a premium on Chow's creativity in play-calling and his ability to isolate skill players in preferred matchups against defenses.

FWIW Carter thinks the guys on the other side are coming along “slowly”:

"I think they're coming along slowly. Slowly, slowly, slowly," Carter said. "It's an adjustment, but they're getting better.

"Just hold onto the ball. Keep it going forward. Don't go backwards. We'll do the rest. Don't give it to the other team, keep it for awhile and then when we get out there, we'll give it back to you."

That’s pretty much all we can ask from our offense right now. I am excited to see how these guys come out on Labor Day. They must be tired of hearing about their injury issues and the doubting that is going on in the traditional media and frankly also by us (including yours truly) as we are doing what we can to be realistic about this year’s team. As noted by Ted Miller, Micah Reed (our starting C) is in a defiant mood:

Reed is admirably defiant about the line. He knows they're doubted. He knows many Bruins fans believe the line is the team's Achilles' heel.

What does he say to them?

"Just watch us on Monday night against Tennessee on Sept. 1," he said. "That's it. Be looking out for us."

As our defense is getting confident (and the offense defiant), coaches are pouring over tapes. In DeWayne Walker’s case he has been going over Richmond games tapes:

Tennessee has a first-year offensive coordinator in Dave Clawson and a quarterback, Jonathan Crompton, who threw only 12 passes last season.

"It's difficult and we're probably trying to cover too much," UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. "But you have to because you're not really sure what they're going to come out with."

The Bruins faced the same problem in last season's opener against Stanford, which had first-year Coach Jim Harbaugh. Walker and the defensive staff studied tapes of the University of San Diego, where Harbaugh had coached the previous season.

This August, they are getting their fill of Richmond tape, as Clawson was the Spiders' head coach in 2007.

"We're gathering up as much tape as possible," Walker said. "Scheme is scheme. We know there can be differences from last season, but it's the Southeastern Conference. We know they are going to bring great players and you have to get your guys lined up."

And speaking of lining up, Walker has settled on a starter at SLB. It will be John Hale but he can’t really get comfortable because his lead over Akeem is within the margin of error:

UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker has settled on his starting 11 for the Sept. 1 opener against No. 18 Tennessee, with the lone spot in question going to senior John Hale at strong side linebacker.

Walker said Hale beat out redshirt freshman Akeem Ayers thanks to his "football IQ," and praised Hale's play in training camp.

"John knows he can't make a lot of mistakes, and he doesn't," Walker said Thursday. "We're going to go with the experience early. That's going to be an ongoing competition anyway, so don't be surprised if John messes up a play and Akeem is in there. We're going to keep that thing hot as long as we can."

Other kids who will be included in the Tennessee game plan (and probably get a chance to line up) are tailback Aundre Dean, tight end Cory Harkey and receivers Nelson Rosario, Antwon Moutra and Taylor Embree on offense, and safeties Rahim Moore, Tony Dye, corner Aaron Hester, linebacker Sean Westgate and defensive end Datone Jones on defense (See Pearson’s report on PE.com).

Can’t wait to watch this unveiling. Just 10 more days.

GO BRUINS.

Have to start this Hump Day with a bit of bad news. We lost yet another OL to injury yesterday. Left Tackle Micah Kia, arguably the most athletic and gifted OL in our roster left practice yesterday with a broken left hand. Going in this camp, Kia had the most experience in our OL depth chart, starting 8 games last season. However, note the injury is not season ending and there is a chance, he might be available for season opener. Let’s lead off with Brian Dohn’s report on Kia’s injury:

"We're past overly concerned," Neuheisel said. "On that Ouija Board, with concerning we're past overly. Yeah, this is concerning. No question about it."

Kia broke the hand early in Tuesday's practice while blocking on the field-goal team.

Brandon Bennett, who has not played in his first two seasons at UCLA, took Kia's spot with the first-team offense, and gave the Bruins an offensive line consisting of a converted tight end Nate Chandler at right tackle, Sonny Tevaga and Nick Ekbatani - both of whom did not play last season - playing the guard positions with converted guard Micah Reed playing center.

Instead of doing a woe is me routine, Neuheisel addressed the latest injury news with humor, while maintaining his relentless optimism. He talked about how it still might be possible for Kia to play with his hand in a cast against the Vols:

"Guys play with that all the time, especially if you still have the use of some of your fingers," Neuheisel said. "It'll keep him from holding. How's that?"

Obviously coaches and Kia will have to wait to hear the doctor’s assessment on his injury before making any kind of decision. But we have seen in the past how OL have a whole different threshold of pain tolerance than average human (or even football players). So I won’t be shocked if Kia comes back for the Tenn game. Let’s hope though he rests up and heals up.

As for Bob Palcic, per the LA Times he is not nervous:

The bumps and dings include Nate Chandler, a tight end turned tackle who sat out three days because of turf toe, and guard Scott Glicksberg, a converted tight end who is still bothered by a sore shoulder.

"I had this experience in the NFL, where you can go into a game with seven linemen sometimes," offensive line coach Bob Palcic said.

"I remember coaching in the Canadian League and going into one game with six guys. That one substitute had to know all the positions.

"That prepared me tremendously for what is going on here now. I'm shuffling a lot guys around, making sure they know all the positions. That's why I don't get quite as nervous at it, as a lot of people do."

Besides, Palcic said, "We have 12 days and I'm going to be living with these kids."

More on Palcic’s philosophy in putting together his OL from the Press Enterprise:

"If my third tackle is better than my third guard, then my third tackle is going to play guard. The five best guys, I have to get them out there. When it initially happens, it slows down progress but eventually you are working with the five best guys, and that's what's best for the football team."

If Palcic is not nervous, we shouldn’t worry too much. Again right now all we are looking for is these kids to give everything they have and get better as a team on a week to week basis.

For the short term, there was some good news as RT Mike Harris (who had suffered a sprained ankle earlier in the camp) could be returning this week. Also returning to practice this week will be Jess Ward (who the coaches moved from DT to OL last week), who is recovering from a knee surgery in December. Moreover, according to Micah Reed, Brandon Bennett stepped up in practice yesterday after taking Kia’s place in the lineup:

"I'm not just saying this, but Bennett really stepped up his game (Tuesday)," Reed said. "In one-on-one pass rush, I don't think he lost one rep. He was ready to play. So when his number was called, he was ready to deliver. I'm pretty excited about that."

If you are wondering why these kids are not showing any kind of woe-is-me attitude in the face of adverse developments, I will leave you with this comment from CRN in response to a question whether he will ask the coaches to back off during practice:

Asked whether he had thought of backing off practice because of the injuries, Neuheisel said, "That would certainly be an option. But if you stop being physical, you stop giving yourself a chance to play, because it is going to be a physical game. I can call [Tennessee Coach] Phil Fulmer and ask if we could just play touch. I don't think he'll go for it."

Yeah ... so let’s carry on ... there will be peace ...(oh just cue our band).

 GO BRUINS.

jlegs already blogged the story early this am. We have a starter and the news is not a surprise to anyone who has been following our practice reports on a day to day basis:

Craft during scrimmage action. Photo Credit: dabruins07's photostream (flickr)

Neuheisel and Chow are going with Craft. Lonnie White (the former Trojan alum/UCLA beat writer who must have been subbing for Chris Foster out at Spaulding) from the LAT has comments from Neuheisel and his new starting QB:

"Kevin has earned it with consistent play," said Neuheisel about Craft, a junior college transfer getting his opportunity after senior Ben Olson suffered a foot injury at the start of training camp. "He has the best mastery of the offense at this point. The kids took it well, and they are all in his corner pushing for him."

Craft, who began his college career at San Diego State and then played at Mt. San Antonio College before transferring to UCLA in the spring, did not seem surprised with the news.

"Obviously, I'm real excited, but I understand that we still have to work hard," said Craft, who passed for 4,231 yards and 44 touchdowns last season playing for his father, Tom, at Mt. SAC.

For his part, Forcier is taking the news in stride:

"I'm not reading anything into it," Forcier said. "I'm trying to keep getting better every day. Kevin's doing a good job out there. I'm going to keep proving myself. We're battling out there. It doesn't mean the job is closed. Competition is a good thing. Anything can happen. You saw that with Pat (Cowan) and Ben (Olson). I have to be prepared."

Craft is UCLA's third starting quarterback for the 2008 season, and the Bruins have yet to play a game. Cowan was named the starter, then suffered a season-ending knee injury in the spring, and Olson is on crutches and out with a broken right foot. Craft will take the majority of the snaps now as UCLA begins its preparations for Tennessee on Thursday.

Forcier needs reps for improvement, but his reps will be curtailed.

"I was very impressed with (Forcier) and continue to be," Neuheisel said. "I won't bat an eye if I need be to put him in the game, because I think he'll make something good happen. I just want him to know more. I want him to be an expert. I want him to be able to teach a class on UCLA offense. I don't think he's ready to do that."

Reading between the lines, I get the sense Neuheisel sat down with both of these guys before going public with the announcement, and explained to them the thought process behind the coaches’ decisions. From their comments it sure sounds like all of them are in the same page as they know what coaches are expected from them and how they can’t afford to relax because the formality of announcing a starter, doesn’t mean competition stops at Spaulding.

As for Craft’s immediate guru – Norm Chow – he laid out what he is expecting from his young QB in the coming weeks:

For offensive coordinator Norm Chow, the goal is to now get Craft ready to lead UCLA's young offense against the Volunteers on Sept. 1.

"I think that [Craft] has known since Ben went down, that the job would be his if he performed as he should," Chow said. "Hopefully, he'll step up and do what he has to do."

And where does Craft need the most improvement?

"Making quick decisions," Chow said. "He has to get the ball out to help the offensive line a little bit. . . . You don't have to throw a touchdown pass on every down. He's improving in that area."

And more from CRN on how Kraft has a "long way to go" to turn into a "finished product":

"He's got a nice command of the offense, and given his experience - since he's been under the lights before - the effort he's put forth and the throws he's made," Neuheisel said. "That doesn't mean he's error-free. It doesn't mean he's a finished product. I think he has a long way to go. I think he's capable of getting there."

While the coaches are methodically sorting out the QB situation, Bob Palcic continues to look for the best combination among the guys up front:

Nate Chandler was back from a foot injury Monday and worked out with the first team at right tackle, while Nick Ekbatani moved from right tackle to left guard.

Offensive line coach Bob Palcic is still tinkering with the line since he hasn't found a combination he likes.

"I'm still looking for the five best players," Palcic said. "That may continue to change until I feel totally comfortable that the five best are out there. It could be any time. I just really don't know. We'll keep the competition level high and keep working these guys hard. Eventually, we'll develop into a cohesive unit."

In addition to developing them into a cohesive unit, Palcic is also looking for a leader:

Offensive line coach Bob Palcic said his unit knows its assignments but has yet to consistently carry them out. He is also looking for a leader.

"I can't create one," Palcic said. "Someone has to take the bull by the horns and become the leader."

Hopefully someone will step up as they continue to grind it out every day. This is not going to happen over night. It’s going to happen through repetition, dedication, commitment, and total focus and attention to some of the best coaches in the game.

GO BRUINS.

So it sounds like there has been some movement in quarterback competition. According to the press reports Craft has stepped up. He is making an impression on the coaching staff earning more reps. According to Dohn he “took almost every snap” with the fist team yesterday:

Neither coach Rick Neuheisel nor offensive coordinator Norm Chow made the leap to say Craft was the starter for the Sept. 1 season opener against Tennessee at the Rose Bowl, but the structure of practice was unmistakable.

"I think it's necessary the starting quarterback gets a lot of reps," Chow said. "The other guy gets a lot of reps as well. He just doesn't get them with the starting guys. ... reps are very important at practice."

A day after performing well, especially in a red-zone drill, Craft continued to outperform Forcier. Craft was more accurate, made few mistakes, and is picking the correct receiver most of the time.

"His decision-making, he's done a nice job," Neuheisel said. "Most of the time he's where he should be. Sometimes he's there late. Sometimes he's there quick. But he's where he should be."

Neuheisel said Craft's feet and arm need to be in sync with his mind so the timing is better in the passing game.

More from Neuheisel and Chow in the LA Times:

"He is making progress, so is Chris," Coach Rick Neuheisel said. When asked whether Craft has a better grasp of the offense, Neuheisel said "probably, that's fair."

Offensive coordinator Norm Chow said that Craft is further along than Forcier.

"Any time a guy is able to get the amount of reps that is necessary, there is improvement," Chow said. "He still has a long way to go. . . . Being a quarterback is not all about physical skills, it's about understanding what you need to do."

I think it is encouraging to hear Craft stepping up but as the coaches said themselves he still has ways to go in terms of syncing in physical skills with his mindset as the on field leader of this team. And that will happen depending on how he reacts during actual game situations. Also the weekend scrimmage will also help him get more comfortable and give coaches more information on where there QBs are in terms of their ongoing development. Meanwhile, Forcier cannot let himself get down by these press reports. He needs to come back with more intensity and focus working with the second team. As we have seen from over the years given the uncertainty around our OL, our QBs always need to be mentally prepared and alert because they could find themselves leading the team just like that.

For what its worth while Chow and Neuheisel have been chipping away to develop their young QBs, DeWayne Walker is encouraged in what he is seeing in Craft and Forcier:

A guy like him, he and (Chris) Forcier, they’re a defensive nightmare, because they can get first downs with their legs. Anytime they can move around the pocket and flick the ball around and move the sticks, they’re a pain in the butt. That’s the advantage they have over Ben (Olson). They’re going to be able to get first downs with their legs and move in the pocket.

Walker made those comments in a Q&A with the OC Register in which he also offered the following observation re. going up against Chow:

Norm (Chow), I’ll tell you what, he makes me work. It’s a chess match with this guy every day. He’s making us better. He’s making us have to cross our Ts and dot our Is. We got to compete. It’s not really about our offense. We’re trying to get ready for Tennessee as well. They’re giving us everything we can handle. And I’m serious about that.

I am hoping the Chow-Walker matchups at practice everyday will make our defense more prepared when they go up against college teams with spread offenses this season (more on that later).

Also on defense redshirt freshman Steve Sloan has been getting some reps at MLB as Carter has sat out few practices due to concussion. And according to Walker there is silver lining to this:

That is not a bad thing, according to defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, who wants to get the defensive backup quarterback some work with the first-team defense.

"Sloan is fine," Walker said. "Our (middle linebacker) doesn't have to be the best athlete, but they've got to be smart. He will be smart. I think it's good to get Sloan some reps."

Carter should be back to practice by the end of this week. BTW I think Walker’s comments are significant because it should stop people from freaking out from reading every single details concerning (expected) bumps and bruises from two-a-day camps. Dohn reported that Embree left the field with a sore shoulder and that RT Nate Chandler’s right foot was in a walking boot. According to Mark Saxon from the OC Register Chandler has a “turf toe” and could get back to practice this evening. Yet as Walker pointed out above these bumps and bruises mean someone else gets to step in and make impressions on the coaching staff.

GO BRUINS.

Practice keeps humming along over at Spaulding. Given all the question marks around our offense most of the news is coming from that front and from what I am reading in the papers, it seems like coaches are trying out everything to put together a workable combination in two weeks. The tinkering by the coaches are making our players work harder and also compete more intensely for the starting spot.

I will start with the offensive line, where Bob Palcic is trying out different combinations trying to find out the right mix and also fostering competition among his players. From Foster in the LAT:

The Bruins' first-team line combinations change not only daily, but sometimes within the same practice. Darius Savage was at right guard, with Nate Chandler next to him at tackle Tuesday afternoon. On the next series, guard Sonny Tevaga and tackle Nick Ekbatani replaced them.

"There is nothing set in stone," Palcic said. "I've done it that way my whole career. There is a lot of competition out there. I'm moving guys around so they will know more than one position. It gives me much flexibility."

Palcic said the line has improved considerably since spring practice and the competition has helped during training camp.

"Last season, there was the first team and nobody was going to change that," Tevaga said. "This year is different. Coach Palcic is giving everyone the same opportunity to succeed or mess up. It makes you more focused. You have to think, 'I can't mess up or it will ruin my chances of playing.' "

Still, depth remains a concern. With that in mind, defensive tackle Jess Ward was asked to move to guard.

"Coach [Rick] Neuheisel told me he wanted to see me do a little guard," said Ward, who is recovering from knee surgery. "I played it in high school, so I'm familiar with it and I'm catching on pretty fast."

Note that Jess Ward is still recovering from an off season knee surgery. He is expected to be "involved in contract drills within the next 10 days." Per Dohn’s report he is "looking forward to" this change.

It’s also encouraging from Palcic to hear that the line has improved. He strikes as someone who will not shy away from providing negative/frank assessment of the team. So to hear that the line has "improved" since spring practice is somewhat encouraging. Then again it is all relative considering the state of our OL at the end of last season.

Speaking of competition sounds like Craft and Forcier are involved in a pitch battle:

Craft Taking Command. Photo Credit: dabruins07's photostream (flickr)

According to Dohn Craft "was much more impressive" during yesterday’s morning practice, but Forcier (despite fumbling a snap and a "few bad throws") made few plays (with his scrambling ability):

Forcier holding his own. Photo Credit: dabruins07's photostream (flickr)

Overall, Neuheisel sounded "pleased with the offensive tempo and the way the offense worked" on Tuesday.

A big part of setting this fast tempo involves getting most out our deep (but not necessarily experience) crew of receivers. Dohn has more from WR coach Reggie Moore (also a former Bruin WR) on how he is setting up his rotation:

"You're going to have to have a top three," Moore said. "After that, you're going to have to have what I call a second three, so pretty much five or six guys that need to be game-ready, and the older guys have an advantage because they've been in it.

"My guys are going to have to be physical as blockers. That's part of the deal."

Everett, who has 82 career catches, is the most seasoned of what should be a deep, if not eye-popping, receiving corps. He is also being counted on more than any of the other receivers, and is excited about the prospect of not rotating out every play.

"(Moore) has been stressing to us we have to get in playing shape," Everett said. "In practice, he has us going three or four plays in a row to get us ready for the first game. Mostly, practice-wise the last few years, we go maybe one time every three or four plays, so we were never in there back-to-back plays.

"At the wide receiver position, you've got to be able to get in a rhythm, ou've got to be able to get into a game and make a catch and come back again. It's hard when you go in and out every play to get a rhythm." […]

"The young guys are doing well, too," Moore said, "but right now they're just trying to figure it all out.’

Hopefully Moore will find the right combination on the field. With freshmen like Moutra, Johnson and Rosario Moore will have new talent to blend in. But I would also love to see kids like Gavin Ketchum get a real shot as he was completely shut out last couple of years. Moreover, it sounds like Embree continues to impress:

"He has a natural feel for the game,'' UCLA receivers coach Reggie Moore said. "He's making a play every day, or two or three. He's got great hands, a natural knack for football.''

Elsewhere on offense Aundre Dean is adjusting to a college setting where he finds himself having to compete with other talented backs:

Freshman running back Aundre Dean was one of the coups of UCLA's stellar recruiting class, but he has been somewhat of a bystander in training camp.

"It's kind of hard because we've got like eight running backs, and then I got one rep and messed up on it and never really got back in to fix it," Dean said after Monday's practice.

"It's been a little frustrating because it's hard to get a rhythm going. You're in one play and you're out for seven plays, and then you might go back in for another one. It's different. Not what I expected at all. It's cool. It is what it is."

Dean, who rushed for 2,491 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior at Katy (Tex.) High, was billed as the cream of UCLA's running back-heavy recruiting class.

However, he finds himself behind freshmen Jonathan Franklin, Derrick Coleman and Milton Knox. And they are behind senior Kahlil Bell, redshirt freshman Raymond Carter and junior Chane Moline.

Dean just has to keep at it and not let up:

Dean at Spaulding. Photo Credit: dabruins07's photostream (flickr)

He just needs to go at it with 10 times more intensity the next opportunity he gets to carry the ball. From what we have seen (via video) it looks like he has all the ability in the world. Now it’s a matter of turning up intensity and desire to help him carve a place for him in a talented group of running backs. I am optimistic that he will do just that making the coaches job easier to put together that right combination on the field.

GO BRUINS.

Before we move on to what looks like a wide open QB competition let’s make a note of Olson’s comments following another disappointing set back:

"It's definitely been tough," Olson said. "You're not able to accomplish the goals you set. It's very frustrating because it seems every year that my progression as a quarterback has been halted by injury. But whining and complaining about things and asking 'why did this happen to me?' does no good. You have to push forward."

You have to admire the kid’s attitude given what he has gone through last few years. It’s going to be difficult uphill climb for Olson from hereon out. He will have to decide whether to have a screw placed in his foot again to help it heal and it will take a while for him to get back in any kind of game shape. He sounds determined as he said that he was "definitely" coming back. For now though he needs to pay total attention in getting healthy and taking care of school work because there will be lot more to his life than college football once he has gotten his UCLA degree. Still we wish him best of luck and given the nature of this game we should never count anyone out.

As for rest of our QBs, it is on. The competition is now wide open:

Junior-college transfer Kevin Craft and redshirt freshman Chris Forcier moved to the forefront of UCLA's suddenly rekindled quarterback derby. Osaar Rasshan became a surprise long-shot option in the contest, and freshmen Kevin Prince and Nick Crissman find themselves on the periphery.

"There was competition before, but I think it just might have been kind of laid back because Ben was the older guy," Foricer said.

"Right now, I feel like it's open, and I'm going to go and try and get it. That's what I'm here for. I want to get on the field. I don't want to be sitting on the sideline, so I'm going to go after it."

A much more docile Craft said he wasn't getting overhyped about the competition.

"If you think that way, then you're not going to play to your potential," Craft said. "You have to go out and let it fly and play the way you know you can play, and not worry about anything, and not worry about the other guys. That's when you go downhill."

Bruins coach Rick Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Norm Chow agreed the competition was open, but time is not on UCLA's side.

Neuheisel and Chow will probably have about two weeks to assess the performances of their QBs before making their decision. I am assuming they will want to make a decision on their starting QB at least a week before the Tennessee game. Neuheisel could take the easy way out but as the OC Register reports he is going to make his QBs prove themselves at Spaulding before naming his starter:

Neuheisel said the easiest option is to slide Craft into the starting role because of his experience, but he said "He's got to prove it."

Craft was asked if he thought he could play well enough to keep the offense from bogging down in Olson's absence.

"We've got a ways until that day," Craft said. "We've got a lot of practices and time to put a lot of stuff in before then. We’re just trying to put ourselves in the best position to win. From now until then, it's just going to take a lot of hard work."

More from Craft in the LA Times:

"Right now the focus is on getting better every day and getting familiar with the offense," Craft said. "I need to show Coach Chow that I know where he wants me to put the ball."

As for Forcier, the kid out St. Augustine High (San Diego) who was running the scout team last season, he is all fired up about his opportunity to "prove" himself:

"This could be my only shot to prove myself," said Forcier, who played at St. Augustine High in San Diego. "It might not come back again. I've got to make the most of it."

Here are Foster’s (LAT) report (linked above) from yesterday’s practice:

Forcier and Craft shared time with the first team in Sunday's two practices. Neither was overwhelming, but Forcier's speed and agility was an added element, one that could be an asset playing behind an inexperienced offensive line.

"He's got some magic to him," Neuheisel said. "He has to become an expert on this offense. Last year he was playing off some cards [as the scout team quarterback]. Now he has to be thorough in his preparation and we need to see if he's ready to make it."

Craft, too, has his downsides.

"I think his mind knows what to do, but his body has to respond to the mind and not be jerky about it," Neuheisel said.

While Craft and Forcier are battling it out for the starting spot, coaches are working to shore up the right side of the OL. Dohn reports that Palcic is digging what he is seeing in Chandler (at RT):

"I think Nate Chandler has a real future as an offensive tackle," Palcic said. "He's athletic, but we just have to get him a little bit bigger and stronger. I think he'll be a real good Pac-10 tackle."

Chandler, a redshirt freshman who was moved from tight end less than a month ago, is listed at 6-foot-4, 275 pounds. He fared well playing against the first-team defense the past few days, but consistency and improvement is what Palcic wants.

"I'll know a little bit more in this next week, once we get in a couple scrimmage situations and stuff like that," Palcic said. "We've been going against a pretty good defensive front, and he's been holding his own."

That’s good news. And it’s timely development given Mike Harris, the backup RT had to leave practice with a right ankle injury yesterday. We will get more information today on his status. Neuheisel sounded "a little nervous" about it and is hoping for "some good news" today.

Here is one silver lining from yesterday’s sad news. With either Forcier or Craft at QB, the left side of the OL takes more importance as we will have an uber talented combination of Micah Kia and Darius Savage protecting these right hander’s blind side. Now if they can only settle down a bit, and step up to become an efficient game manager within Chow’s system taking advantage of some of the talent at skill positions, we could be all right.

One thing we know Neuheisel is the kind of coach who will not let his team get down. He is going to keep their spirits up while working with Chow and rest of his staff to draw up a plan that will make the best out of their current situation. I am sure given our current situation it is still going to be an immense challenge, but these coaches and players are not going to feel sorry for themselves, and do what they have to do to push forward and get on with the business of establishing a foundation of a winning program. I am looking forward to the wide open competition that will take place in next two weeks and the anointing of a new starting QB out of it. It is on.

GO BRUINS.

CRN and our football team picked up right where they left off last April when everyone understood that they were going to be operating under a “different tempo.” Dohn picks up on that note in his first report from the first day of fall practice where the pace of practice was a little different than what our players (and fans/reporters who showed up at practice in previous years) had gotten used to under the previous regime:

"These coaches are a lot more demanding," Bruins senior receiver Marcus Everett said. "(Offensive coordinator) Norm Chow demands we execute and practice at a fast tempo, and demands perfection, and that shows a lot. (Neuheisel) is a different type of coach. He's personable. He's definitely a player's coach. He jokes around with us, but when it's time to get serious, he does.

"The whole atmosphere is really positive. That's Rick Neuheisel's thing. He came in and said we had to be relentlessly positive, and that means when you face adversity you have to be positive."

Neuheisel began stressing a better tempo for practices in the spring, and it carried into the first day of training camp. Part of the increased pace was because the team was split into two groups during the three-hour practice window allotted by the NCAA.

"It was a great first day," Neuheisel said. "Now, as soon as I say that, I want to tell you about a zillion mistakes, and a zillion things we've got to get corrected. But the energy and the enthusiasm was what I hoped for."

The pace of practice was established by the coaching staff, which made sure players moved quickly from drill to drill.

There were fewer players standing around, compared to practices the past few years.

More from Terrence Austin about his impressions on Chow:

"(This staff) is a lot more chatty," Austin said. "Coach Neuheisel is more adamant about us being aggressive in practice. Coach Chow is more boisterous when it comes to us being perfect. He wants perfection. He's not really the rowdy guy, but when he wants something done right, he gets his point across."

And MLB Reggie Carter who had this to say about the pace and intensity of practice:

"It was a lot quicker tempo, and a little more intense," he said. "We got a lot of work done in a short amount of time, so that was one change. We got a lot of reps. There was no complaining about the amount of mistakes on the field. We just went to the next play and we'll fix (the mistakes) in the film room."

Carter had the same impression last April when he saw a different “quick tempo” in our offense.

Carter is well entrenched at Mike LB. The training camp could shake up the starting spots at Sam and Will. Heading into fall camp John Hale was penciled in as the starter at Sam (with Akeem Ayers expected him to push right behind) and Kyle Bosworth was slotted in at Will LB (with an injured Josh Edwards backing him up). Well according to Dohn’s notes  Edwards (who is recovering from a “stress fracture” in his right foot) might be coming back to practice this Sunday and Walker is looking forward to his return and some competiton:

"If Josh is performing better than (the strong side linebackers), you can move Bosworth back to (strong side) and keep Josh on the weak side," UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. "We're going to find out best three guys and put them where we need to put them."

No doubt the competition is going to make these guys work harder and faster. Competition is also going to be intense and fast (can you sense a theme here?) for the starting SS spot as our cubs are already working to make a bid for Bret Lockett’s spot who has been suspended for the season opener:

Defensive backs Rahim Moore, Tony Dye and Aaron Hester will get long looks during training camp, with playing time available for all who seem ready.

"If they're 13 years old and they can play, then they will play," defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker said. "I don't care about their ages, as long as they can get the job done. In college football, there are some positions where you can get away with having a freshman in the lineup. We'll look to see if they can handle it."

Cornerback Alterraun Verner is the only returning starter in the secondary, though Lockett, free safety Aaron Ware and cornerback Michael Norris all gained experience last season.

"I'm just learning, learning, learning until I can't learn anymore," Moore said. "To have a chance to play as a true freshman, I couldn't ask for anything better. I told Coach Walker if I'm not ready, I'm not ready, but if I'm ready, I want to be on the field."

Per Dohn Rahim Moore might be the favorite to land the SS starting spot right now. But he is also going to get some competition from E.J. Woods, who according to the OC Register is working through some academic issues:

Woods was admitted provisionally and missed two weeks this summer while he made up a D-plus grade from a high school class, but he said he thinks he has time to catch up.

"Right now, this spot is wide open," Woods said. "I have some obstacles, but I'm going to hopefully surpass them and be on the field against Tennessee."

Good luck EJ. Hopefully he will get his grade issues taken care of because as our staff has already shown they are not going to show any leniency when it comes to academic requirements at UCLA.

Interestingly the name I am not hearing in the mix is RS freshman Glenn Love. Although he is penciled in at FS spot, I thought Lockett’s suspension would allow him to make a dash for the SS spot. Per practice reports last April he was “beginning to make an impression” on Walker. Perhaps Walker wants to keep him at FS behind Aaron Ware for now.

Shifting our attention back to our offense, for it to be truly efficient and operate with a fast space on game day they will need to have their OL issues taken care. And all eyes are going to be on the RT spot where Nick Ekbatani is getting the first shot:

Ekbatani, who played tackle in high school and for a year in junior college, said he feels at home at right tackle, although he admits to being rusty because he spent his first two years at UCLA playing guard.

"I'm glad to be back home, but I just have to get back on the horse," said Ekbatani, who was injured much of the spring. "I'm a little surprised because I didn't play tackle in the spring, but I'm happy and I want to keep it and play."

Ekbatani said he needs to improve his footwork, and understand he needs to move his feet more because he is playing on the edge of the offensive line.

"I'm playing too wide (with my feet) right now," the 6-foot-4, 295-pound Ekbatani said. "Pass protection-wise, I felt pretty good. I just have to be a little more consistent. Initially, I'm pretty good, but then I stop because I'm used to playing guard. As a tackle, you have to keep going."

Mike Harris, a redshirt freshman, is Ekbatani's main competitor.

"Coaches want to see how much I improved since the spring," said Harris, who is 6-foot-5 and 305pounds. "They want to see if I'm their guy. They know I have the size and the ability. I feel if I have a good camp, the coaches are going to give me a chance."

Hopefully Mike and Nate Chandler (who was moved from TE to RT) will give Nick everything they have and make each other better through competition.

Also on offense according to CRN, Kahlil Bell was the “stand-out performer” from Tuesday’s practice:

"I was a little nervous, but once I got my first few carries, I made some cuts and then I realized there's no pain, no anything," Bell said. "I was like, 'OK, let's go. I'm good to go now.'"

Bell said he expects to wear a knee brace all season. Behind Bell, another player recovering from a major knee injury — Raymond Carter — could eventually push him for the starting job this fall.

Neuheisel singled out Bell as Tuesday's stand-out performer.

"It was fun to see him with burst," Neuheisel said. "I've never been on the field when he's been full speed."

That is good news. Other guy who is also making a comeback from injury is of course Ben Olson. According to Dohn Olson was a little “winded” after yesterday’s practice however there were no complaints from BO and Chow was pleased:

"We were huffin' and puffin.' We were moving," Olson said. "It's good. It's good to work that hard in practice so when you get in a game, it's a lot easier. I like this way. I probably threw a lot more balls than I usually do."

Chow is a proponent of practicing "fast and smart," and his philosophy was on display as many of the veterans went quickly through plays and drills.

"We made a million mistakes, but that's what you expect," he said. "Ben did pretty good. He did a nice job, and hopefully, he'll take this thing and know that he's the guy, and know that he's the leader."

Let’s hope it gets better for Olson and everyone from here on out. BTW huge thanks to Menelaus and Bruins102NCAA for their pictures from first day. Please keep it coming guys. Can't tell you how much it is appreciated by those of us exiled out of LA.

Lastly, Cowan had arthroscopic knee surgery yesterday and CRN told the press (linked in all the reports above) that he will be with the team with “student assistant.” That is really good news because Cowan’s infectious personality and spirit will only bring more good vibes to Spaulding Field. He will only help CRN and his coaches to push the tempo.

GO BRUINS.

With less than a month left till opening of the fall camp, we thought this would be a good time to go through our team’s tentative depth chart, the coaches set following spring football. In the past years we went through this exercise at least a week after the beginning of fall camp. However, the situation around our football program is a little different this year with a brand new coaching staff. So we thought it would be good to see what the coaches are working with following five years of Karl Dorrell.

And we will start with the possibly the most vulnerable aspect of our football team – the offense – and zero in on the biggest question mark by zeroing on the offensive line.

Here is a look at the current depth chart heading into Fall Camp:

() indicates number of games started in 07
** indicates utilized redshirt year
+ As noted by report in the Daily News

There is no way to sugar coat the situation above. To say that Neuheisel, Chow and Palcic will have a challenge in their hands based on the offensive live, would be the understatement of the year.

The first thing that stands out is the lack of experience. Among the current group of starters only Micah Kia has starting experience at the same position from last year. Reed started 8 games last year but that was as a guard. As for Glicksburg, again the number 269 next to him is not a typo. He is a converted TE and it will be interesting to see whether he was able to fill out his frame when he checks in during Fall camp.

We have all heard about Sean Sheller. The most devastating part of his injury was that coaches were counting on him to fill in for Aleksey Lanis. Lanis had to retire from the team during spring due to injury related issues ending a promising football career at UCLA. Then Sheller’s injury hit, effectively leaving us with Mike Harris, a freshman without any experience.

Consider the situation. Of all the places the already thin OL had to take a hit, it came on the right, the blind side of Ben Olson.

Perhaps for those who are looking for silver lining, might want to argue that the fact that this unit doesn’t have a lot of "experience" might not be such a bad thing given the woeful performance of the offensive unit this past two seasons. Let’s take a quick look at two key stats measuring the offensive line from the past season.

Last year, the Bruin OL was atrocious in terms of protecting QBs. We don’t need to repeat how our QBs kept going down. In terms of stats, UCLA allowed 36 sacks in 13 games, tying Oregon State as the 3rd worst team in the conference in that department. [See 2007-08 Pac-10 statistics]. Also the running game was just above average as the Bruins finished 6th in the Pac-10 conference averaging 151 yards per game (3.7 yards per carry). Bruins’ performance in both categories regressed from the 06-07 season, although that wasn’t a surprise to anyone here on BN, since we had raised the alarm bells re Bob Connelly.

So what to expect this year under a new OL coach Bob Palcic.  His recent record at Wisconsin was a bit mixed. Wisconsin Badgers were among the Big-10 leaders last two years in the rushing department (4th in 06-07 and 2nd in 07-08). However, at the same time they also gave up an alarming number of sacks (10th in 06-07 and 07-08). [See Big-10 stats from 06-07 and 07-08]. For the sake of Olson and others, we sure hope that trend doesn’t continue for Palcic in Westwood this coming season. The long time Bruin fans know what Palcic did during his last stint at UCLA with the OL anchored by Jonathan Ogden, Vaughn Parker back during 1993-94 season.

I am guessing this year with this offensive line we are going to see Bell, Ramirez and co. trying to run on the backs of Kia and Savage. In terms of experience as mentioned above Kia is the leader of this team. He has the tools to emerge as a great Pac-10 lineman, while Savage at 6-4 338 is an athletic specimen. Those two guys will be leading the OL charge.

We have huge questions at center and the right side of the line. At center hopefully Reed will emerge as a serviceable option. His starting experience came as a guard. It will be interesting to see how he adapts to his new position and develop his timing not just with Olson and other QBs (I will post my notes on them tomorrow BTW). Behind Reed there is not much depth at center. Unfortunately it sounds like Dean is hurting. Adam Heater I believe is another converted TE. YIKES.

Then there are the questions about the right side. I wrote about Glicksburg being a converted TE and Sheller's injury above. Right now let’s keep our fingers crossed that Donovan Edwards take cares of his academic goals this summer. So far reports indicate that he is on track to qualify (knocking on wood) this summer and that he will get a shot at RT. Palcic is also moving around folks around to bolster the right side. As Dohn noted this week already reds hirt freshman TE - Nate Chandler - who was listed at 6-6, 273 has been moved to OL with the expectation that he will be competing for a spot at RT. We will how that experiment goes. norcald503 expressed his concern about it:

For NC to go to Chandler rather than any of these other guy indicates to me that NC doesn’t think much of our OL depth and that we might be in a more dire situation that our depth chart would indicate.

I had hoped these guys would develop under Palcic and help us avoid major line issues down the line, but if NC isn’t sold on them and is turning to a converted TE, that makes me real worried about what happens when the current crop of starting linemen with experience (such as Kia and Reed) are gone.

I guess I am willing to be open minded about this. I saw this move as Chow being more excited about the option Chandler can possible present due to his athleticism than him not having confidence in other guys in the chart. Chandler is supposed to beast. If he emerges as a very athletic RT, who knows we can look out for that ole "tackle eligible"?  Anyway, I will also not be surprised to see more movement around OL this Fall to create competition with Harris, Chandler and Edwards. Let's see how this all plays out.

From my understanding of the situation the two incoming freshmen – Jeff Baca and Connor Bradford – might not be ready to contribute this coming season because they will need to bulk up. If anyone has information indicating that situation might have changed, please let us know in the comment section. Palcic will also have two additional options in Kai Maiva and Brett Downey. Maiva, the CU FB transfer was a highly recruited C out of high school and reportedly had regained his weight and back up to 300+ lbs. Brett Downey was reportedly a 6-7, 265 lb offensive tackle who may turn out to be a serviceable option.

After all is said and done Palcic might be able to put together a patchwork OL following a productive Fall Camp. However, we need to keep a realistic perspective given the kind of situation he inherited from the previous regime. Also don’t forget that Palcic will be the 4th offensive line coach for lot of these kids for the fourth consecutive season (which is layered upon the fact that they are also being led by 4th different OC in as many seasons). So now you know why were serving up all those doses of reality posts heading into this Fall Camp.

In any event, I think what I believe we can hope and expect from this staff is to put together a unit that will fight and scrap coming out of the gate. I am certainly not expecting miracles in next two years given the status of our OL depth chart. However, despite the challenges I think we are going to see a team that will play with a sense of purpose and determination that has been missing from the previous UCLA teams.

GO BRUINS.