Bruins held their first two-a-day practice session on Saturday. Dohn was there of course and typed up his notes in his latest blog post (emphasis mine):
WR Jamil Turner has a chance to break into the rotation as a possession receiver, and the coaching staff is giving him every chance to do so.
TB Chris Markey looks strong, showing good patience to find the hole, then slashing through the line of scrimmage quickly.
SS Chris Horton, if he stays healthy, could be a game-changing player because of his ability to always be around the play, and he is a big hitter.
WR Junior Taylor isn't 100 percent, but he is working hard. His speed and cutting ability hasn't come all the way back from reconstructive knee surgery.
QB Ben Olson is outperforming Pat Cowan, and he throws a 15- to 20-yard out with great accuracy.
CB Alterraun Verner could be a stud. He's athletic as heck, and could find his way into UCLA's nickel package if Mike Norris slips up.
I found Dohn's note on the Southpaw Jesus pretty amusing because just a day or two ago there was a post or two from certain experts on message boards that Olson was not so well in practice and that perhaps Cowan has the edge. Then of course I had laugh it off some of these same experts used to vehemently argue on message boards that Matt Moore was a better QB than the DO just three-four years ago. Again you can bet good money that after all its said and done this is going to be our guy:TB Chris Markey looks strong, showing good patience to find the hole, then slashing through the line of scrimmage quickly.
SS Chris Horton, if he stays healthy, could be a game-changing player because of his ability to always be around the play, and he is a big hitter.
WR Junior Taylor isn't 100 percent, but he is working hard. His speed and cutting ability hasn't come all the way back from reconstructive knee surgery.
QB Ben Olson is outperforming Pat Cowan, and he throws a 15- to 20-yard out with great accuracy.
CB Alterraun Verner could be a stud. He's athletic as heck, and could find his way into UCLA's nickel package if Mike Norris slips up.
(Michael Owen Baker / Daily News Photographer)
Anyways moving on.
In his daily report, Dohn zeroes in on Robert Chai, who is apparently still getting use to playing C and dealing with the expectations of having to be a senior leader:
Robert Chai sized up UCLA's offensive linemen and wondered how he ended up in his current position -- not as UCLA's starting center, where he is entrenched, but as the only senior offensive lineman in the program. With that comes a huge responsibility, and one he is learning to take on.
"I need to be a role model, the leader type of guy, especially with the center position," Chai said. "I need to make all the calls, make all the adjustments, so the center has to be the most knowledgeable on the offensive line. All the younger guys are looking at me, and how to play. So I'm the example."
Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said Saturday the running game will be a focus of training camp. For UCLA to succeed, Chai must prove he can be a consistent force in the middle of the line.
After performing well as a redshirt freshman in place of the injured Mike McCloskey, Chai was expected to play a significant role at guard in 2004. Instead, he was a reserve, and last season found himself behind McCloskey again.
The results weren't great. The Bruins averaged 167.9 rushing yards and 4.7 yards per carry in McCloskey's seven starts, all UCLA wins. McCloskey was then injured, Chai took over and UCLA's running game suffered. The Bruins averaged 110.7 yards and 3.3yards per carry in four games, two of which UCLA lost. Chai missed the Sun Bowl and spring practice because of a right knee injury.
But Dorrell said Chai is performing well in training camp.
"He's more seasoned. He's more assertive now because he knows what he's doing," Dorrell said. "When you're a veteran, and kind of a cagey veteran, you can do things a different way because of that experience. He's done that."
Chai still has three more weeks to get in total sync with rest of his team-mates, and if he doesn't you can bet he is going to get stiff competition from Nate Skaggs backing him up, who has been looking huge (No. 51) in training camp."I need to be a role model, the leader type of guy, especially with the center position," Chai said. "I need to make all the calls, make all the adjustments, so the center has to be the most knowledgeable on the offensive line. All the younger guys are looking at me, and how to play. So I'm the example."
Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said Saturday the running game will be a focus of training camp. For UCLA to succeed, Chai must prove he can be a consistent force in the middle of the line.
After performing well as a redshirt freshman in place of the injured Mike McCloskey, Chai was expected to play a significant role at guard in 2004. Instead, he was a reserve, and last season found himself behind McCloskey again.
The results weren't great. The Bruins averaged 167.9 rushing yards and 4.7 yards per carry in McCloskey's seven starts, all UCLA wins. McCloskey was then injured, Chai took over and UCLA's running game suffered. The Bruins averaged 110.7 yards and 3.3yards per carry in four games, two of which UCLA lost. Chai missed the Sun Bowl and spring practice because of a right knee injury.
But Dorrell said Chai is performing well in training camp.
"He's more seasoned. He's more assertive now because he knows what he's doing," Dorrell said. "When you're a veteran, and kind of a cagey veteran, you can do things a different way because of that experience. He's done that."
LA Times's Lonnie White focuses on FB Pitre and also reports that Kibble suffered a setback with another bout of multiple of sclerosis. More on Kibble's situation from the the OC Register:
The UCLA safety again is experiencing symptoms of the disease. They are not as bad as they were in the spring, when he was hospitalized, but bad enough that he is on medication and resting at his apartment.
"He's not able to play or do anything right now," Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said. "He's able to walk and use all his extremities and all that, but we're just trying to head off any issues before it gets any worse than what it is."
The symptoms started Friday afternoon, after the squad's first practice in full pads.
If Kibble is out for an extended period, the Bruins, depth at the safety positions will become as tenuous as at the cornerbacks spots.
Man that's a bummer. We sure hope this is a minor deal and that Kibble is fully recovered soon. No need for him to rush back at this point. Aaron Ware and Brett Lockett may not have enough experience but they are talented athletes, who were recruited hard by other major programs. They should be ready to step up. Also, in that Register report nice mention of Chane Moline being used at TB and FB. I'd love to see the Chain Train getting in action right off the bat. We will find out answers to all these questions in about 20 days."He's not able to play or do anything right now," Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said. "He's able to walk and use all his extremities and all that, but we're just trying to head off any issues before it gets any worse than what it is."
The symptoms started Friday afternoon, after the squad's first practice in full pads.
If Kibble is out for an extended period, the Bruins, depth at the safety positions will become as tenuous as at the cornerbacks spots.
GO BRUINS.