Sun Bowl Notes: Sunday is a Thursday for UCLA, Senior Reflections from Evans & Zumwalt

While Sunday is a day off under normal circumstances, the Bruins had a practice today as Coach Jim Mora has been simulating a normal "game week" leading up to the game day on Tuesday.  So Mora treated today as if it were a "Thursday" of game-week leading up to a "Saturday game-day" on Tuesday. Here is a little glimpse of what practice looked like via @UCLAFootball:

Here were Mora's comments after practice today in which he looked relaxed and confident (while joking around with the beat reporters):

There is not much hard news from Mora's comments. As I mentioned the reporters were joking around with him a lot. They had discussion about shoes. In terms of football related topics nothing really earth shattering as reporters (I think it was Jack Wang who brought it up) asked him about the decision making process that led to Anthony Barr's switch from offense to defense.

Mora once again re-emphasized how important it was for the program to get the "10^th win" to send off seniors like Barr on a great note in their last game in a Bruin uniform.

Speaking of the seniors, Ralph continues to post some cool "reflection" videos featuring our key seniors, going over some key highlights from their careers at UCLA. Let's start with Shaq:

Shaq talked about the "bittersweet" feeling about playing his last game while also getting excited about "next chapter in his life." He also gave a big shout out to WR coach Eric Yarber who taught him how to be a "detailed technician" at his position.

"Bittersweet" was also the word Jordan Zumwalt used to reflect on his last game as a Bruin:

Watch the video because it's pretty funny to see Zumwalt react while watching some of the highlights from his UCLA career (especially loved his reaction to the play in which he "tossed around" the "Black Mamba").

Jordan also mentioned how badly he and rest of the seniors want the "10^th win." He said that getting the "10^th win" is important to be remembered as one of the best teams in UCLA history.

I think that's a bit of stretch because for that distinction Bruins need to be playing in a New Year's Day bowl game. But still - this is a must win for Mora's program to set up some positive momentum heading into his third year in Westwood - in which the Bruins will be expected to make their first BCS charge since 2001 (Sorry, can't really count the 2005 season because the "BCS run" that year was just about real Alford's 11-2 start to this basketball season).

GO BRUINS.