UCLA Football: Week 3 Media Interviews

Welcome to an abbreviated edition of the Spaulding Report. For the most part, I’m going to allow these videos to speak for themselves, but I will probably call out a quote or two from each.

On Monday, UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly started off by speaking about how the team didn’t practice well last week. “How you train during the week is really how you play on Saturday,” Kelly said.

The other Kelly quote that stood out to me is this one:

We just need to be more consistent. I think that’s what all teams at this point in time are striving for. I think the consistency level has to be better. When it is better, then you have more success.

This almost sounds Dorellian. It certainly reminds me of when Karl Dorrell said that the coaching staff needed to “coach hard.” It really may be Groundhog Day: Football Edition in Westwood.

After admitting that the team didn’t practice well last week in his Monday interview, Kelly said that the team had a good day on Monday and Tuesday. So, we’ll see what happens tomorrow.

Kelly also trotted out the now-tired youth excuse again early in this interview.

Monday was a day of first interviews as Greg Dulcich and Mike Martinez both met with the media for the first time.

Walk-on tight end Greg Dulcich spoke about focusing on staying on the playing field when he gave his first interview on Monday.

Mike Martinez spoke about his first impressions since joining the team in June.

On Tuesday, Jay Shaw spoke about how well the team had practiced early this week and on how he is trying to tune out the negative reports about the team, even though he realizes that there is some truth in it.

Elijah Gates also spoke on Tuesday. He was asked about the team’s player’s-only meeting that took place on Sunday.

Wednesday, Dorian Thompson-Robinson also spoke about the player’s-only meeting and the change in attitude after that meeting. He also compared Monday’s and Tuesday’s practices this week to the previous weeks. He called this week’s practices “pretty sharp.” We’ll see if that helps tomorrow.

The final interview of the week was with offensive lineman Christaphany Murray. He said that the first three practices this week had a different “intent” and “focus” behind them. On the player’s-only meeting, Murray said, “I think it was needed.”

Well, we’ll see what kind of effect it has on the field when the Bruins take the field tomorrow. Hopefully, it results in a significant improvement in how the team plays.


Go Bruins!!