Spaulding Report: UCLA Football Looks to Move Forward as Bruins Head to Arizona

During this week’s press conferences, Chip Kelly was swamped, and rightly so, with questions about last Saturday’s 67-63 shootout with the Washington State Cougars.

Kelly, however, was demur in his responses, not eager to celebrate what was ultimately just one win in a season of struggles and mishaps. Instead, Kelly emphasized the week-to-week preparation, regardless of outcome:

Last week’s game doesn’t have any bearing on this week’s game, and that’s what I think our players have to understand. We played well last Saturday because we practiced well during the week. So, that’s the real correlation that we’re trying to hit home with our players.

After the UCLA Bruins’ breakout performance, expectations are likely to be raised heading into this Saturday’s game against the Arizona Wildcats, but Kelly was quick to squash the notion that the team had somehow changed overnight. As a scheme-heavy coach, Kelly is almost always going to stress preparation over inspiration. Kelly said:

You can’t afford to spend too much time, whether it’s a win or a loss, on the last game, because that affects your preparation for the next game... You’ve got to move on.

At this point, whatever works, so long as the Bruins don’t regress to their early-season form.

On Monday, wide receiver Kyle Phillips, who returned a punt for a touchdown against Wazzu, and linebacker Josh Woods, who recorded an interception and two fumble recoveries in the game, each spoke about their roles in the Bruins’ historic comeback.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Keisean Lucier-South and Demetric Felton also reflected on Saturday’s game.

On Wednesday, quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and defensive back Darnay Holmes also met with the media. Thompson-Robinson really captured the theme of the week when he said:

Now that we know what winning feels like and that joy and stuff, you don’t you definitely don’t want to go backwards. That’s what we’re working towards right now, just keep going up that hill and keep going forward.

Thanks to UCLA Athletics for this week’s videos.