2013 UCLA Football Fall Camp: Day 8 – Mora’s Thoughts Fuller’s Athleticism, Brown’s Transition, the “Clowney Rule” & Other Notes

Let's start with Coach Mora's post-practice presser this afternoon. Here is the video

Early on the big news was that Simon Goines had gone down with a knee injury at practice. But Mora immediately said at the beginning of his presser that Goines's injury was "minor" and that he would be all right. He identified the injury as "a hyperextended knee" and that he wouldn't have an MRI exam or X-ray. Chris Foster reported that Connor McDermott stepped in for Goines at the left tackle spot.  In the same report Klemm didn't sound all that worried about Goines injury either. I am guessing Goines may take a little time just to be safe before returning to practice.

Towards the beginning some guy who I guess is visiting all Pac-12 teams' fall camp asked Mora some really generic questions. Mora gave his standard responses wrt to Brett development, replacing the Jet Ski with a RB committee, and looked really bored while doing it. I was bored just listening to those questions as well. I wonder if these people who show up at practices for the first time have access to the Google.  I'd be bored answering those questions too.

But the video is still worth watching because Mora's comments on other topics. For example his specific personnel related observations were:

• While talking about DBs - Mora said Tyler Forman has made strides in last couple of practices.
• Mora also had nice things about redshirt freshman Jayon Brown who had made a nice transition from OLB to the defensive backfield. In fact Mora identified Brown as a starter nickle if he were to pencil in the starters today.
• When asked about Devin Fuller Mora gushed about his second year WR out of Bruce Springsteen's home state. He said Fuller now "looks like a receiver rather than a quarterback trying to play receiver." He talked about how Fuller's routes are much better and cleaner. He also raved about Fuller having better "body control while running his routes." Mora went on about Fuller's athleticism and discussed how he makes everything look effortless. He went as far as suggesting Fuller could be a very good "safety" because he is such a great athlete.
• This is not in the video - Per Foster LB Jeremy Castro is "unlikely to rejoin the team" according to "a person familiar with the situation who was not authorized to speak on the matter." Foster reports that Castro has not been in San Bernardino because of "a university issue." Well that's kind of a bummer. We will have to look for more information on this front.

Mora also discussed the new "targeting" rule in the NCAA books this year which is aka the Jadevon Clowney rule. Jack Wang blogged it on Inside UCLA:

Such is the fault in human judgment. Tweaks to the college football rulebook have greatly increased the penalty for football players who aim at an opponent's head or neck - especially with intent that exceeds a legal tackle or block. In the past, the punishment was a 15-yard penalty.

Now, officials can also eject a player from the game after a video review. If the penalty occurs in the second half, the player must also sit out the first half of his next game.

"The ramifications are so drastic," Mora said. "You're talking about kicking a kid out of a game. The way that could affect his team and the way that it could affect his career, I don't like it at all.

Here is the epic Clowney hit from last year which spurred this BS rule for this upcoming season.

Mora called it the "worst rule" he has ever heard of but he also said it's a rule for now we have to "live with" for now and "respect." I think it will be very interesting to see how the SPTR morons will handle the rule. Will they penalize our guys like Anthony Barr if he puts on a huge hit on the Nevada QB in the first game of the season.

Mora said the team hit bit of a wall today after yesterday's "long" and "grueling" practice. But given that they had this evening off, hopefully they will return refreshed and reenergized tomorrow.  As Mora said at the end "I like where we are as a team."

GO BRUINS.