What’s Bruin: UCLA Football’s OL Kenny Lacy Could Be Out For a While

What’s Bruin this Thursday morning? Well, football season is about to kickoff. So, let’s look at what’s been written this morning about the upcoming Bruin football season.

UCLA Football

First, the big news....

Bruin Report Online is citing unconfirmed reports that Kenny Lacy may have suffered an injury that could cost him the season. “The degree of Lacy's injury was revealed at an event Wednesday night at Royce Hall,” writes Tracy Pierson. He continues:

The specifics of the injury at this time are uncertain. After Tuesday's practice (which was closed), head coach Jim Mora told the media Lacy had experienced a "pinch when he tried to get in a stance," and received an injection. One source who was at the Royce Hall event heard it was a hip injury but there are no details available.

This would be a big blow to the offensive line as it would weaken a line that there have been a lot of questions about. More as it develops....

Meanwhile, respected Bay Area writer Jon Wilner seems to think a 9-3 season is possible. That’s despite the fact that he admits his own prognostication skills may not be accurate. He writes:

The Hotline is not about to guess whether Jim Mora keeps his job or loses his job … or if his job is truly in jeopardy this season … or if he makes it through the season.

But this much I feel confident in typing: The Mora end-game will be framed by the close of September.

Practice was shortened yesterday due to problems at the Luskin Conference Center where the team has been staying during camp. It was initially reported by the Bruin Report Online twitter account that there were problems at the Wasserman Football Center. there were no post-practice interviews.

Speaking of Twitter, with no practice to report on, Ben Bolch of the LA Times turned to Twitter and wrote a piece about the Twitter account of UCLA Football walk-ons. Of course, a search on Twitter will let you find the walk-ons account and, of course, they retweeted the LA Times article.

The State Controller released 2016 pay data on Tuesday and guess who was the highest paid state employee this year. It was UCLA head coach Jim Mora who earned $3.57 million last season. That’s $892,500 per win last season. Well, that’s one way Mora is better paid than even Nick Saban. Saban made just under $7 million last season, or almost $500K per win. Heck, that makes Saban look like a bargain.

Maybe that’s why Mora’s on the hot seat right now. How many wins does he need to keep his job? According to Yahoo Sports, he may need eight wins, but that sounds high to me. I think seven wins, and possibly even six, lets him keep it. After all, “sound financial manager” Dan Guerrero is still Mora’s boss and he’s got a hefty buyout.

I guess it’s a good thing we’re a “basketball school.”

Men’s Basketball

Speaking of basketball, LeBron James was on campus hooping it up at the Student Activities Center (fka the Men’s Gym). Apparently, a team made up of incoming Bruins beat King James’ team.

Personally, I wouldn’t put a lot of stock into this. It’s not like they’re the Warriors or anything.

UCLA Men’s Cross Country

FloTrack.com has a preview of the 23rd-ranked UCLA Men’s Cross Country team. They think the team will move higher if some of UCLA’s underclassmen have a good season.

UCLA Softball

Rodney Davis who has spent more than two decades around Major League Baseball will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for the UCLA Softball team. Davis will oversee the Bruin outfielders.

UCLA Athletics

Bruin fans got talent? UCLA is looking for individuals to sing the National Anthem at a variety of sporting events this year. The deadline to apply is September 8th for the 2016-2017 school year.