The 2015 edition of spring practice is just around the corner, Bruin fans!
We’re almost to opening kickoff and some gridiron preparation can help tide you over until opening kickoff!
As we head into 2015, the one major question UCLA has is who will start at quarterback for the Bruins? Certainly, whoever ultimately becomes UCLA‘s starting QB has some big shoes to fill. Brett Hundley is set to be drafted come late April after an illustrious career where he helped lead the Bruins back to national prominence.
Who will take his place and lead the Bruin offense as we head into spring? Read on to find out!
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1: Josh Rosen
Rosen is coming off a tremendous career at California powerhouse St. John Bosco, a career that ended in him becoming the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in the country according to Rivals, and the No. 2 prospect overall.
The freshman ran a similar offense to offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone’s at Bosco, and coming to UCLA as an early enrollee for spring practice will surely give him a leg up.
Combine his excellent football IQ, with his accurate arm and decent mobility when he needs to get out of the pocket, and it certainly looks like it is the 18-year-old’s job to lose heading into spring, although he does have formidable competition behind him.
2. Jerry Neuheisel
Neuheisel definitely has the potential to earn UCLA‘s starting position after spring, but the 22-year-old redshirt sophomore may overtake Rosen at the beginning of the practices.
Neuheisel has shown the ability to manage the Bruins well throughout his tenure, most notably leading UCLA to a thrilling win over Texas in AT&T Stadium after Brett Hundley went down with an injury in the first quarter.
In my opinion, both Rosen and Neuheisel have talent, and the sophomore will definitely provide Rosen with some competition come spring. If he struggles, Neuheisel may be able to take over the starting job during spring. The battle between these two will definitely be intriguing to monitor.
3. Asiantii Woulard
Woulard is an intriguing case for UCLA. His recruiting skyrocketed after winning the prestigious Elite 11 quarterback competition in 2013, and he landed on offer from the Bruins before opting to sign on with them. The Winter Park High School (Florida) alumnus came into Westwood with a lot of hype around him and it appeared as if Woulard was the heir apparent to Hundley. However, that has not been the case for the redshirt freshman thus far.
Although he has the best mobility of the three, Woulard has not shown the ability to be accurate when throwing the ball, and that has hurt him during his tenure.
Granted, he still has a lot of time to improve on that between now and the end of his college career, but until he is able to show more consistency in the accuracy department, he will probably remain in the third position on the depth chart.
If you are interested in attending UCLA’s 2015 spring practices, the schedule is posted here. The first practice begins on Tuesday, March 31, at 7 a.m. All practices (unless otherwise stated in the schedule) will take place at Spaulding Field on the UCLA campus.