Today it was announced that three offensive linemen have left the program, making the line a lot thinner. This is a concern at this point in the Chip Kelly era.
UCLA football head coach Chip Kelly knows how to run a team. With the Bruins, he has a little more to do as he has the herculean task of trying to turn a 6-7 team into contenders.
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One of the things that he knows how to do is use the strengths of his players. That brings into question why three offensive linemen (and a punter) have left the program.
The news was announced early on Thursday via Bruin Report Online. According to the 247Sports site, Alex Akingbulu, Sean Seawards, Jax Wacaser and Austin Kent are no longer with the program. Wacaser is the only one that left on his on his own accord as he is medically retiring.
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The other three, according to the report, “were informed there wasn’t a spot for them on the team”.
Let us first start with the offensive linemen. It seems that there is always a spot for OLs, especially when one inherits a team that was lacking in depth to begin with.
UCLA loses three starting linemen from last season, but will also lose four more to graduation. That leaves only nine linemen on the roster. Though they have a preferred walk-on and four commits coming in the fall, not being able to find a spot for two more linemen is a bit awkward.
Though it could be that they were not able to perform up to Kelly’s standards, having more OLs seems like an insurance policy more than anything.
As for Kent, he also did not perform up to the standards required. Though he started two seasons ago, his inconsistency forced Jim Mora to replace him with walk-on Stefan Flintoft last season. But this is also concerning as Flintoft, a redshirt senior, is now the only punter on the roster.
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Though I cannot say what is going on in Chip Kelly’s head, there is a reason he is the coach and I am not. So with that being said, I hope his moves are throughly calculated and don’t come back to bite him.