7. More Offensive Sets?
The first part of spring practice consisted of simple read options, run plays and short passing routes sprinkled in with a few bombs. As the saying goes, practice until you can’t get it wrong. But simple vanilla plays are not going to get many wins and even though Chip Kelly wants to keep a lot of this under his hat, he’s eventually going to have to break new things out in practice. Will we see any of that in the next three weeks? What about during the Spring Game?
8. Will Any Other Receiver Step Up with Theo Howard?
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UCLA has a bevy of young and talented receivers, but they still seem to be adapting to the offense, even players that were here last year. That is not a bad thing, but what would really help UCLA is to have a second and third receiving threat behind Theo Howard. Devin Asiasi seems like he could easily replace Caleb Wilson, but the Bruins need downfield threats. Demetric Felton seems like another option, but he could take more reps running the ball as he did in the first part of practice. Ideally, having Chase Cota, Kyle Phillips, or Michael Ezeike step up would do wonders for the passing game.
9. Youth Defensive Movement
There is a lot of young talent on the defensive side of the ball, especially on the line and in the secondary. With UCLA losing members to both medical retirement and graduation since the end of last season, they’re going to have to step up their development with some of these youngsters. We already saw what Otito Ogbonnia and Atonio Mafi can do on the line and we have seen the rise of players like Stephen Blaylock and Elijah Gates can do in the secondary, but there should be no reason why UCLA can’t go to or three deep with the number of players they have waiting in the wings. BE on the lookout for names like Datona Jackosn, Tyler Manoa, Steven Mason, Kenny Churchwell, Jay Shaw, and Patrick Jolly.
10. The Other QBs
So we know that DTR is going to be QB1, but how will Austin Burton Chace Griffin do in the next few weeks? Burton held his own and surprised a lot of people in the first part of spring, but he still needs to work on a few different items if he wants to battle for the starting quarterback spot. Either way he seems to have the back up all locked up… that is unless Griffin completely wows everyone in the next few weeks. Either way, the get ready for the QBs to push each other.