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The Bruins opened observe with a considerably corny, if not self-aware, tune alternative following their upset win over then-No. 16 LSU on Saturday.
“Do not Cease Believin”” by Journey.
The remainder of the soundtrack throughout No. 16 UCLA soccer’s (2-0) Wednesday coaching session returned to the traditional DMX and OutKast tracks that normally play over the loudspeakers at Wasserman Soccer Middle. The Bruins earned their first AP high 25 rating in practically 4 years Tuesday, and as they enter their third recreation nonetheless and not using a loss, followers, gamers and speaking heads are insisting upon this group having a lot left within the tank.
Within the midst of a bye week, UCLA will not have an opportunity to show itself once more Saturday, so the believing goes to have to come back from the observe area till the Fresno State recreation Sept. 18. Coach Chip Kelly insisted on calling it an “enchancment week” slightly than a bye week after the LSU win, and he did the identical with the press Wednesday morning.
The precise observe itself was fairly mild Wednesday, even making an allowance for there have been no pads. As soon as once more, particular groups was first on the docket, and receivers coach Jerry Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Justin Frye ran level on the blocking drills happening in entrance of the media.
The Bruins then lined up in punt formation to observe some live-speed drills on that entrance. Receiver Kyle Philips was the primary to haul one in, and he was joined by receiver Logan Loya, receiver Kazmeir Allen, working again Keegan Jones and receiver Kam Brown.
Brown muffed one as he was backpedaling in direction of the left sideline, letting it bounce proper off his chest within the path of the pursuing protection. Two video games into his UCLA profession, the Texas A&M switch has but to report a catch, kick return or punt return.
When the group cut up up into positional drills, we acquired a fairly respectable take a look at the receivers, working backs and tight ends working routes on the objective line. It was tough to see which quarterback was throwing which move, however among the performs on the receiving finish stood out.
The highest play we noticed Wednesday goes to Jones, who made an incredible one-handed seize on a objective line fade into the back-left nook of the tip zone. Jones has only one catch in 11 profession video games with the Bruins and has but to tally one by means of two appearances this fall, however he definitely has the ball abilities and arms to be a receiving choice popping out of the backfield shifting ahead if want be.
The quarterbacks have been cut up up simply as that they had been over the previous two weeks, with Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Ethan Garbers and Chase Griffin carrying their regular blue jerseys and Chase Artopoeus, Parker McQuarrie and Kajiya Hollawayne suiting up for the scout group in Fresno State purple.
Artopoeus was carrying No. 9 to pose because the Bulldogs’ starter, Jake Kaener, who can be precisely 6-foot-1, 195 kilos. McQuarrie sported No. 2 and Hollawayne No. 9, each of which belong to Fresno State receivers.
On the defensive aspect of the sector, the beginning linebackers and defensive backs practiced easy objective line protection schemes. Cornerback Obi Eboh and security Stephan Blaylock had a miscommunication and left a scout group working again extensive open on the left aspect, they usually broke down what went mistaken between snaps.
The variety of gamers who weren’t on the sector – at the least those we might see within the weight room space – has dropped considerably as of Wednesday morning. Working again Christian Grubb was nonetheless rehabbing his torn achilles, and a participant in a No. 3 purple scout group jersey was working with trainers on the aspect, however that is everybody who was held out. There are probably others who have been injured and simply did not seem exterior the ability, however this might symbolize a major shift in how the group handles dinged up gamers.
As soon as once more collaborating in observe was middle Sam Marrazzo, who missed every of UCLA’s first two video games recovering from an harm he sustained on the tail finish of final season. After spending the previous few weeks working with the 3s in non-contact snap pairings, Marrazzo truly snapped the ball to Thompson-Robinson on Wednesday, which marks the primary time we have seen that occur since fall camp opened over a month in the past.
Kelly informed reporters earlier than observe he was excited for the trajectory Marrazzo was heading on, however didn’t provide any concrete updates on his standing for subsequent week.
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