LOS ANGELES — UCLA football players have said that playing for head coach Chip Kelly is one of the best parts of being a Bruin, but it can also be one of the most challenging. Especially for players new to the team.
“It’s a little difficult, I’m not gonna lie,” said running back Carson Steele, a transfer from Ball State.
As the Bruins plow through fall camp, they also are digging into the playbook. And no matter how complicated the X’s and O’s get, the Bruins are learning in a dynamic environment.
Kelly said position coaches are observant of the learning style of individuals, whether they’re visual learners, audio learners, kinesthetic learners or something else. They encourage questions, especially because new players can be tempted to lie about their understanding.
“Sometimes if you’re a new kid, you can just nod your head and say, ‘I got it, I got it, I got it because I don’t want Coach to know I don’t have it,’” Kelly said, “because that might affect me on the depth chart. And that’s not what we’re looking for.”
Receiver J. Michael Sturdivant, a transfer from Cal, said his transition to UCLA’s offense has gone smoothly. Tempo plays are familiar after his time with the Golden Bears and the interactions in meeting rooms have helped him absorb the information, but walk-throughs are what help truly ingrain plays.
Kelly has yet to name a starting quarterback, but Sturdivant said not knowing who will be throwing the ball hasn’t had an effect on how the offense flows.
“They be putting the ball on the money,” Sturdivant said. “Whenever we mess up somewhere or they mess up, we communicate, get it done and make improvements off that. So you know I’m confident in every quarterback and whoever comes out next week versus Coastal (Carolina), I’ve got the utmost confidence in them.”
Sturdivant said dedicating time to learning the playbook has helped him play faster and read defenses quickly. He’s been lauded for his speed, so the work is paying off.
“J. Mike is pretty fast,” Bruins defensive back Jordan Anderson said. “His speed is deceptive.”
Anderson has game-planned against UCLA’s offense before, seeing it in last season’s opening game when he played for Bowling Green. Now that he’s learning the Bruins’ playbook, he’s lived it from both sides.
“With Chip Kelly, he’s known for having a spread, high-powered offense,” Anderson said. “So game-planning for it, you have to be ready, especially with all the pieces they have. You’ve gotta know who you’re game-planning for.”
Bruins ramp up drills
UCLA is inching closer to its season opener Sept. 2 against Coastal Carolina and the drills are correspondingly becoming more situational during practice.
Wednesday morning’s practice at Spaulding Field included one-on-one drills that matched running backs with linebackers. Steele and Darius Muasau were a high-motor matchup, wrestling to a point where it was difficult to tell who “won” the drill.
Defensive backs ran through situational drills on the far side of the field opposite of the media viewing area, but it was clear to see there was light contact.
“It definitely gets you excited,” Anderson said. “Just putting us in real-life, game situations that are going to occur or that may occur in a game. And it’s just good because it keeps us ready and on our toes so when it does come, we’re not surprised by that at all.”
UCLA doesn’t have live periods or tackle to the ground, which is different from what Anderson experienced at Bowling Green. He amassed 47 total tackles, five pass breakups, an interception and half a sack in his 2022 season as a Falcon.
Anderson has learned to show his power in different ways since coming to UCLA, like taking on blocks or shedding blocks. He’s looking for ways to show physicality while sharpening the mental side of his game.
“It’s really just honing in on what I have to do mentally,” he said, “and just how I have to be going on to the next play and just not think about too much. You’ve gotta have a short memory but also learn how to hone in on what you have to do.”