Post practice Wednesday
UCLA concluded its training camp today, with coach Rick Neuheisel opting to cancel the evening practice because of the hard work the team put in throughout training camp.
The offense struggled today in the morning practice, with quarterback Kevin Craft throwing a few interceptions. Among the defensive backs, Alterraun Verner had another strong showing, and he was the most consistent corner throughout training camp.
Running back Kahlil Bell, tight end Ryan Moya, left tackle Micah Kia and linebacker Kyle Bosworth did not practice because of various ailments.
Kia had his left hand in a cast, but said he planned on playing against Tennessee in the season opener.
Converted defensive tackle Jess Ward, now an offensive guard, was involved in contact drills today. It was his first practice with the offensive line, and he began by running with the second team.
Also, freshman offensive lineman Jeff Baca has a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee, but Neuheisel said it was not torn as much as feared and Baca should be back practicing in a few weeks.
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About Inside UCLA
This is Brian Dohn's sixth season covering UCLA after spending 4 1/2 years covering the Dodgers for the Daily News and other Los Angeles Newspaper Group papers. He graduated from Rutgers, where the first college football game was played in 1869. Sure, the Scarlet Knights suffered for a long time, but now RU is doing what Jerseyans always thought was possible. Winning at Rutgers also proves winning is possible everywhere else in the nation, so underachieving coaches better be careful. Now, if only men's hoops can turn it around.
Cancelling the evening practice isn't a wise thing to do at this time. Yes, there are several players with injuries, but then shouldn't the back ups get the necessary practice time in case they are needed during games? CRN cancelled because of the hard work the team put in during training camp...well aren't they supposed to put in the hard work and then some!!!! Was it cancelled so that Norm Chow can attend the Dodger game? I don't understand.
Another point of view is that the boys probably needed a break anyway. Physical labor, which football is, can reach a point of diminishing returns, and perhaps this is what the coaches saw.
When they started camp it was about one-month before kickoff. Probably seemed like a lifetime to them. But now it is down to about a week and a half, so it is real, the season really is going to start.
And so perhaps it was a good time to give the kids a little reward.