Training camp -- RBs
As Rich Neuheisel readies for his first training camp, which begins Tuessday, as UCLA's coach, I'll start off the position-by-position analysis with the running backs, one of the most intriguing positions for the Bruins.
With the (expected) news '07 leading rusher Kahlil Bell is cleared for practice, at least UCLA has someone experienced to carry the ball. Bell is the only member of the backfield with significant carries, but a question is whether his knee will hold up for a season worth of carries. He ran for 795 yards in eight games before tearing a knee ligament.
The more exciting part for UCLA is who else is in the mix. With Christian Ramirez academically ineligible, it means a battle between red-shirt freshman Raymond Carter and several of the incoming freshman, led by Aundre Dean.
Carter is coming off ACL surgery (the same as Bell), and will be competing with the physically impressive Dean, as well as freshmen Jonathan Franklin, Derrick Coleman and Milton Knox for the second spot. Heading into camp, the leaders to backup Bell are Carter and Dean.
Looking beyond what is a rebuilding 2008 (no matter what Neuheisel says), it will be interesting to see how the pecking order shakes out for the future.
Junior Chane Moline will get carries, but mostly in short yardage situations. UCLA's coaching staff will also try him at fullback. The staff is also high on fullback Trevor Theriot, and look for him to be used as a receiver out of the backfield.
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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.
with a depleted O-line, i think a big, bruising fullback that can lead will determine our running success.
the running backs that hit the holes quick without too much dancing will also benefit the offense.
whoever can do this from the backfield will play.
From what I have been hearing about the O-line, the Bruins could have Gale Sayers in his prime and they'd have trouble running the ball. It's amazing to me that KD did not recruit linemen during his tenure. As thin as that position is now, injuries are going to kill this offense. This team is 3 or more years away from a winning record. It's too bad this once proud program as fallen this way.
Sure wish we could have kept Pitre. Brian, do you know what he's up to?
Stan, KD did recruit linemen during his tenure (had the #2 ranked OL recruiting class in 2006), but developing them is another story. UCLA's biggest issue is lack of experience on the OL. Also, the losses of Lanis and Sheller will definitely hurt, as keeping Lanis in the fold would have accounted for 3 experienced starters. Can't really blame KD for either of those two situations, but I think you can say that he failed to consistently bring in strong OL recruits.
BTW, run blocking is far easier to pick up that pass blocking, so with the size UCLA has up front, I expect the running game to fare well.