* Datone Jones will have surgery on Friday on a broken bone in his right foot and is out at least 10-12 weeks, UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel said. Nate Chandler and Damien Holmes got the reps at Jones’ spot on Wednesday, and all indications are that the two will battle for the spot, with Keenan Graham and Iuta Tepa still fighting for the other spot. Owamagbe Odighizuwa continues to impress, but he’s still trying to grasp the intricacies of Chuck Bullough’s complex scheme, and is still a work in progress.
* “That’s the thing; can they handle the mental? Are they busting all over the place? We can’t have them making mental mistake. On the other hand, if athletically he’s the guy, and we have to trim the calls down, so be it.” – Chuck Bullough, on Owa
* Kevin Prince missed most of practiced with a pulled oblique muscle, a small injury that won’t sideline him for long. Nick Crissman and Darius Bell got the reps in his absence, and while Bell struggled a bit in the passing game, throwing two bad interceptions, he has great footwork and could be a valuable weapon.
* Marlon Pollard and Akeem Ayers both had very nice interceptions.
* Freshman DB Anthony Jefferson has not been cleared by the NCAA clearinghouse, but is being allowed to participate in practice, though he was not in shells with the rest of the team.
* Ayers is using his hands incredibly well this year. I saw him take an offensive lineman and shuck him to the ground before engaging with another, and if Ayers continues to be as physical, perhaps Jones’ loss is not as damaging as it initially seems.
* Nick Crissman had a real zip on some of his balls, and he had a number of nice passes, though there were some drops.
* Neuheisel was not particularly pleased with the early practice offense, and things were much smoother in the later session.
* Morrell Presley looked great on some plays and awful on others, and he’s nowhere near his potential yet. Once he irons out all the kinks, he could be really, really good in that F-back role.
* Malcolm Jones had a great touchdown run that elicited a solid applause, and he’s showing his ability quickly. Watch out for him.