Miguel Melendez here invading Jon Gold’s blog (username and all). I’ll be filling in for the next few practices bringing you some notes with videos along with complete stories in the paper. If you must know, I’ll be at UCLA on Tuesday and Saturday next week as well. I will say this: next time I plan on parking in residential neighborhood so I can write from campus instead of driving the 50 minutes back home to Pasadena.

QUICK HITS

* Perhaps the biggest news in Saturday’s practice were injuries to linebackers Patrick Larimore (neck) and Aaron Wallace (neck). Larimore walked off the field early and was visibly upset, punching a tackling bag on his way out. There was no immediate update on the injury, though UCLA coach Jim Mora thinks it could be either a concussion or concussion-like symptoms for both Larimore and Wallace. In other news, Brandon Sermons, dressed in street clothes, might sit out the rest of spring camp with a broken bone in his hand that’ll require surgery. But not so fast … “There’s chance he can be back late next week with one of those big (casts) on,” Mora said. “He practiced with it on Tuesday but they felt the best thing to do — because he had some swelling on his hand underneath the cast — they need to cut the cast, and when they cut the cast he wasn’t protected, so we can’t have him out here in that situation.” It’s basically a wait-and-see approach for now.

** Mora said he wasn’t really looking at numbers during the Bruins’ first full scrimmage of spring camp. He said he was looking more at body language and tempo from players. When asked what he thought of the first two drives that resulted in quick touchdown passes from Kevin Prince and Richard Brehaut, Mora needed his memory refreshed. So, yes, he was looking for a sense of urgency and reaction from players in situations.

*** The defense recorded three interceptions: Larimore, Eric Kendricks and Ryan Hofmeister. Bad routes? Bad angles? Poor throw? Good step-in from defenders? Mora couldn’t say, adding that he would need to review tape before giving his input. From my view, Hundley’s throw intercepted by Larimore was Larimore being Larimore: good instincts with a nose for the football; Kevin Prince during overtime drills left the ball hanging int he air; and Richard Brehaut came under pressure.

**** No clear front-runner at the quarterback position, but with six practices remaining Mora said the pressure will be more intense as quarterbacks are asked to do more in situation scrimmages. Brett Hundley picked up some rhythm as the scrimmage progressed, connecting with Shaquelle Evans for a touchdown after tripping for a loss. Jerry Neuheisel looked sharp at times connecting several times with Johnathan Franklin and Malcom Jones. Tyler Scott made a nice grab on a high throw for a completion. …. Sheldon Price blocked a field goal attempt during drills.

Incoming UCLA freshman Kyle Anderson might need surgery on his thumb, as he Tweeted yesterday. He said doctors told him he could miss up to three months after surgery, and his dad expanded on the topic with Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog: Check it out

BSR TV: The Lew and Gold Report from BruinSportsReport on Vimeo.

Aaron Hester speaks in a certain tone when he’s frustrated. He shakes his head and he sighs a big sigh. He is a cornerback. Sorry, the emotions just pour out, uncontrollably, even if that’s not the intention.

This time, there is no sigh.

“I feel like for the first time in a long time, I’m myself again,” he says, loose, confident, smiling.

New defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin has brought along some swagger from up in Washington, where he coached the DBs for three years for Steve Sarkisian. He has breathed new life into Hester and Sheldon Price, UCLA’s long-time starting cornerback duo.

Most importantly, he’s brought press coverage, utilizing every inch of Price’s 6-3 frame and Hester’s 6-2 build.

“This was our plan from the get-go,” Martin said. “They bought right in. I haven’t seen the other way, so it’s hard for me to say the light has switched on for them. From day one, since we started implementing the defense, these guys have had that natural body language, the attitude you want bump-and-run corners to have.”

In a word, swagger, something that has been sorely missing from the duo for quite a while.

Hampered by the passive style of the previous regime, which often called for the cornerbacks to be 8-10 yards off the ball, Price and Hester felt stifled, unnatural. Worse, they felt…quiet. These are cornerbacks to the purest level, chatty, feisty, fiery. Unable to jam, they were unable to jabber, losing their edge. The swagger, gone.
It’s back.

“The confidence we’re playing with is unreal,” Price said. “You can see it in the both of us. We love pressing, we love being in their face, and with Martin behind us in our ears, ‘That wasn’t good enough; you looked him up, but you messed up your feet,’ it’s great. It’s getting our game right.”

Martin isn’t always behind the defensive backs, chirping about their strengths and weaknesses, challenging them, bringing them to their knees.

He brings it directly into their faces, almost crawling into their facemasks to deliver his message. On a staff full of excitable young energy, Martin might just have the most. And what the players love most, they say, is that he can take it as well as he gives it.

“He’s a coach, but he’s one of us, too,” Price said of Martin, who was an all-conference cornerback at Michigan State. “He’s been there. He’s been on that island. He’s young, he relates to us. We have fun with him, calling him Derek Fisher. We love it. He challenges us, gets in our faces every day. We needed him.”

Hester and Price needed to just have a little fun again, to learn how to stop worrying so they could stop the bombs. They both admit: football hasn’t been much fun the last few years.

“I can’t say it was,” Price said. “Look, we’re dog tired out here, about to fall out, and we love it. They’re pushing us. This is what we want. This is what we need. When Aaron said we’re feeling like ourselves, I truly believe that. This is Aaron Hester and Sheldon Price. How we’re supposed to be.”

* It’s hard to really describe UCLA’s Thursday practice. It was chock full of interceptions and snafus, yet Jim Mora seemed very pleased after practice, seemingly satisfied as the team has moved away from most of the tempo-intensive work and has focused on simply manning a full offense and defense.

* With so many players out – more than 20 currently sidelined – it’s hard to get a good feel for what the Bruins have, and the coaches seem to know it. They’re not exactly in survival mode, but the edge and tenacity of the first few practices – along with a lot of the tackling – has waned.

* Another rather perplexing day out of the quarterbacks. Pretty much the same across the board – fine throw, fine throw, fine throw, whaaaaaa? Each of the top four quarterbacks threw somewhat dumbfounding interceptions, but each also had a rebound throw or two that looked great. Still nothing sorted out.

* The throw of the day was a gorgeous pass from Brett Hundley with perfect timing to a diving Steven Manfro. Hundley threw the pass right as Manfro made his cut, something he struggled with last season.

* Decent amount of focus on the special teams today, with Jordon James looking very natural. If he can hold onto the ball, he should be pretty good back there.

* The offensive line is still trying to find a successful match, and it’s wearing on the coaches. Guys aren’t really living up to their end of the bargain in terms of energy and ferocity in pass protection, and the defensive line had a really nice day.

* Aramide Olaniyan had a really good practice, showing off his tremendous speed.

* Wade Yandall (neck stiffness) missed practice, but Jerry Johnson returned.

* Lastly, on a truly bummer note, Mora informed the media that walk-on defensive back Librado Barocio suffered a torn ACL. I haven’t written nearly as much about Baracio as I would’ve liked so far, because he truly is one of the good kids on the team. Always – always – the last one off the field last season and through camp this year, and I mean always. I made this point in the Lew and Gold Report with BSR’s Ed Lewis tonight – losing him affects everyone on the defense, as his dogged determination had an absolute trickle-down effect. No one wants to get outplayed, outhustled, outmanned by an undersized walk-on. Tough break for a good kid.