— After Monday’s practice, UCLA head coach Jim Mora emphasized that he wants to get more of the team’s “heavy, physical, padded work” done while the Bruins were still on campus. They have one more workout tomorrow before taking a few days off for the holidays, then flying to San Antonio on Dec. 28 to continue practice for the Alamo Bowl.

— Mora said he didn’t know how the talk of receiver Jordan Payton potentially going pro started. He said he asked Payton “20 times” if he was coming back and the answer was always yes.

— Walk-on Mike Fafaul has been running as the scout-team quarterback, with true freshman Aaron Sharp moving to receiver since UCLA’s loss to Oregon on Oct. 11. But Mora wasn’t willing to confirm Sharp’s move as permanent yet: “He’s a quarterback.”

— With Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, UCLA has now produced nationally known linebackers in two straight years. Asked if that has helped the Bruins on the recruiting trail, Mora seemed to still be upset about missing out on top prospect Malik Jefferson last week.

“I mean, there’s an excitement about it,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to get every linebacker we go after. We’re not going to stop going after the top players in the country. The only way you reach your goals — which for us is to win championships — is to go after the best players in the country. When you go after the best players in the country, you’re not going to get them all.”