UCLA spring football practice primer

UCLA begins spring practice today, the first of 15 workouts that will conclude April 26 with the annual spring scrimmage at the Rose Bowl. The Bruins return five starters on offense and five on defense. Times staff writer Chris Foster takes a look at five questions facing the Bruins.

What are the Bruins’ most pressing concerns?

1. The murky quarterback situation will get scads of attention, but the first task is sorting out the offensive line.

There are 13 offensive linemen on the depth chart -- only three played a game as an offensive lineman last season.

Micah Reed shifts to center and tackles Aleksey Landis and Micah Kia return. All were starters for part of the 2007 season. But while Reed is set at his position, every other spot could be listed in the help-wanted section.

Scott Glicksberg moves inside from tight end. Darius Savage, formerly a defensive lineman, will try earn a spot at guard. Adam Heater moves from tight end to center, though he is probably a year from being ready.

Kia needs to play to his potential and Lanis needs to stay healthy after battling knee problems.

What’s been the biggest difference since Neuheisel was hired?

2. The move that has had the most immediate impact was the hiring of Mike Linn as head athletic performance coach.

Bruins’ players never fail to mention how much tougher the training has become, as well as how much their muscles ache. Bottom line: tougher training, tougher players -- or so goes the theory.

That would fit nicely with first-year offensive line coach Bob Palcic’s plan.

“You’ve heard of Grumpy old men? Well, that’s me,” Palcic said. “They better get ready for a rougher spring than they have ever been through.”

What about the quarterbacks?

3. Get ready for Olson-Cowan III. Ben Olson has twice beaten out Patrick Cowan for the job, but both players limped through last season.

Olson missed one game because of a concussion and six others because of an injured left knee. Cowan missed chunks of the season because of a pulled hamstring, a right knee injury, a left knee injury, a concussion and a collapsed lung.

This competition won’t be a buddy picture, as was the case the past two years. Junior Kevin Craft, a transfer from Mt. San Antonio College, junior Osaar Rasshan and redshirt freshman Chris Forcier will all get a chance.

Neuheisel said that a starter could be named by the end of spring -- something he said offensive coordinator Norm Chow would prefer -- but “it would take a pretty consistent effort by one of them to make that clear.”

Will the defense be as solid as it has been the past two seasons?

4. The Bruins lost key players -- Bruce Davis, Christian Taylor and Trey Brown to name a few -- but there is no reason to believe that the defense won’t be at least as capable.

Coordinator DeWayne Walker re-upped and linebacker coach Chuck Bullough and defensive line coach Todd Howard were retained, giving the unit continuity.

Tackle Brigham Harwell was granted a fifth year of eligibility after suffering a knee injury last season. Sophomore tackle Brian Price has a year of experience and an enormous ceiling on his ability. Reggie Carter moves to middle linebacker. That is a solid base in the middle to build on.

What is Neuheisel’s master plan?

5. He talks about creating an aura of competition, which will include a chart in the locker room tracking who won drills each day during spring practice.

Get ready for USCLA. Walker and Chow are former Trojans assistants under Pete Carroll, as was Bruins’ running back coach Wayne Moses. Neuheisel even has a law degree from USC. If you can’t beat ‘em, hire ‘em?

Neuheisel speaks often and respectfully about Carroll’s program being a model. He knows USC is the measuring stick and doesn’t appear to be shy about engaging the empire across town.

UCLA’s spring schedule

All workouts open to the public.

Today and Friday, 3:55 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.; April 7-8, 3:55 p.m.; April 12, 11 a.m.; April 14-15 and 17, 3:55 p.m.; April 18, 7 p.m.; April 21-22 and 24, 3:55 p.m.; April 26, spring game at the Rose Bowl, 7 p.m.

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chris.foster@latimes.com