UCLA morning practice: Offensive line gets massage treatment
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Micah Kia knew it would be this way. So he just kept working.
The UCLA guard saw the number of recruits and community college transfers that came into the program this year, so it was a given that landing a job was going to be more difficult.
But Kia, a senior who has started 15 games, got to revisit the starting unit during today’s morning practice, splitting time with freshman Stanley Hasiak at left guard.
“It feels nice to go against the [No.] 1 defense,” Kia said. “That’s the biggest thing, the biggest challenge. It makes me better. That’s why it was good the kids are doing a lot of reps; going against the best hastens their improvement.”
It is hastening it considerably, as Hasiak and freshman Xavier Su’a-Filo are challenging for starting jobs. Freshman Nik Abele, who spent the first two days on defense, is already moving up the depth chart.
“I trying to give everybody an opportunity,” offensive line coach Bob Palcic said. “A lot guys are working hard and they deserve a chance. I’m just looking at different combinations.”
Kia was a tackle as a sophomore, starting eight games. He began last season at the position but ended up at guard for the last two games. He spent the offseason strengthening his back -- he missed time with an undisclosed back injury during the 2008 season.
With the influx of talent, Kia knew he had to be patient.
“We want the young guys to be able to contribute to the team,” Kia said. “If they make us the best team, they should play.”
Abele is on that learning curve. In just a few days he has already been promoted to the second unit at right tackle.
“Abele is having a good camp and has a good future,” Palcic said. “He has good toughness and long arms. He has a real, good first punch.”
Other morning notes:
-- Guard Nick Ekbatani (left knee), defensive tackle Jess Ward (right knee) and defensive end Reggie Stokes (right knee) all had MRI tests Sunday night. Results were expected by the afternoon. Stokes was the only one of the three on crutches this morning.
-- Tailback Christian Ramirez (hamstring), tight end Logan Paulsen (hamstring) and fullback Trevor Theriot (knee) were all held out of morning contact drills but are expected to participate in the afternoon practice.
-- Tight end Ryan Moya (knee), wide receiver Randall Carroll (groin) and safety Dalton Hilliad (knee) all returned to practice. It was the first contact drills for Hilliard, who had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.
-- Quarterback Kevin Prince struggled with his accuracy during the morning session, with two passes intercepted during seven-on-seven drills and another during 11-on-11, when his arm as hit.
Prince did sit out some drills. Coach Rick Neuheisel said Prince’s arm was fine, though the coach did concede, ‘We’re into camp and trying to save his arm a little bit. We don’t want to wear him out.”
Still, Neuheisel said, “He’s fine. He just has to make sure he throws to our team. We keep harping on ‘no turnovers.’ ”
-- Kevin Craft, the Bruins’ starting quarterback last season, looked sharp in drills and 11-on-11 sessions.
--The most impressive play of the morning session was made by cornerback Alterraun Verner, who reached over receiver Terrence Austin from behind to intercept a pass.
-- Chris Foster
