UCLA Adjusting Defensively

UCLA will use a new defense, which is really an old one, when spring football practice begins today at Spaulding Field on campus.

The throw-everybody-at-the-quarterback look will be gone, replaced by a conventional defense taught by a new coach. Nick Allioti is back in the Pacific 10 Conference.

“It looks similar to the way Oregon looked when they went to the Rose Bowl,” said Coach Bob Toledo on Monday. “We will have a more traditional defense. By that I mean it looks like you’ve seen it before.”

That’s because Allioti was Oregon’s defensive coordinator before moving to the St. Louis Rams.

He has shuffled the defensive coaching assignments, and there is also a shuffle of personnel. The Bruins will have four defensive starters returning, and several players have asked to change positions to get more playing time.

Chief among them are fullback Cheyane Caldwell, who will get a long look at outside linebacker, as will Ed Stansbury, who was recruited as a quarterback and red-shirted last season.

Also moving are Ali Abdul Azziz and Ryan Nece, both from strong safety to inside linebacker. Those moves reflect a change from the old UCLA defense, which featured five defensive backs, to Allioti’s, which uses four.

Practice will continue through April 30.