Timing Becomes Priority

UCLA has shifted from training-camp mode to game-preparation mode, and as part of that transition leading up to the Sept. 6 opener at Colorado, the Bruins incorporated a 25-second game clock into the offensive portion of practice Thursday.

But no matter how many times over the next week the Bruins can get off a play before the 25-second clock expires, their timing probably won’t be as sharp as Colorado’s on Sept. 6, because the Buffaloes will already have a game under their belt: Colorado opens against Colorado State on Saturday.

“There is some benefit to us in that we can see them and scout them, but they’ll have the greatest benefit because they’ll have already played a game,” UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell said. “That experience outweighs everything else.

“We can only try to manufacture those conditions in practice. It’s going to be our first game of the season, it’s on the road, it’s going to be loud. It’s going to take some preparation on our part.”

Part of that preparation has been having the entire team screaming at new kicker Justin Medlock when he attempts field goals in practice, but try as they might, the Bruins can’t simulate conditions for the opener in 53,750-seat Folsom Field against a battle-tested Buffalo team.

“When you go through a game, the tempo is so much faster than practice, and psychologically, that’s a big difference,” Dorrell said. “It gives you a big advantage when you’ve played a game and the opponent hasn’t because you understand the speed of the game.”

*

Dorrell and offensive coordinator Steve Axman let another day go by without naming a starting quarterback Thursday, though both said Matt Moore still has the edge over Drew Olson and that Moore continued to work out with the first team during Thursday’s practice, which was closed.

Dorrell said it’s still possible he could go with a quarterback rotation, “but I’m not leaning toward that,” he said. “Hopefully, it will be one. We’ll know soon.”

The expected announcement of Moore as starter could come as soon as today, and that would only confirm what most of the Bruins have suspected all week.

“Somebody said it would happen Monday, I thought it would be [Wednesday], and it’s Thursday now,” Moore said. “I’m not really antsy about it, but at the same time ... it would be nice to get some feedback from the coaches. It’s pretty clear -- I’ve been going with the [first team] -- but I want it finalized.”

Even if Moore is named starter for the opener, Olson won’t give up his pursuit of the job.

“If they haven’t named a starter by now,” Olson said, “the competition will still be going week in and week out.”

*

Kyle Shanahan, son of Denver Bronco Coach Mike Shanahan and a former receiver at Texas, has joined the UCLA staff as a graduate assistant and will work with the offensive coaches.