Cable Is Confident Line Can Improve

The best word to describe UCLA’s offensive attack last season is ... weak.

The Bruins averaged 294.9 yards of total offense, which ranked 110th out of 117 Division I teams. Their running game was 114th at 2.6 yards a carry.

Taking most of the blame for UCLA’s offensive woes was a line that started 10 different players.

Enter Tom Cable, UCLA’s new offensive coordinator and line coach, who was hired after being the head coach at the University of Idaho the previous four seasons.

“I was hired to coach the line and the first thing I did was watch [last season’s games on tape] and came up with my own evaluation ... to see what material was here,” said Cable, who worked with Coach Karl Dorrell when both were assistants at Colorado in the late 1990s.

“To prioritize [my findings], execution, strength and confidence are the three areas that jumped out at me the most.... They took a lot of heat and that’s deservedly so because they didn’t perform, but I believe that they can be something that most people probably think they can’t.”

Cable’s confidence in his linemen has been evident over the first two days of spring practice. With seniors Eyoseph Efseaff and Steven Vieira and junior Ed Blanton leading the way, the line has looked sharp.

“We know that we have to get better every single day and it started in the weight room,” Efseaff said. “We’re putting in the extra work ... watching film, studying our playbooks and doing things that teams should be doing.”

With only 11 players on the depth chart, UCLA doesn’t have the numbers to withstand injuries. Center Mike McCloskey already is limited because of a chest injury.

But based on Cable’s influence, UCLA’s linemen are too busy working to improve to worry about getting hurt.

“I’m one of them. I played with my hand on the ground,” said Cable, who played for Dennis Erickson at Idaho in the early 1980s. “You win games because you can play on the line of scrimmage. I know that is a bias statement, but I truly believe that.”

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Unlike last season, all practices are open to the public. The Bruins will practice today but not this weekend. On Monday, they will practice in pads for the first time. Dorrell said UCLA’s first scrimmage would be April 17.