Progress Slow as They Try to Draw the Lines

Entering spring practice, the biggest areas of concern for the UCLA football team were the offensive and defensive lines. After nine practices, they still are.

“The only thing that you have to compare it with is each other,” Coach Karl Dorrell said after Tuesday’s workout. “You have an inexperienced area on the defensive line and an area on offense that you’re hoping to get better at.

“You don’t know how much better either one is going to be until you actually line up in the fall.”

Both lines have had their moments.

Senior offensive tackle Steven Vieira and junior tackle Ed Blanton have been consistent with their play and senior guard Eyoseph Efseaff’s drive off the ball has been impressive. The same goes with senior Paul Mociler, who moved from guard to center because of injuries to junior Mike McCloskey and sophomore Robert Chai. Mociler’s ability to play multiple positions gives the Bruins flexibility.

Defensively, junior tackle C.J. Niusulu has been a steadying force in the middle and sophomore Kevin Brown and junior Kyle Morgan have been progressing. Redshirt freshman Bruce Davis has been improving since starting end Kevin Harbour suffered a spring ending knee injury.

“As coaches, we’re just making sure that they understand our system and try and execute as well as we can on both sides,” Dorrell said. “They are training hard and working hard on the field. Everyone is trying to step up and fill shoes, but we won’t have a great gauge until after we start playing in the fall.”

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Niusulu, UCLA’s most experienced defensive lineman, is having a strong spring.

“I’m trying to live up to the standard that the seniors left last year with our D-line,” Niusulu said about Ryan Boschetti, Rodney Leisle, Dave and Mat Ball.

Niusulu’s ability to apply pressure and occupy blockers has helped with the development of players such as sophomores Junior Lemau’u and Robert Garcia.

“C.J. had a good practice.... He was hard to block on a couple of plays that we tried to run the ball,” Dorrell said. “He’s one of our younger older veteran players and we feel good about him anchoring our defensive line.”

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Defensive end Justin Hickman did not practice because of a sprained left shoulder but is expected to return for Thursday’s practice, according to Dorrell. McCloskey, sidelined all spring because of a chest problem, is scheduled to have a CAT scan today. UCLA, which will not practice today, will have a scrimmage on Friday and a final scrimmage to end spring on May 1.