It Won’t Be a Surprise if Freshmen Contribute

Coach Karl Dorrell plans to give many of UCLA’s freshmen a chance to contribute this season.

On defense, safeties Robert Kibble and Bret Lockett, linebackers John Hale and Kyle Bosworth and lineman Chase Moline have been impressive. On offense, wide receiver Gavin Ketchum, running back Kahlil Bell and tight ends Ryan Moya and Logan Paulsen have drawn attention.

“Those are the guys that are being key factors, who I think will help us in our two-deep,” Dorrell said.

A year ago, Dorrell played a school-record 12 true freshmen and this season’s class might challenge that mark.

“We often talk about us being the best freshman class UCLA has had in a long time,” said Lockett, who also will play on special teams. “As you can see, we already have a lot of freshmen out there playing. Everybody is trying to make an impact, whether it’s offense, defense or special teams.”

In some cases, a freshman has already passed a player who held that role last season. Moline, for example, has worked his way into the defensive line rotation ahead of sophomore Chris Johnson, who played in nine games last season.

Lockett said that when the Bruins recruited this year’s freshmen, coaches emphasized how they could be difference makers.

“Every coach tells you that stuff,” Lockett said. “But now that I’m here, I can see it all come together. We have guys who can really play. This was a brutal camp and we all made it through.”

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With senior linebacker Wesley Walker still nursing his knee back into shape after surgery this month, former defensive end Bruce Davis has locked down the starting outside position.

“He’s coming back off his own knee surgery, where he missed the first week of camp, and he’s getting himself caught back up,” Dorrell said about Davis, the 6-foot-3, 245-pound sophomore, son of a former UCLA offensive tackle of the same name, who played for the Raiders and Oilers in the NFL.

“He brings a certain presence when he is a blitzer off the edge,” Dorrell said. “With his defensive end background, it gives him the quality of being a pretty good pass rusher, plus he’s learned our system on defense from a linebacker position. He’s a guy who ends up being a valuable asset who can help you in a lot of different situations.”

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UCLA practiced at the Rose Bowl on Thursday and will work out at Spaulding Field today. The Bruins have begun game preparation for the Sept. 3 opener at San Diego State and have closed practices to the public.