UCLA football: Bruins done talking, ready to play Tennessee
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You could tell it was Thursday of a game week because UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel was closing ranks. There was no reason for chitchat beyond basic coach-speak. On whether there was too much focus in the media noise in Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium.
“I want it to be fun,” Neuheisel said. “I think noise is exciting. It means people have passion and they are there to see you.”
Actually, they are there to see the Volunteers.
On whether the matchups are a push, at least in regards to experience, the Volunteers have return starters on offense; the Bruins have more on defense.
“I haven’t spent too much time looking at matchups,” Neuheisel said. “I know they are a good football team and I know they are well coached.”
Actually, everyone looks good and well-coached playing Western Kentucky.
On Tennessee tailback Bryce Brown, who is considered one of the top true freshmen in the nation.
“He’s a very talented young man,” Neuheisel said. “He hasn’t played a whole lot either. He’s going through the same things we’re going through.”
Actually, he’s handling it better. Brown had 104 yards rushing in the opener -- again, it was Western Kentucky -- and was so eagerly anticipated that when the NCAA cleared him to play in August, Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin stopped practice to tell the team.
Other practice notes:
- Offensive lineman Nick Ekbatani (sprained left knee) said he will begin running next week and hopes to be ready for full practices by the next week. Ekbatani, injured during training camp, can play all three line positions and started 12 games last season, six at guard and six at tackle.
- Starting center Kai Maiava (sore back) and reserve strong safety Glenn Love (ankle injury) went through a full practice Thursday. Both are expected to play. The Bruins will be without wide receiver Gavin Ketchum (hamstring), tailback Christian Ramirez (ankle) and cornerback Aaron Hester (fractured fibula).
- Neuheisel expects his team to show considerable improvement from Week One to Week Two. The Bruins had 17 players -- eight freshmen and nine redshirt freshmen -- who played their first college game in the 33-14 victory over San Diego State on Saturday.
- “I’ve seen a surge in confidence; playing division football is no longer a mystery,” Neuheisel said.
- Cornerback Courtney Viney is on board with that spin, saying, “Coach Neuheisel said that once you play one game, you’re not a rookie anymore, you’re an experienced guy.”
- UCLA will travel with 74 players.
--Chris Foster
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes