So with the Lakers season ending with a Championship and baseball heading into the dog days of summer, the only thing that is keeping me going is the thought that Football is a short 74 days away.
So I thought it would be great to look at what is going on with UCLA football at the moment. The recruiting, the exciting, and the not so great.
On the recruiting side, things are really starting to heat up. Today is the second day of UCLA's three day camp where they are able to evaluate and recruit players. The recruits that I am really excited about that are in attendance are defensive tackle from Oaks Christian, Cassius Marsh and quarterback from Danville Monte Vista, Brett Nottingham, both of whom appear to be high on the UCLA radar.
Cassius Marsh |
 Brett Nottingham |
Yes we only have two commitments at the moment but it seems that an offer from UCLA is a big deal this year. The coaching staff is taking a slow play approach in order to get the right caliber of players into school. Our two recruits are defensive tackle Julious Moore from Washington and safety Tevin McDonald from Edison High School in Fresno. Moore fills an area of need and McDonald is an SC legacy that has come to the right side of town.
Julious Moore |
 Tevin McDonald |
Speaking of recruiting, it is obvious that we have a great class coming in this year highlighted by stud tight end Morrell Presley, quarterback Richard Brehaut, speedy wide receiver Randall Carroll, and bug boys Stan Hasiak and Xavier Su'a-Filo. Well summer school started yesterday which means that most of the highly touted class is on campus. UCLA beat reporter Brian Dohn had this to say about the two linemen mentioned, who Dohn saw on campus yesterday;
 Richard Brehaut |
Morrell Presley |
"On campus today and saw freshmen offensive linemen Stan Hasiak and Xavier Su'a-Filo, and thought I would pass along how big and strong they look. In my six years covering UCLA, I cannot remember two offensive linemen coming into school with that size.”
(I will have some stuff from UCLA's camp in a little while.)
 Stan Hasiak |
 Xavier Su'a-Filo |
For anyone who watched UCLA last year knows that big linemen are something that we need to be competitive in the future and with these guys looking this big is a great thing.
We also lacked speed last year. But with what Randall Carroll did this spring running track it seems like we have some world class speed coming in. Carroll won the state championship in both the 100 and 200 meter sprints this year. He also ran the fastest 100 in the state since 1992 at 10.30.
Randall Carroll
With the talent we have coming in we should be competitive next year.
Now onto the bummer news. There appears to be a little but of an exodus this offseason with, now, five players deciding to transfer. QB/WR Chris Forcier is transferring to Fordham University. RB Aundre Dean is going to TCU. WR Dominique Johnson is transferring to Cal Poly SLO. RB Raymond Carter is transferring to Colorado State. And S E.J. Woods announced yesterday that he is looking into transferring.
Chris Forcier |
 Aundre Dean |
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 Dominique Johnson |
Raymond Carter |
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E.J. Woods |
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While it looks troubling to have so many players transfer in such a short period of time, it can only mean good things for the Bruins this year. All of the players listed were going to be down on the depth chart and needed some help to get some playing time. Also, coming into this offseason, with the class we have coming in, UCLA was over the 85 player scholarship limit and was going to have to make some tough decisions on what players they would be encouraging to move on or choose to not renew their scholarships. These transfers make those decisions easier. Another player you can add to those that are not coming back is QB/WR Osaar Rasshan who undertook labrum surgery on his right shoulder and took a medical retirement, ending his playing career.
Osaar Rasshan
Summer Training Camp starts for the Bruins on August 10.