As UCLA gets set for its Week One matchup with Cal, the Bruins will be leaning on a handful of newcomers and rising pieces to help shape the season opener. The spotlight falls on a group that could end up defining how quickly this roster comes together.
One name drawing plenty of attention is Trent Hendrick. He arrived in Westwood just weeks ago, and with so little time in the program, his role against Cal is still something of a wait-and-see. Even so, head coach Bob Chesney sounded confident when asked about where Hendrick stands heading into the opener.
“He's ready to go. Jumped right back in,” Chesney said. “Had to learn new things because we're doing a couple different things on defense, but ultimately he's a smart player, and he will certainly help with our depth and special teams and everything else."
Hendrick may not open the season with a starting job, but the impression around him is that his ability could push him into a bigger role as the year goes on.
Another player worth watching is Brian Rowe, who has been the subject of plenty of buzz around UCLA’s receiver room. The South Carolina transfer brings speed, quickness and the kind of explosiveness that can change how a defense plays him. That skill set makes him a natural candidate to stretch the field and give Iamaleava a real downfield option.
Rowe is one of two players - along with Landon Ellis - who feels like a safe bet to start in the opener against Cal. He enters Westwood with plenty of upside, and there’s still a lot to uncover about how far that talent can go once the games start.
Then there’s West, one of the James Madison transfers whose jump to the Big Ten has been a talking point all offseason. The question has been whether those transfers can handle the step up in competition, but West looks like the one most likely to answer that challenge right away. After a strong season at James Madison, he brings the kind of edge-rushing ability that could translate quickly.
A move from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten can come with growing pains, but that’s not the expectation here. West looks like a player who can settle in fast and make an impact from the jump.
For UCLA, the opener against Cal is more than just the first game on the schedule. It’s the first real test for a roster that has been rebuilt in a busy offseason, and it will give these players their first live shot at Power Conference football. Soon enough, the Bruins will find out how much of that work is ready to show up on the field.
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UCLA's First Depth Chart Will Answer One Huge Question Fast
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Even after all the summer movement, there are still plenty of jobs up for grabs on both sides of the ball, and the initial chart should offer the clearest look yet at which transfers have already made the strongest case and which returning players are holding off challengers. For a team still trying to settle on its identity before kickoff, the first official lineup will answer some immediate questions while leaving a few more in the air. [Read more 🡒]
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UCLAs Cal Opener Is Already Reshaping Key Bruins Position Battles
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One of the more telling takeaways came up front, where Amier Washington was in the starting group at defensive tackle, and the edge group showed its own intrigue as the Bruins mixed and matched for much of the night. Even with a few minor injury scares along the way, UCLA kept competing, got a forced fumble from Samuel Omosigho and finished with Mateen Bhaghanis late field goal, but the more lasting questions may come from how the Bruins lined up when the first week actually mattered. [Read more 🡒]