LOS ANGELES - UCLA has spent training camp leaning on Riley Robell in more ways than one, even while the center has been stuck on the sideline with a knee injury.
The Bruins brought Robell in after he followed James Madison’s coaching staff to Westwood, and the connection started with a phone call from new defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler. According to Robell’s brother Owen, Hitschler told him, “We really want you,” and added, “We think that you’d make a difference.” Robell then visited UCLA’s staff and committed that same night over dinner, Owen said.
That early belief has shown up quickly. Robell’s grasp of the defense’s plan and his leadership on the offensive line made him an immediate presence in the room, with right tackle Hall Schmidt calling him “a commander.” Offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy said adding Robell and another JMU transfer, guard Carter Sweazie, let UCLA get into “high-level stuff early into camp.”
Even with the injury keeping him out of live work, Robell has still been steering the group. At Monday’s practice, Josh Phifer said UCLA’s defense was “really loud” when it “won” a period, while the offense was “quieter.” Robell challenged the unit, and Phifer said that over the last few practices, “the offense’s come alive.”
“It is hard when you’re not in to be a leader out there because I think part of being a leader at practice is being able to go in and lead by example,” Phifer said following Thursday’s practice. “Riley’s done a good job. … In the meeting rooms, he’s just really good at just saying something when our offense is down.”
Sweazie has seen the same thing. “I think he leads vocally,” Sweazie said on Aug. 19.
“I’m really excited for our double-teams this year,” he added. “I think we can really move a lot of people off the ball. And it’s great playing next to someone who you know is giving 110%.”
Robell’s absence has forced UCLA to shuffle at center, with Arizona State transfer Sean Na’a and Harvard transfer Derek Osman filling in while returner Sam Yoon is also unavailable. Both Na’a and Osman have three years of college football behind them, but little experience snapping the ball. Still, defensive tackle Tyson Ford has liked what he’s seen.
“They’re both great,” Ford said Thursday. “We make each other better every day.”
Ford also said their blitz pickup and communication across the line have kept improving.
There’s a clear reason UCLA wants Robell back sooner rather than later. He played 13 games at center in Kennedy’s offense last season, so the staff knows what it gets with him.
The challenge now is time, with only nine days left before the Bruins open Sept. 5 at Cal. UCLA can afford to be careful with the knee, but the clock is ticking on getting Robell fully synced with quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
For all the uncertainty around his health, Robell’s influence hasn’t gone anywhere. Phifer summed it up simply: “When he’s healthy, he goes in, he plays (hard),” Phifer said Thursday of Robell. “He’s an explosive player, and I think in that way he’s a good leader.”
That stability matters as UCLA heads to Berkeley. The Bruins may not get Robell enough practice time to be exactly where they want him with Iamaleava, but having him back would still bring a noticeable lift.
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