UCLA still has one notable spot on its offense waiting for a final answer, and it’s the tight end job.
The Bruins have options there, but the starter has not been officially named yet. That choice may end up revealing a lot about what kind of team UCLA wants to be this season.
At the center of the battle are the two transfer tight ends, Josh Phifer and Brayden Loftin. Phifer arrived from James Madison, and that background could matter more than anything else. He already has ties with several offensive linemen and with the likely starting running back, Wayne Knight, which gives him a built-in edge in the room.
Phifer is viewed more as the better blocker, but he made it clear that his role in the passing game is growing too:
“I've been catching a lot more balls in practice. I feel the connection with Nico [Iamaleava], and you know I'm gonna run block my a** off. So I think that'll open up some passes for me.”
Loftin, meanwhile, brings a different profile. The Kansas State transfer is the more natural receiving tight end, and UCLA could be banking on a bigger year from him after he totaled just 180 receiving yards over the last two seasons with the Wildcats.
In the end, the call may come down to scheme. If UCLA leans run-heavy, Phifer looks like the better fit to start. If the Bruins tilt toward the passing game, Loftin would make more sense.
Right now, the roster and Chesney’s personnel choices seem to point toward a run-first approach. Because of that, Phifer feels like the likelier Week One starter against Cal.
His blocking ability, along with the chemistry he’s built with the offensive line and backfield, gives him a strong case to open the season on top of the depth chart.
And tight end is just one of several decisions Chesney and his staff still have to make before the week is out. As kickoff approaches, a lot of the lingering questions around this UCLA team are finally starting to get answered.
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