With the 2022 season about to begin, the Bruins are being judged by their peers.
Athlon Sports spoke to several coaches who have ridden the Pac-12. They agreed to quote anonymously about their conference opponents heading into the fall. UCLA football was one of the topics of conversation, from the overall direction of the program to quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and coach Chip Kelly.
Most coaches spoke of the general turmoil surrounding Kelly on and off the field. There were many questions surrounding his ability to adapt to changing college football conditions.
Recruiting was also a hot topic, with some coaches disgusted by the staff’s decision to build such a small class with few prospects. USC was on the countdown as they missed their chance to win college football.
Thompson-Robinson, on the other hand, appreciates his high ceilings and seems to have serious defenders and supporters throughout the conference.
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Here are all the quotes shared by Athlon Sports regarding UCLA’s upcoming season:
“It’s a very difficult program to read from the outside.Is everyone involved in the school really committed to becoming the football elite?We hear stories that they are always half-hearted or not on the same page. .”
“Chip problem [Kelly] That everyone is doing at least in the field what Chip did to become a famous innovator. But where he really shined was in everything behind the scenes. Sleep research and exercise structure, when to lighten, and how to coach speed. Are they innovating like that? “
“DTR [Dorian Thompson-Robinson] It’s an incredible talent. He has been unfairly vilified at times. But he has ridiculously high ceilings. When he has a hot hand, they can run with anyone and light it up. “
“A lot of coaches are aware that UCLA spends a lot of time recruiting. It’s almost as if Chip brought the NFL scouting ethos back to college recruiting, but it just doesn’t work. Their roster. There are still holes in the , because they are not as aggressive as they should be.
“Now that USC has hired new staff, they’ve missed an opportunity to take an important step in LA.”
“We’ve all been waiting for Chip to come out with some sort of version 2.0. Something new that’s as game-changing as they did in Oregon. Maybe it won’t happen. Maybe they’ll Just a good program, with a reasonable expectation of winning.But when he gets there, that’s not how they marketed it.
For comments from all the teams that attended the conference, check out the full Athlon Sports release Thursday.
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