UCLA Offensive Lineman Duke Clemens Leaves Imprint on Chip Kelly

UCLA OL Duke Clemens has been around the block for quite some time.

A multi-year starter along the offensive line for the Bruins, he's the unofficial captain of the group. As the center, the Hawaii native is tasked with making the requisite calls at the line of scrimmage. Clemens also relishes the role of a veteran leader within the team.

Now in his final year with the program, the All-Pac-12 Preseason Honorable Mention is aiming to make the jump to the NFL once this year ends. However, there's still some unfinished business to attend to on the field.

In the video shown above (per UCLA Athletics' official YouTube account), Clemens was interviewed as a part of the weekly media scrum.

Looking forward to the season, Clemens noticed something particularly interesting about Head Coach Chip Kelly (as LA Times reporter Ben Bolch wrote about this week):

“I definitely notice maybe a little bit more joking around going on, a little more comfortable, I guess, especially me being here for as long as I have, I can definitely see his personality come out when he has conversations with me or any of the older guys on the team. So, it’s been nice to see that and that side of Chip.”

- Duke Clemens on Chip Kelly (

per Ben Bolch/LA Times

)

Kelly is notorious for being a bit prickly with the media. This includes being very secretive when asked anything about the scheme. With that said, the tone in his interviews -- according to Bolch's piece -- have lightened from years past in Westwood.

Despite losing Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Zach Charbonnet, Jon Gaines, Atonio Mafi, and Jake Bobo to the NFL, this could be Kelly's best team top-to-bottom that he's had at UCLA.

The WR group is deep and talented, and the speed across the roster appears to be much improved. While there are some questions as to who the long-term quarterback will be, you're looking at a team that could surprise some folks in what will be the program's final season within the Pac-12.

When asked if Kelly thinks the team is "ready to roll" and is in a good place, Clemens had this to say:

"I think so. I think he can really trust us. Trust the leaders on this team to get the job done. It's more player led than coach fed, as we like to say."

- Clemens

per UCLA Athletics

YouTube account