WATCH: Chip Kelly Gives Updates on UCLA's Personnel, NIL Status
UCLA football coach Chip Kelly spoke to the media before the Bruins’ fall camp session on Saturday. Kelly talked about the benefits of having a veteran roster, how the team is set up to help players with mental health issues and what his thoughts are on the current NIL landscape.
Dorian's growth?
I think he’s been a great leader in this offseason. We have a couple of guys that have been here for a while—Stephan Blaylock, Mo, Sam Marrazzo, Dorian specifically—that have done a great job of leading the younger guys through this off-season and they had a tremendous summer working with coach Belton in our strength and conditioning program and he was on point yesterday—it was as good of a first practice … but I think it’s kind of to be expected. I mean, he’s a fifth-year kid coming back that’s got a ton of reps and he’s gotten better—he’s always been that type of guy that the more reps he gets, the better he gets and he’s had a ton and we’re excited about what this season is for him.
Status updates on Damian Sellers and Mike Martinez?
Yeah, they’re unavailable right now.
Patrick Selna?
Unavailable right now.
Delon Hurt part of the program?
Nope. Delon is not. Delon has graduated.
Jon Gaines back with his family?
Jon will be here tonight.
Ale Kaho?
He’s here.
Available?
Unavailable for practice.
COVID policy?
From what we learned at league meetings, it’s up to the individual counties and schools, so from my understanding there’s not a league protocol that’s sent down from the Pac-12 but it’s whatever L.A. County and UCLA determines.
Similar to what it was last year?
I think we’re right around the same thing, yeah.
Consider Barr-Mira as a punter? Thinking about him doing double duty?
Yeah. We’re looking for the best kickoff guy, we’re looking for the best field-goal guy, we’re looking at the best punter, so the versatility of Nick is one of his strengths. He did a great job kicking and punting for us in the spring, so you know, we’ve got a couple of other legs out there, we’re obviously in Day 2. Today’s the first day of punting—we did kickoff yesterday, so he’ll get every opportunity to compete for that starting job. We were all impressed with what he did in the spring.
Unique challenges doing both?
It depends on the individual. There are some guys that can handle it and do it and Nick is certainly one of them. He did a good job of kicking in the spring, he did a good job punting in the spring, so we’ll see how what whole competition [goes]. We have four or five kickers in camp and they’ll all get opportunities because of how we train, but we’re excited about Nick as our punter. He would have punted for us in our bowl game last year and then he continued working through the whole off-season and did a really nice job in the spring, so.
How does having an experienced roster help transition into new season?
They've been there, done that. So they can explain to the younger kids not only how we're doing things, but why we're doing things. We do have a veteran leadership group, a lot of them have been here five, some guys like Mo Osling have been here six years. I think we all went through a unique thing with COVID. The Bo Calverts of the world, the Dorians, the Gainesys, the Marazzos, those guys who have been around have really done a good job of being mentors to the younger guys.
System for mental health challenges?
Yeah, our athletic department has done a great job with professional support. That's not something that I think the coaches or the adminstrators, you have to get the professionals involved in that. We have a great CAPS program here on campus that does a lot of work there. But all of those referrals go through doctor Goldman and doctor McCalister through our medical team, and then they take over in those situations.
Coaches the first line of response?
We are, but if we identify issues or we see anything out of the ordinary for the young man, then we recommend them... we turn it over to the medical staff.
NIL for UCLA?
Well, we can just support it. But we can't be out soliciting donations to give to players. I think people have kind of convoluted the whole rule. Name, Image and Likeness is the student-athletes can make money off of their name, image and likeness, but coaches can't be involved in brokering deals with student-athletes. This is not pay for play, this is not recruiting inducements. Our school has set up the Westwood Exchange, and the businesses go through the Westwood Exchange. That's all signed off by compass, which is our compliance office that we use. We parterned with a group, Influencer. I think we have over 140 businesses that have gone through the Westwood Exchange to provide opportunities for our student-athletes. So I think our guys are doing a really good job. The thing is, it's really the guys who want to do it. Not everybody wants to be involved in it, not everybody wants to make the time. Because you have to show work. This is not a quid pro quo. You have to do work. So if you want to make money in name, image and likeness, you have to be willing to go do the work that you have to do in name, image and likeness. People just can't pay you X amount of dollars to do nothing. Maybe in some other places that happens, but at this place it doesn't. So I think what our athletic department has done with the Westwood Exchange has been really beneficial to us.
New offensive linemen like Raiqwon O'Neal?
He looked good running around in a helmet yesterday. The big thing with the offensive and defensive linemen is – these first couple of days when they're not in full pads – they really have to cooperate with each other. So he's got a really good football acumen, he's a smart kid when it comes to football and he looks like he's got a good movement to him. Yesterday was the first time we had an opportunity to be on the field with him, so that's gonna be an ongoing deal with all of those guys. I was impressed with his retention and I was impressed with his athleticism. But we really don't have enough information [INAUDIBLE].
NIL big in attracting and maintaining players?
Well, you shouldn't have to do it in retaining them because schools can't recruit people off your roster. So that would be an NCAA violation if that were to be occurring. So I think if the enforcement arm of the NCAA catches up to the rules of the NCAA, I think we'll be in a great situation.
Laitu Latu fully available?
He's fully available, yep. He's cleared for full go. He was full go yesterday.
Where do you see him fitting in?
He's got a lot of versatility, he's got a lot of athleticism. Again, similar to the question about the offensive linemen, we haven't been in full pads with him, but he's obviously a tall, long, athletic – he's big, he's 6'5", he's 275 pounds, but he can really run. So right now, he's playing outside linebacker for us, he's done a nice job in the first training session we had yesterday. I think he could play in a lot of different spots with his size and athleticism.
Somewhere in the 70s for scholarship players – how did you get there and what impact does that have?
It doesn't. We'll be at 85 by the end of camp. So we're [INAUDIBLE].
How will you get there?
What do you mean?
Are you going to give out scholarships?
No, we don't give out anything. Kids will earn opportunities for them. There's one or two more kids that could earn opportunities to get a full scholarship. We're in the 80s right now, so we don't [INAUDIBLE].
Follow Connon on Twitter at @SamConnon
Follow All Bruins on Twitter at @SI_AllBruins
Like All Bruins on Facebook at @SI.AllBruins
Subscribe to All Bruins on YouTube
Read more UCLA stories: UCLA Bruins on Sports Illustrated
Read more UCLA football stories: UCLA Football on Sports Illustrated
