UCLA Football: Bruins Post Hype Video Of Massive Full Pad Hits

Valentina Martinez | Aug 9, 2024

Oct 30, 2021; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Ale Kaho (10) tackles Utah Utes running back Tavion Thomas (9) during the first quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

As the UCLA football season quickly approaches, the Bruins began full padded practices on Wednesday and the intensity at fall camp is visible.

PADS were POPPIN’ 🔊#DoMore pic.twitter.com/3jLFiilDgF

— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) August 7, 2024

Fall camp started on July 31 and the ongoing battles for starting spots are heating up.

Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster revealed that running back, cornerback, linebacker, tight end, quarterback, and right guard positions are all up for grabs. None of the listed positions are set in stone so the competition is substantial at fall camp.

UCLA has until the start of their season on Aug. 31 to finalize the roster, so players have essentially three weeks to stand out and earn their spot.

“Three things you will see with my football team is discipline, respect, and enthusiasm,” Foster told On3's Nick Kosko. “Those are my pillars. No matter what, you should be able to see that, win, lose, or draw.

The coaching staff is reportedly adding McKendree's Mike Babcock to the team as a special assistant to Foster. The Bruins continue their journey in a new era of football.

Linebacker Ale Kaho is returning for his seventh collegiate season after dealing with a number of injuries. Kaho joined the Bruins in 2021 after transferring from Alabama.

The red shirt senior spoke on the importance of making adjustments with a new coaching staff.

"You have to be coachable, you're not always going to have the same coach," Kaho said. "You know, when you go to the next level you're going to have a different coach, so just learning how to be versatile but also coachable, just being a sponge and soaking everything up, so it's been great. I'm having a great time with coach White, coach Malloe, he's like my uncle here, so I'm grateful to be around the environment and the game that I love and that I missed."

Kaho also shared that UCLA has bright, young depth as their new linebacker core.

"It's really more of, like, they pay attention in meetings and they go out here and do it out on the field and they might not be getting as much reps and stuff like that, but they still continue to be coachable and as an older guy I love that and respect that because that's kind of how I was as a young guy," Kaho said.

"I'm just trying to show them love and give them confidence; I've kind of got to be hard on them sometimes, but they know it comes from a place of heart because I care about them. You know, I love my young guys and they know I would do anything for them, so they're doing great."

UCLA faces Hawaii in their season opener at the end of the month.