UCLA Football Set to Open Spring Practice Slate Tuesday Morning

The Bruins will be getting back to official team activities at Wasserman Football Center for the entire month of April.

The first stage of the offseason has come to a close, and the Bruins are getting back on the gridiron.

UCLA football has been holding voluntary group workouts on campus throughout the winter, but official spring practice is set to begin Tuesday. The Bruins released the full schedule for spring camp over the weekend, and the team is set to suit up every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday through the end of April.

April 23 is marked off as the designated day for the Spring Showcase, which will be broadcast on Pac-12 Network at 9 a.m. A UCLA Athletics spokesperson told All Bruins that details for the event are still to be determined, including whether or not fans will be able to attend.

The 2021 Spring Showcase was the same format as the rest of the practices leading up to it, with no full scrimmage or exhibition or fans allowed, only some extra on-field interviews and broadcast crews.

In terms of what’s on the slate for those sessions in 2022, the media has been invited to watch the first 20 minutes each day. That is the same format reporters were given in the fall during the season, but last spring, the program granted access to practice from start to finish.

Further limiting access may prevent reporters from seeing full formations and sets, but the general public will be permitted to watch from Lot 8 above the south side of the practice facilities at Wasserman Football Center. No photos or videos will be allowed.

Fans will get to watch an interesting blend of talent new and old – the past two seasons were defined by a high percentage of returning production, but even with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet back for another go, there is plenty of turnover elsewhere.

Nine defensive starters are out the door, as are the two most regular pass-catchers and two starting tackles on the other side of the ball. The start of spring practice marks the first time players and coaches will all be in the same place, meaning the race to see who takes their starting jobs begins Tuesday.

There are some freshmen, including quarterback Justyn Martin and tight end Carsen Ryan, who have enrolled early, as have transfer pass rushers Gabriel and Grayson Murphy.

One face that is back for more after much drama is coach Chip Kelly himself, who did not sign his most recent five-year extension until mid-January, right before the deadline of his buyout price tag disappearing. As such, the offense should look very similar to year’s past, especially with Thompson-Robinson and Charbonnet still anchoring the skill positions.

The defense has had more turnover in terms of both personnel and coaching, with Tuesday being the first official practice for new defensive coordinator Bill McGovern. The former Boston College defense coordinator and longtime NFL positional coach took over for Jerry Azzinaro earlier in the offseason.

With McGovern in charge and Ikaika Molloe, Chad Kuaha’aha’a and Ken Norton Jr. joining the staff under him, it remains to be seen how the Bruins’ defense lines up formationally in practice. Defensive backs coach Brian Norwood brought his signature 4-2-5 to Westwood as a base set in 2020 – McGovern previously told All Bruins he wanted to boast a multiple defense, and seemed to allude that UCLA wouldn’t be married to strikers and raiders like they had been in the past.

Answers to those questions and more will start to come out Tuesday, and All Bruins will be on campus to watch it all go down.

Stay tuned for projected depth charts, practice reports, analysis and more throughout spring camp, with the season five months away but plenty of action still to come.

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