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UCLA football adjusts to new schedule as quarter kicks in

By Chris Kalra

Oct. 2, 2014 2:31 a.m.

It’s a division that amounts to 38 days for the Bruin football team.

UCLA, on the quarter system, starts school on Thursday Oct. 2. Utah, on the semester system, started school way back on Aug. 25.

From one perspective, consider it the luck of the draw for UCLA.

For schools on the quarter system, much more of football teams’ seasons take place when school classes aren’t in session.

In UCLA football’s case, the day difference amounts to nearly 31% of the season, measuring from the start of fall training camp to the Pac-12 championship game, coming sans the class load, which means more time reserved solely for football.

Players have extra time to watch film, study schemes or get additional lifts in at their own leisure. Simply put, it is a nice luxury.

“(We have) the time we get to spend with the kids through the whole month of September when everyone else is in school,” said offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone.

Now, time is not so much an unlimited resource anymore.

The Bruin players have classes, studying and tutoring sessions. To accommodate for the changes and midday classes, coach Jim Mora moved the practice start times back to 7 a.m. for this week and the rest of the quarter, like he does every year when school begins.

“I think these morning practices are great for our team because we come out with a lot of energy and focus,” Mora said. “I think they like the morning practices and I like them.”

So nearing the halfway point of the season, UCLA football will have to adjust to a few nails jabbed into its routine.

“This is a big week for (the players), because now they all have something else on their plate with classes and study halls and all that kind of stuff,” Mazzone said.

On the flip side of the coin, Utah, and other semester schools, began school before their games even started.

They’ve settled in, though there has been less time just for football.

“(Having school start later) might be a little less stress on the players with class … and class attendance,” said Utah senior tight end Westlee Tonga.

“Anytime you take away an element in these stakes, you allow the other elements to expand. So if you take away school, football is able to expand a little bit more in your life, which can be a good thing, or a bad thing.”

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Chris Kalra | Alumnus
Kalra joined the Bruin as a freshman in 2011 and contributed until 2014. He was an assistant Sports editor for the 2013-2014 academic year and spent time on the football, women's basketball, men's soccer and beach volleyball beats.
Kalra joined the Bruin as a freshman in 2011 and contributed until 2014. He was an assistant Sports editor for the 2013-2014 academic year and spent time on the football, women's basketball, men's soccer and beach volleyball beats.
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