After blocked punt against Stanford, football looks to improve turnover margin

Graduate transfer punter Wade Lees has his career completion percentage memorized.

And it isn’t a particularly difficult number to remember.

“One hundred percent mate,” Lees said. “Got the best QBR in Maryland history.”

The Australian punter was 2-for-2 through the air in his career with Maryland, but since coming to Westwood to join UCLA football (2-5, 2-2 Pac-12), he has yet to attempt a pass. Lees has ran several fake punts in practice, and he said he doesn’t let sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and redshirt sophomore quarterback Austin Burton forget who has better career stats.

“I told them I’m the best quarterback on the team,” Lees said. “(I) always warm up next to (Thompson-Robinson), just slinging it. (The ball) comes out sideways and upside down, but it doesn’t matter how pretty it looks as long as it’s effective.”

Lees also said he wanted to attempt a fake-punt run and stiff-arm opponents on his way to a 100-yard touchdown, but he backpedaled and emphasized his lack of speed.

For now, though, Lees’ specialty is still punting.

But Lees’ first punt in Thursday’s 34-16 win over Stanford was blocked and returned for a Cardinal touchdown.

“We’d gone in and game planned and (Cardinal wide receiver Brycen Tremayne) wasn’t where he was meant to be, so we thought it was a safe look,” Lees said. “He gave us a different look than we were anticipating and he stemmed late, and I saw the rush, tried to get it off quick enough, but the guy made a quick play – awesome play he made.”

The blocked punt was the first UCLA had allowed this season and only the second of Lees’ career.

While Lees’ blocked punt didn’t register as a turnover, UCLA picked up its 11th giveaway of the season later that game on a Thompson-Robinson interception. Coach Chip Kelly said taking care of the ball is a message that he relays to the team regularly, but also that every coach in the country does the same.

“The team that does not turn the ball over usually has a pretty good chance of winning and the team that creates the most turnovers usually has a pretty good chance of winning,” Kelly said. “Those are fundamental things that we talk about all the time and you emphasize all the time, and when you see it not being done properly, you have to correct it.”

The Bruins own a negative turnover differential on the year, having only forced eight through their first six games. UCLA also had just nine sacks over that span, but a seven-sack outburst by the defense against Stanford on Thursday helped change the discussion.

Graduate transfer defensive lineman Jason Harris recorded his first sack as a Bruin on Thursday night, and he said the defense has been more free-flowing and instinctual in recent weeks.

“We just really put an emphasis – especially coach Kelly – (on) us having fun as a unit,” Harris said. “We have a pretty in-depth schematic program here, sometimes it can get a little complicated for us. But (Kelly) just wanted to put that aside and for us to not worry about making mistakes and just fly around and have fun.”

The “fun” style of defense lined up with a spike in sacks a week ago, and Kelly said forcing turnovers is an important next step.