UCLA football veterans rely on experience leading into matchup with Colorado
After beginning his UCLA football career as a wide receiver, redshirt senior running back Demetric Felton is now the Bruins’ first option out of the backfield. (Amy Dixon/Daily Bruin senior staff)
By Michael Waldman
Nov. 2, 2020 5:40 p.m.
Two redshirt seniors figure into UCLA football’s ability to win the ground game on both sides of the ball Saturday.
Running back Demetric Felton and defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa both got the nod at the top of the depth chart at their respective positions ahead of this weekend’s season opener at Colorado.
Felton, the former wide receiver, holds the number one spot after last season’s starter, Joshua Kelley, graduated. Kelley now plays on Sundays for the Los Angeles Chargers.
Coach Chip Kelly said, however, that Felton’s elevation to the starting role does not mean the backfield will not be cycled through in the opener.
“We’re going to rotate our running backs, we’re going to rotate our receivers, we’re going to rotate our tight ends, we’re going to rotate our offensive line and the same thing defensively,” Kelly said. “We plan on playing almost everybody that’s listed on that two-deep so you’re going to see, with the exception of quarterback, probably everybody that’s on that depth chart.”
Regardless of the platoon for the running backs, Felton still said his starting position had significance for him.
“(Being named starting running back) means a lot because I didn’t come here to play running back,” Felton said. “To come in and work at it, get better each day and be listed as a top runner, it means a lot to me because I work really hard.”
Felton also said despite his former position, he views himself as both a change-of-pace and between-the-tackles running back, as he gears toward facing a Colorado team which was eighth in the conference in rushing yards allowed per game in 2019.
The Bruins finished sixth in the conference in rushing yards allowed per game last season, and now turn towards Odighizuwa to start at one of their defensive line spots.
Odighizuwa recorded 3.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss last season, and said the defensive line group will lean on their collective experience during this seven-game season.
“I feel like it’s helpful because (there are) guys who’ve seen battle before, guys who have been here and know how everything works,” Odighizuwa said. “So it’s (fewer) guys that we have to get up to speed.”
Behind the line, freshman linebacker Damian Sellers will get the start at outside linebacker, after linebackers Josh Woods, Keisean Lucier-South, Krys Barnes and Lokeni Toailoa graduated.
Starters at kicker and punter and a contingency plan if a coach were to contract COVID-19 all remain undecided before the Nov. 7 kickoff in Boulder, but Kelly emphasized his team’s ability to focus despite evolving situations this season.
“This group has done a really good job of focusing on what they can control and not worrying about things that aren’t in their control,” Kelly said. “When they get (to Wasserman Football Center) they’re pretty focused on just daily improvement.”
