UCLA football looks ahead to new season, newcomers impress coaching staff

The Bruins enter 2021 with the most veteran team they have had in recent memory.

But that hasn’t stopped the young guns from impressing the UCLA football coaching staff early in fall camp.

“It’s really all the (new players) that have come in and started contributing right away, some of it just by being on time and guys knowing other guys,” said assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Brian Norwood. “There’s a lot of energy and encouragement around the room.”

For the first time during coach Chip Kelly’s tenure, more than half of the Bruins’ roster has at least two years of college-level experience. Even so, UCLA has signed nearly 40 freshmen recruits to its team in the last two offseasons, making up two recruiting classes that ranked in the top half of the Pac-12 and within the top 35 nationally.

Among the top newcomers garnering praise from coaches and fellow teammates is former four-star athlete Devin Kirkwood, the No. 269 ranked recruit of the 2021 class.

Norwood said the freshman defensive back has already shown his accelerated work effort in spring camp and the beginning of fall camp and has also particularly benefited from the experience level on the team.

“(Kirkwood) does work extremely hard, he’s a great teammate, his passion and energy is consistent, he doesn’t like making mistakes,” Norwood said. “He takes coaching not only from me but the older guys in the group. … Kirk knows that those guys love him, and they will not ask him to do anything they won’t do themselves.”

Norwood also pointed to sophomore DJ Warnell, freshman Josh Moore and freshman Isaiah Newcombe as young defensive backs who have impressed, as well as redshirt senior defensive back Cameron Johnson, who is in his first year in the program after transferring from North Texas.

On the offensive side of the ball, redshirt junior wide receiver Kyle Philips said a number of new players have turned his head early on during fall practices, including freshman wide receiver Keontez Lewis and junior running back Zach Charbonnet.

While Charbonnet is an upperclassman, the transfer from Michigan is in his first year in Westwood.

“Keontez has been balling, Zach Charbonnet – he’s not young, but it’s his first year here – he’s been absolutely killing it all camp,” Philips said. “Honestly, all the young guys, they came in, they got adjusted to how we work and there hasn’t been a hiccup.”

Philips also said his role as a veteran player is to mentor the younger players on the roster, especially for his position group.

Sophomore wide receiver Matt Sykes – one of nine underclassmen in the wide receiver room – said Philips, along with other experienced wide receivers on the team, have been instrumental in building a culture for the newcomers to follow.

“They just lead by example,” Sykes said. “Ever since I came in last year, they’ve just taken me under their wings. … Every day at practice, they just show how you’re supposed to play – finishing each play, tucking the ball, all the small things it takes to be great.”

With the increased depth from the returning chunk of upperclassmen and the growing contributions from the underclassmen, Norwood said the competition level will be high next year in Westwood, especially with the leadership role the experienced players are providing.

“The great thing is that we have depth and competition which makes everybody come out each day to raise the bar,” Norwood said. “There’s a host of guys that are young, that are showing promise.”