Inching closer to a new era for UCLA football in the Big Ten, Daily Bruin Sports will preview each of the Bruins’ position groups prior to the season’s official start. Assistant Sports editor Kai Dizon begins the look at the offense with a dive into the offensive linemen.

Personnel

It was November 2023, and the Bruins were playing their last-ever Pac-12 game.

Then-redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Garbers readied to throw after back-to-back completions.

But his pocket collapsed. Both defensive ends reached Garbers, who was hit as he flung the ball toward midfield. The Bruins’ field general was visibly shaken and didn’t return to game action until midway through the LA Bowl, when both the backup and third-string quarterbacks became unavailable.

In 2024, a reworked offensive line will protect Garbers.

UCLA’s starting front line will feature two new members and one familiar face in a new place.

Following the graduation of Duke Clemens, redshirt senior Josh Carlin – who stands at 6-foot-5 and 310 pounds – is making the switch to center after playing his first full season at right guard last year. Carlin said he’s is returning to the position he grew up playing and has since made his goals clear – ensure that the defense can’t get to Garbers.

Along with returning starters at left guard and right tackle – redshirt senior Spencer Holstege and redshirt junior Garrett DiGiorgio, respectively – proven talent exists within the Bruins’ front line.

Redshirt senior Reuben Unije and redshirt junior Alani Makihele are new to the party. Unije, an IMG Academy product, spent two of his four seasons at Houston as the team’s first-string right tackle. With the Bruins, however, the 6-foot-5, 310-pound Atlanta local is projected to move back to left tackle, where he spent his first two seasons with the Cougars.

Makihele spent the previous three seasons with UNLV, where 2023 was his first year as the squad’s primary starting left guard. At 6-foot-3, 350 pounds, Makihele weighs in as the burliest of the Bruins’ probable starting five.

Through the portal, UCLA added depth in redshirt juniors Michael Carmody and Oluwafunto Akinshilo. Though the former is a Notre Dame transfer and the latter from Iowa State, neither saw the game time in 2023.

While the lines tend to be dominated by upperclassmen, freshman Mark Schroller remains an intriguing prospect. The Mission Viejo High School graduate is at least 15 pounds underweight given the size of his veteran teammates, but the 2023 CIF State Champion was rated a four-star recruit by On3 and the No. 33 tackle in the country by 247Sports.

Predictions

Given the track records of coach DeShaun Foster and associate head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as both former running backs coaches and NFL running backs themselves, it’s reasonable to assume that the pair understand the importance of the five men up front.

In the offseason, the Bruins also added another NFL-brazen leader in offensive line coach Juan Castillo. Castillo arrived to Westwood after serving as an NFL coach all but one year since 1995, and has spent 18 seasons as an offensive line coach at the highest level.

When Foster, as a running back for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, stretched his arm into the endzone for a touchdown in the 2003 NFC Championship game, Castillo would have been on the sidelines as the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line coach.

Despite Foster’s status as a rookie head coach, there’s an incredible amount of history and experience between himself and his coaching staff – factors that could pay immediate dividends this season.

Additionally, Castillo was Bieniemy’s tight ends coach during their shared season with the Washington Commanders. While Washington’s tight ends – and the Commander’s offense in general – left little to write home about, 2023 was just Castillo’s second season coaching the position. In bringing Castillo from D.C. to Westwood, Bieniemy’s allowing him to do what he’s done most – coach the front five.

It was a tale of two stats for the Bruins last season.

Among Pac-12 teams last season, UCLA had the most rushing yards per game but allowed the second-most total sacks.

But it’s a new day in Westwood, with a line that’s two – maybe 2.5 – out of five members new alongside an incoming, yet experienced, offensive line coach.

And the Bruins are going to need all the help they can get given the Big Ten’s promise of being a more physical and rigorous football environment.