This post was updated April 11 at 9:31 p.m.
Expletives had various connotations during a practice laden with them.
One moment, redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Garbers cursed with joy, applauding his wide receivers following a well-executed play.
In the next, his offensive coordinator spewed profanities at the entire unit for a costly miscue, demanding his players to get off the field.
Such duality defines an offense in flux – full of veterans, but very much learning.
“We’re installing the new offense day by day, brick by brick,” said senior offensive lineman Josh Carlin.
UCLA football’s offensive unit continued to assume new forms Tuesday morning at Spaulding Field, translating playbook pages to the turf while experimenting with different teams to commence week two of spring ball. Playmakers and role players rotated in during seven-on-seven drills, marking the first of two install days this week.
A new-look unit was imminent on a fateful Friday morning in February.
Former coach Chip Kelly’s departure two months ago created needs for two key offensive overseers – a head coach and an offensive coordinator. DeShaun Foster filled the former and subsequently lured Eric Bieniemy out of the professional ranks to assume the latter.
Both are cut from the same cloth. The former running backs at UCLA and Colorado, respectively – as well as eventual NFL ball-carriers – share a vision of a diverse scheme for the Bruins but emphasize the run.
Offensive development and operations will be a collaborative effort, Bieniemy said, but Foster’s signature is scribbled all over.
“This is my team. There’s no question about that, so there’s no putting my stamp on it,” Foster said Saturday. “What we do is what I want.”
To execute their vision, the pair of coaches will have Garbers at their disposal – fresh off a season in which he totaled the most starts of his career and ended with LA Bowl Offensive MVP honors. And although he took the bulk of first-team repetitions Tuesday, the future wasn’t far behind.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Justyn Martin emerged from the shadow of former freshman Dante Moore and redshirt junior Collin Schlee. The latter two saw game action last season but have since transferred out of the program, allowing Martin to rise from No. 4 to No. 2 on the probable depth chart.
“It’s a fresh slate, new coaches, a new quarterback coach, so you get to really just start from the ground up,” Foster said Saturday. “And I think he’s (Martin is) ready for the opportunity.”
With redshirt sophomore wide receiver J.Michael Sturdivant resting because of conditioning reasons, both Garbers and Martin worked with freshman transfer Rico Flores Jr. and incoming freshman Kwazi Gilmer – a pair of new additions from Notre Dame and Sierra Canyon High School, respectively.
There was a steady dose of senior wide receiver Logan Loya into the seven-on-seven mix – featuring a persisting connection with Garbers – but the running game had no shortage of action.
Senior Keegan Jones, who Foster said will operate as a running back moving forward after being listed as a wide receiver in 2023, was the go-to guy in the backfield Tuesday regardless of the signal caller.
This time of adaptation also entails micro-changes.
Regardless of the play call, the ball carrier is now expected to finish, meaning he has to bring the ball 40 yards from the line of scrimmage to the end zone every time. Tempo has slowed – the offense huddles up before each play, boosting endurance on the other side of the ball.
“It’s max out every play because you got that six, seven seconds right in between each play to catch your breath, realign and go from there,” said senior linebacker Kain Medrano on Saturday.
What Carlin is experiencing with his fellow offensive linemen may very well be a microcosm of the offensive fluidity. Though the group returns four of their five starters from 2023, they’re led by a new coach in Juan Castillo – the third position coach that Carlin has worked with in four years.
Castillo has conveyed a recurring message early to his men in the trenches.
“We just need to stress it (technique) and stress it, and over time, it will become natural,” Carlin said.
With fall long away, the weeks to come will inevitably feature further expletives.
It’s tough love – synonymous with an offense still building its identity.
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