Chip Kelly doesn't waste any time prepping UCLA for Washington showdown

Chip Kelly didn’t settle for a 1-hour time transform when he flew from Boulder, Colo., to Westwood on Saturday evening.

Right after a 45-17 rout of Colorado, the UCLA mentor experienced his gamers flip their body clocks ahead by about 12 hrs to prepare for a Friday video game in opposition to No. 15 Washington at the Rose Bowl. Significantly less than 24 hours after landing in L.A., UCLA (4-, 1- Pac-12 Convention) now was back on the apply field to put together for the matchup of unbeaten groups that signifies the Bruins’ 1st key test of the season.

Kelly praised his players’ conditioning right after the Bruins enhanced to 4- for the initial time given that 2015. Such as Saturday’s 24-7 second-half edge, UCLA has outscored its four opponents this year 78-21 following halftime with two 2nd-half shutouts. An impending extend in opposition to a few consecutive ranked opponents will reveal how well prepared the Bruins are for a championship run.

“When you’re actively playing a crew as great as Washington is, your conditioning is going to be tested,” Kelly stated.

Less than 1st-12 months coach Kalen DeBoer, the Huskies (4-, 1-) are fifth in the country with 530.8 yards for every activity and 12th in scoring with 44 points per video game.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the nation’s prime passer with 347 passing yards for every game and is “playing as very well as any quarterback in the region correct now,” Kelly mentioned.

By the time the Huskies wrapped up their late-evening 40-22 gain above Stanford on Saturday, some UCLA gamers previously ended up asleep.

Soon after the crew kicked off at noon in Boulder, UCLA’s charter aircraft landed at about 8 p.m. in L.A. The initially issue on defensive lineman Sitiveni Havili-Kaufusi’s thoughts was ingesting. He named his girlfriend, who furnished him with healthy snacks. His approach to evaluation the game film went awry when the clips were delayed, so he rather went to bed at 10 to prepare for Sunday, which commenced with the team’s usual Sunday morning plan of conferences and pool regeneration, adopted by a quick change to observe.

Kelly said NFL encounter on the staff members gives the Bruins a audio blueprint for a small week as coaches are used to prepping for standard Thursday night time online games.

“Your activity system might not be as big and expansive, but it relies upon on your personnel,” Kelly claimed. “What can the players tackle?”

Contemplating that Havili-Kaufusi presently has battled shoulder and knee injuries that kept him sidelined for a few several years, one particular a lot less working day of follow is “nothing to me,” the redshirt junior claimed.

The converted fullback stated he’s experience the best he’s felt considering that coming to UCLA. Kelly’s up-tempo tactics that observe superior-pace bursts for each individual participant have helped him seamlessly acclimate to video game pace.

“Especially with the superior-tempo follow that we have, it seriously prepares us for the video game and just being aware of that we’re intended to go complete speed, each individual perform, just about every drill,” reported Havili-Kaufusi, who recorded two tackles versus Colorado. “When it comes to activity working day, that’s why for me, and I speak for the rest of the fellas, it just feels like a different practice and if not a observe, it’s likely less complicated due to the fact it is a slower tempo.”

Havili-Kaufusi could be in line for a larger sized function this 7 days with UCLA’s defensive deal with rotation thinning.

Previously with no Martin Andrus Jr., who suffered a period-ending damage, and Gary Smith III on Saturday, the Bruins endured another harm to sophomore Jay Toia. The 6-foot-3, 325-pound defensive tackle did not participate in Sunday’s follow and was witnessed sitting down in the fat room. Smith, a transfer from Duke, was on the sideline working on individual conditioning drills after not training last 7 days.

“It’s following guy up,” mentioned defensive lineman Jacob Sykes, who recorded a period-high 3 tackles versus Colorado. “Everyone gets their name termed at some position. You remain ready so you do not have to get completely ready.”

Etcetera.

Offensive lineman Jon Gaines II was on the discipline for observe but did not take part in any get hold of drills all through the open up-viewing period.