UCLA's Starting O-Line confirmed

Wow! It's a very young line.

Where is Nik Abele and do you think he'll get a chance with the 1's soon? Also where is Greg Capella?

great for down the road, but it's going to be a tough year.

Woot! Should be a great O-line once the chemistry develops. Can't wait to see these young players develop over the next few seasons

This is going to be a bit painful with all the new faces and young bodies, especially with a frosh QB to boot. Seems like they are determined to build toward 2010 and 2011.

Oh, well.

If these 5 stay healthy, it should be a marked improvement over last year. Stan and Xavier had bright moments on Saturday, but also some miscues.

Hopefully, this group will improve week-to-week and gel into a good unit by mid-October. The future is bright for this O-line.

WOW WHAT A YOUNG LINE...and what a future UCLA will have in the next few years...meanwhile...our defense this year will have to win us some close games...i hope i hope..

After seeing what our 1st and 2nd string D-Lines did to that same lineup on Saturday, it is going to be a rough, rough year.

To all:

First off, thanks to all for the read...

I've said this ever since I started doing mock drafts on Madden 2002: You start with an offensive line and go from there. It's as simple as that.

The fact that UCLA has five young offensive linemen bodes extremely well for the future, and while there may be rough spots this season, experience does not equal talent. Give me a great freshman over an average senior any day of the week.

That being said, as I've written before - and you'll see the feature either tomorrow or Wednesday - cohesiveness is the keyword. If the line can pick up stunts because of comfort with each other, that's a huge step. Prince told me that X and Stan are good friends and very comfortable with each other. Having them on one side of the line might mean more sacks allowed in 2009, but less in 2012.

Thanks again
JG

Jon, would you like to tailgate with us a couple of times this year? Brian Dohn used to stop by before he headed in to the Rose Bowl to grab a bite to eat and talk sports. Let us know if you are interested. We know how to take care of our sports writers!

Jon, I'm wondering if the staff is concerned w/ having 2 true freshmen protecting their redshirt freshman QB's blindside?

Wow... 4 new faces from a year ago. Wonder if that's good or bad...

From what I have been reading about the practices, I am optimistic again this year :)

mike04, let me answer that one for Jon:

OF COURSE THEY ARE CONCERNED!

But, it is clear that this staff will play the best players --- period. Jon makes a good point: take a talented freshman over an average senior any day of the week and twice on game day. (We don't even have 'average' seniors. Below average is more like it.)

We have to weed out the Dorell leftovers sooner or later. I say sooner. Yes, we had a good class last year from Dorell, and yes, we have some very good Srs. and Jrs., but overall, we need better atheletes in the program.

Jon, looks like VB just asked you out on a Man-Date.

Word of caution: be careful with VB. He is notorious for developing MAN CRUSHES very easily. He had his nose so far up Dohn's... well, you get the picture.

Jon,

Didn't you mention that you played on the OL? If you did I guess you should know.

I agree with Jon, I think it's better to have talent than experience. The talent will come out.

Jon,

Brehaut #2 QB yet??

Thanks!

UB

VB and UB must be panicking. They invested all that time and energy into shamelessly sucking up to Dohn, but now he's gone and they have to start all over again from scratch.

LOL, Looks like BruinFaithful is jealous that Dohn was a regular at the UBTA's tailgate. He enjoyed the bill of fare (I think Brian's favorite was the steak and King Crab), as well as the sports talk.

Sorry BF, but VB is a happily married man. Careful how you speak about my son!

Wow, this could be a very long season.

UB is VB's father? haaha

This is the starting Oline i wanted to see. Jeff Baca is the only one from last year's starters that should return as a starter. Yes, they will struggle the first 4 games, but when these guys get that chemistry, they will open holes for all the speedsters in the backfield.

Thanks for the reassurance Jon! I'm feeling optimistic about our O-lines development throughout this season.

Some guy named Wooden once said that given the choice of experience or talent, he would pick talent. I don't know about the rest of you, but I think this Wooden guy might be on to something.

Let's not forget X will be gone for 2 years on his Mormon Mission and not sure but Hasiak is supposed to go on a mission too at 19 but i have heard he might be an exception. Gold you have any any info on Hasiak going on a mission or not?

I thought that Hasiak is catholic and never read that he would go on a mission. I did read that X would consider delaying his mission till after college if he got significant playing time his freshman year.

Did some research and found this in the LA Times, and thus the confusion:

FOR THE RECORD:
UCLA football: An article in Tuesday's Sports section on UCLA football that featured the team's new offensive linemen, Stanley Hasiak, Xavier Su'a-Filo and Eddie Williams, said that Hasiak planned to go on a two-year Mormon mission after this year. It is Su'a-Filo who plans to go on the mission. Also, in Monday's Sports section, UCLA strong safety Tony Dye was referred to as a redshirt freshman. He is a sophomore. —

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ucla-football-fyi11-2009aug11,0,6105304.story

Young TALENT over Average Experience any day. the experience will come but the talent you are born with and develop.

Dohn had previously said that Hasiak is not Mormon and that rumors of him taking a mission are therefore off base.

So, unless Sua Filo manages to convert Hasiak in the next year, I doubt Hasiak will be taking one. On the other hand, if Sua Filo does convert Hasiak, and Hasiak takes a mission, shouldn't that alone fulfill Sua Filo's mission obligation? Just sayin'.

Yes, PakistaniBruin, VB is UB's first issue.

If you don't chicken out and come to the tailgate, you will get to meet all of the UBTA: VB, UB, regular posters) plus OB, EB, DB, JB. PB and RB will be missing the first game!

Are you still going to wear your "I heart Brian Dohn" barbeque apron to the tailgate parties?

UB will be serving up some bacon-wrapped Hot Dohns to the UBTA clan.

UB,

haha...I look forward to meeting all the Bs...I'm out of town but I plan on making at least one game(homecoming?). Where is your tailgate located again?

We usually set-up along Rose Bowl Drive on Lot H (grass lot) just a stones throw from the giant rose on the face of the stadium.

Anon:

That LA times story is inaccurate. If you check carefully, they later made a retraction of the Hasiak mission comment and correctly replaced it with Xavier Sua-Filo. It is in fact Sua-Filo who had previously reported that he would take a mission after his Frosh year. Again, as I have stated before, these plans tend to change. Coaches and teammates have a way of swaying players in a different direction. Look at all the SUC Mormon players who never end up going, even though Chetey Petey initially says they can go if they want. He ends up retracting the mission option. I expect CRN to utilize his great charm and salesmanship and keep the kid at UCLA.

Anon:

That LA times story is inaccurate. If you check carefully, they later made a retraction of the Hasiak mission comment and correctly replaced it with Xavier Sua-Filo. It is in fact Sua-Filo who had previously reported that he would take a mission after his Frosh year. Again, as I have stated before, these plans tend to change. Coaches and teammates have a way of swaying players in a different direction. Look at all the SUC Mormon players who never end up going, even though Chetey Petey initially says they can go if they want. He ends up retracting the mission option. I expect CRN to utilize his great charm and salesmanship and keep the kid at UCLA.

JON GOLD, PLS DONT GO TO VB'S TAILGATE AND ACCEPT HIS SUCK UPS, CUZ ONCE HE THINKS HE HAS LEVERAGE WITH YOU HE WILL *** RUIN THIS BLOG!!! *** its his m.o.

The Polynesian O-line, plus Baca!!