Five UCLA players who will get a chance to emerge under Kelly
The Chip Kelly era is now in full swing at UCLA, and despite the Bruins' struggles that led to coach Jim Mora’s firing, it only takes one look at the Bruins' roster to see a team loaded with former elite recruits. The failure of some of those players to live up to the hype is part of the reason Mora is gone, but with a new coach on board, many will get fresh starts. Today, we look at five former elite recruits who have a chance to turn their careers around now that they’ve been given a second chance to make a first impression.
RELATED: Four-star recruit Addison is intrigued by Kelly hire | UCLA recruit update
As a recruit: Jamabo explored many options during his high school career and took official visits to Notre Dame, Texas, Texas A&M and UCLA during his senior season. Most expected that it would be tough to pull him out of the Lone Star State, but the Bruins did exactly that, landing his commitment on Signing Day.
What he’s done: Jamabo has had his share of ups and downs during his three seasons at UCLA, and while he’s been productive, there’s no doubt more was expected. Through three seasons he has 1,172 rushing yards, 13 rushing touchdowns and 453 receiving yards.
Why Kelly will help: Kelly’s teams are known for explosive offenses and are built around a strong running game. Starting with 2007, his first season at Oregon as offensive coordinator, Kelly had at least one 1,000-yard back in every season in Eugene and had a back go over 1,500 yards rushing in five different seasons. While most were known as smaller, shiftier backs, bigger back LeGarrette Blount thrived under Kelly and has gone on to a successful career in the NFL. Jamabo isn’t the same type of punishing rusher as Blount, but he should thrive under Kelly.
As a recruit: Lucier-South racked up a ton of offers during his high school days, and officially visited Oregon, Oklahoma and Michigan, but ultimately decided to stay close to home and committed to UCLA during November of his senior season.
What he’s done: Lucier-South redshirted his first year on campus and played primarily as a backup in 2016. But he took a big step forward this season, recording 15 total tackles, including 5.5 for loss.
Why Kelly will help: Kelly is known for his prowess as an offensive coach, but his track record of developing hybrid linebacker/defensive end prospects over the years is pretty good. His most high-profile product was former four-star Dion Jordan, who went on to be a top 5 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. While Lucier-South (6-4, 210 pounds) isn’t quite the physical specimen Jordan (6-foot-6, 220) was in college, the two share similar traits, and perhaps under the right staff Lucier-South will continue the growth he showed in 2017.
As a recruit: One of the most coveted offensive linemen in the class of 2015, Wariboko had a number of options from coast to coast. He settled on four finalists: Louisville, Ohio State, Oklahoma and UCLA. After officially visiting all four, the Bruins landed his commitment on Signing Day.
What he’s done: After redshirting his first year on campus, Wariboko has played as a reserve over each of the past two seasons. Ranked as a guard in college, Wariboko has played center during his three seasons with the Bruins.
Why Kelly will help: Wariboko has been behind longtime starter Scott Quessenberry on the depth chart, but with Quessenberry’s eligibility up, Wariboko will have every opportunity to step in and fill his shoes. Kelly’s offensive system relies on quicker, more athletic offensive lineman, and doesn’t necessarily value size over other attributes. At 6-foot-2, 300 pounds Wariboko will have to spend the offseason slimming down a little bit, but he will have every chance to be a major part of the Bruins' offensive line going forward.
As a recruit: Juarez had plenty of options and settled on a final five of UCLA, Alabama, BYU, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. After visiting all five programs, he made a Signing Day commitment to the Bruins, one of the biggest recruiting wins of the Jim Mora era.
What he’s done: Not much. Juarez dealt with personal issues during his first year on campus and left the team, a move that drew criticism from his older teammates at the time. Juarez eventually rejoined the team but didn’t see any action in his first year. This year he played primarily as a special teams player, appearing in 11 games and recording three total tackles.
Why Kelly will help: If there’s anyone who needs a fresh start with a new staff, it’s Juarez. His career got off to a terrible start, and it’s clear that he lost the trust of his teammates and the previous coaching staff. But there’s no doubt he had elite talent coming out of high school. The question is: Can he rededicate himself and find a role in the UCLA defense with a new staff in place? It’s unlikely he will ever live up to his five-star ranking, but Kelly’s teams have produced several quality linebackers, and Juarez will have every opportunity to earn his playing time in 2018.
As a recruit: Lee gathered several offers early in his recruitment, and he elected not to drag things out, committing to the Bruins following the conclusion of his junior year. At the time, Lee talked openly about being recruited by the Bruins as a quarterback.
What he’s done: Lee was moved to wide receiver after enrolling at UCLA, and he redshirted his first year. This season, he saw limited playing time and the only statistic he recorded was a one-yard completion on a pass he threw as part of a trick play.
Why Kelly will help: Despite spending most of his career at wide receiver, Lee has a background at quarterback. So it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he’s given a shot to play quarterback in Kelly’s system. Either way, he’s the type of versatile athlete that Kelly has found a way to use in his offenses in the past. Whether it’s at quarterback or at wide receiver, Lee should get a chance to earn playing time, something that has been hard to come by so far during his UCLA career.
