UCLA coach Chip Kelly is ready for “talking season” to end and the football season to begin against Bowling Green on Sept 3. at the Rose Bowl.
It will be the first of three consecutive nonconference games at home on the schedule, which some college football pundits have called one of the easiest in the country.
“You have to play the game,” Kelly said. “It doesn’t really matter what any coach said in the preseason about their team.”
Kelly also understands that players will be excited and acknowledges there will be some level of trash-talking among players.
“The key to all of it is that you have to learn to play with emotion,” Kelly said. “You can’t let emotions play with you.
“We’ve always believed that competitors respond to situations and noncompetitors react.”
The Bruins have unofficially begun their game preparations, dedicating a period in practice to look at their upcoming opponent.
Some of the UCLA scout team players wore Bowling Green-looking orange practice jerseys Friday.
“This is an introduction to the Bowling Green game plan,” Kelly said. “We will really start our game week (on Monday) but because of camp, we have two extra days (to work with before a day off over the weekend.)
SHOWING VERSATILITY
Colson Yankoff has been spotted working with the running backs this week.
While Yankoff is still recovering from a foot injury, Kelly believes there could be some value in his fifth year of eligibility.
“He’s a real versatile kid,” Kelly said. “He is coming off the foot injury but was a great special teams player for us during the COVID season.”
Kelly explained that Yankoff’s recovery is still a factor and “not 100% in terms of everything in practice” just yet.
Yankoff transferred from Washington in 2019 as a quarterback before switching to the receiver room in 2020 for the Bruins. Kelly believes in Yankoff being a versatile asset as a running back as well as at receiver and potentially tight end.
“He has the ability to do some things coming out of the backfield,” Kelly said. “The more versatile you are when you’re not a starter, the best off you are.”
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