Observations from UCLA practice

UCLA practices are basically twice as long as BYU’s. The Cougars hold their bowl practices to about 59 minutes. UCLA is an hour and 30 minutes minimum. By the time players shuffle to their bus transports after a box lunch and some rehab, it’s two hours.

BYU trotted on, did their business, then trotted on to transports and were gone. Bronco said if he felt a need to go longer, he would have. Wednesday’s practice was basically a Thursday practice during a regular week, according to Steve Kaufusi.

The Bruins were throwing a lot of mid-range and long passes, trying to get timing of their third quarterback, Ossar Rasshan, down pat. UCLA also did wind sprints at the end of their drills. BYU players picked up some donuts before heading to buses and on to their hotel.

Basic impressions were that BYU is confident; UCLA wants to be confident. BYU looks all business; UCLA is trying to be all business with their coaches yelling and trying to get attention of players. There is also a lot of encouragement by UCLA coaches, like “Way to go, baby, that’s it, baby…” kind of stuff.

Ben Olson didn’t throw a pass during the practice time I witnessed. He stood in the back while Rasshan took almost all the reps. We were told we could interview Olson after practice but he needed to receive treatment on his knee in the locker room, which is UNLV’s actual dressing room. Tick, tick, tick. There were about six reporters who waited and waited. It took more than the 20 minutes we were told it would be. It was more like 40 minutes and he was the last player out of the facility.

I don’t know for sure, but some the reporters thought perhaps Olson was “waiting” out the media, hoping everyone would be gone. By the time he came out, he walked by everyone, then turned and over his shoulder, told a Los Angeles reporter he’d be right back, he had to get a wrist bracelet. He then returned and spoke for about three minutes.

I vowed I wouldn’t knock on Olson this week. He’s had a career filled with disappointments and injuries. I will say, as frustrated as he’s been with his last two years, I sensed from reporters who cover the Bruins, that they are frustrated with him.

I know I was frustrated standing there with four stories to write, waiting and waiting for a brief Ben Olson quote to top off a day of covering the two camps. Hopefully Olson plays. However, I seriously doubt it.

Rasshan really wants to get after it. Olson seems to have no sense of urgency to his demeanor and this injury.

I’ll leave readers to connect the dots when it comes to Olson.