LOS ANGELES — It’s fairly easy to find UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy during practice. Just listen.
Bieniemy, one of multiple new coaches on the staff this season, is one of the most vocal staff members of any kind on the field. His words were loud, commanding and included expletives at times during the third day of spring football practice Thursday afternoon.
But when he spoke with reporters after, he appeared cool and clear-headed. His words were soft and slow.
“You have to learn how to develop your consistent habits,” Bieniemy said. “Every day they get these guys to go step out here, there’s gonna be some everyday drills that they’re required to do. There’s some everyday drills that they need to do to help them to become the best student. Those consistent habits that help carry them over in life.”
Bieniemy spoke of consistency and assessment Thursday without giving away much information on how the Bruins’ offense might look this season.
He said he envisions the offense as a diverse one and is using this time to evaluate what each player can do and how they might fit into different roles. The dialogue between Bieniemy and first-year head coach DeShaun Foster has been an open one when it comes to designing the offense.
“It’s all-inclusive,” Bieniemy said. “When it’s all said and done with, it’s our offense. I want this to be ours. Yes, I have a ton of ideas. I have a ton of plays. But I want this to be ours. We’re a new coaching staff, so we have to build it together.”
UCLA, which went 8-5 last season, ran 7-on-7 drills and 11-on-11 drills in increments of 12- and 15-minute periods during Thursday’s practice. Ethan Garbers, currently a redshirt junior, received most of the first-team reps at quarterback and Justyn Martin took reps with the second team.
Martin, a redshirt freshman, appeared in two games in the 2023 season. Freshman Luke Duncan appeared to be third string and senior Chase Griffin was fourth.
“We got a lot of competition in that room,” Bieniemy said. “There’s been some good, there’s been some bad, there’s been some ugly from all of them, but it’s still early. I’m not expecting us to come out and set the world on fire. What I want us to do is learn how to put consistent behavior on tape.”
Garbers looked at his best at the end of the 12th period of practice when he completed a short pass to Braden Pegan and a long pass to Moliki Matavao. However, he also threw four incomplete passes and an interception earlier in the same period. Clint Stephens picked him off.
Martin was fairly consistent with his completions and was the only quarterback to run the ball during media viewing. Keegan Jones, Anthony Adkins, Josiah Gonzales and TJ Harden were the main ball carriers.
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The offense was operating at a noticeably slower pace than during previous seasons’ spring ball practices. Bieniemy served as UCLA’s running backs coach from 2003-05 as part of his 23-year coaching career and has spent 16 of the last 18 years in the NFL.
He told reporters that teaching is critical at both levels, and a lot of learning is going on at practice right now.
“You’ve got to make sure that you’re reaching your guys in the room,” he said. “Everybody accepts or retains information differently. That’s our job as position coaches and coordinators to figure that out. We’ve just got to make sure we’re putting the right people in the right place to be successful.”
