UCLA football ready to see what it’s got against Coastal Carolina

Chip Kelly will have a better idea of what to make of his quarterback situation Saturday when the Bruins host Coastal Carolina.

Kelly stated he had plans to play all three quarterbacks in contention for the starting role. Ethan Garbers begins his third year as a Bruin and will make just his second start.

The coach didn’t provide any other details about how the reps will be distributed among the three quarterbacks or the order in which true freshman Dante Moore and Kent State transfer Collin Schlee will play after Garbers.

Coastal Carolina doesn’t have a similar quandary with Grayson McCall returning for his fifth year with the program. The three-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year briefly entered the transfer portal to explore his options after head coach Jamey Chadwell left to take the job at Liberty.

One of those options included preliminary talks with Kelly and the Bruins.

“We talked to Grayson at some point,” Kelly said. “Most of that stuff was process toward degree and what classes match up and all that and it didn’t get much farther than the academic part.”

Tim Beck, who replaced Chadwell, had to spend most of the offseason recruiting the players on his own roster to stay, including McCall. The program had 42 players return, including 14 starters.

“I think we are ready,” Beck said about the Chanticleers’ first game against a Pac-12 opponent. “They’ve put in a lot of work … now it’s time to let them loose. I told the coaches to trust your players and let them play.”

When UCLA has the ball

Garbers will make his first start since 2021, when he completed 27 of 44 passes for 265 yards and two touchdowns at Utah.

The season opener will also serve as the debut for two key transfers – receiver J. Michael Sturdivant from Cal and running back Carson Steele from Ball State – to help bolster an offense that lost several starters to the NFL.

Both players are expected to have an immediate impact this season and complement Kelly’s style of play.

Sturdivant will serve as a vertical threat with big-play potential, helping stretch the field and keep opposing defenses honest.

Steele provides power out of the backfield. His ability to produce yards after contact was among the best in the nation last season and caught the attention of the Bruins. He led the nation with 1,161 yards after contact, according to Pro Football Focus, as the primary back for Ball State.

The Chanticleers return six starters from a defense that allowed 412 yards and 32 points per game.

When Coastal Carolina has the ball

The Coastal Carolina offense will stop and start with McCall, one of eight returning starters on offense.

The Chanticleers spent the spring and fall learning a new offense under Beck and offensive coordinator Travis Trickett, who spent last season with South Florida. Beck spent the past three seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at North Carolina State.

The Chanticleers’ offensive line will be tasked with keeping McCall upright while fending off the challenge that the Bruins’ defensive line will present. Redshirt sophomore Thomas Johnson will make his first start at center alongside right guard Dillon Luther, who played in all 13 games last season but made just two starts.

“We’ve played some guys but maybe not to the experience of UCLA’s defensive front, who return their front four guys and all of their linebackers,” Beck said. “They’re solid and a really good group. They are good pass rushers who are athletic and long. It’s going to be a challenge.”

Edge rusher Laiatu Latu will lead the Bruins’ defensive front after recording 10.5 sacks, which ranked eighth nationally. Linebacker Darius Muasau returns to anchor the defense after leading the team with 91 total tackles.

The Chanticleers will benefit from having most of their starting skill players back. Sam Pinckney (71 catches for 996 yards, 3 TDs) and Jared Brown (49 catches for 789 yards, 6 TDs) were McCall’s leading receivers last season. CJ Beasley and Reese White combined to rush for 1,294 yards and 10 scores.