UCLA defense must adjust after hit by another transfer
The departure of Caleb Johnson, a two-year starting linebacker from Murrieta, plagues a unit already down five starters from last season
LOS ANGELES — Last week, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly was asked during his first media availability of spring practice for his views on the transfer portal – and he couldn’t have been more supportive of players picking where they want to play.
“I like it,” Kelly said. “Kids should have a choice. Be where you want to be. Some kids don’t know where they want to be. They’re moving around. You got kids that go twice, three times, four times. I hope kids find the one and end up where they truly want to be, and it works out for them and it’s a positive thing.”
The transfer portal worked against Kelly and UCLA this week, with two-year starting linebacker Caleb Johnson entering the portal and delivering another blow to a defensive unit that was already down five starters from last season.
“Thank you UCLA for the opportunity,” Johnson said on Twitter on Thursday. “Thank you to my teammates and coaches and all the fans!”
Johnson, a Murrieta native who transferred to UCLA after one season at Texas and earned a starting spot right away, will pack his bags a second time. The super senior led UCLA with 5.5 sacks and 44 tackles in 2020, but didn’t have a sack last season in 10 starts at inside linebacker. He did have 45 tackles last season, 28 of them solo.
Safety Stephan Blaylock said Johnson transferring was “a little shock.”
“Because the bond you have with your teammates – whatever’s going on around the facility, you just think that, ‘OK, the brothers can come together and try to keep the family together,’” Blaylock said. “But things happen. People got to leave and separate. At the end of the day, he’s still going to be our brother.”
Johnson had been participating in spring practice up until Thursday. Darius Muasau, a senior linebacker transfer from Hawai’i who had seven sacks, five forced fumbles and 108 tackles last season, is an option to take Johnson’s spot and had been taking reps alongside Johnson at spring practice.
The sudden departure of one of the team’s hardest-hitting linebackers highlights the ups-and-downs of the transfer portal. UCLA has been the beneficiary of getting ready-to-play transfers from the portal, including running back Zach Charbonnet from Michigan last season.
This year, Kelly added several defensive transfers who have turned heads in spring practice, including cornerback Azizi Hearn from Wyoming and Grayson and Gabriel Murphy, the twin edge rushers from North Texas.
But UCLA has also lost several defensive starters to the portal, including linebacker Mitchell Agude, cornerback Jay Shaw and now Johnson.
In addition to Agude and Shaw, UCLA will also have to replace safeties Quentin Lake and Qwuantrezz Knight and defensive lineman Otito Ogbonnia, who are headed to the NFL draft.
The transfer portal can feel like a game of musical chairs. This time, UCLA is the odd-program out. But to Kelly, he’s all for the flexibility. In fact, he’s been willing to help facilitate transfers to make sure kids are in the right place for them.
“Coaches are allowed to move on and players should be allowed to move on,” Kelly said. “I don’t have any issues with the portal. (Whether) a kid’s here for one day or if a kid’s here for four years, your job is to come and say, ‘Where would you like to call’? We used the portal both ways.”
Vegas trip
Former UCLA players eligible for this year’s NFL draft paid a visit to the Las Vegas Raiders’ facility Friday for the team’s local day.
Had a great time with my brothers at the @Raiders local day! #FoursUp pic.twitter.com/ykZovPoGva
— Paul Grattan (@Grattan65) April 8, 2022
Offensive lineman Paul Grattan tweeted out a photo of the group, which included Brittain Brown, Greg Dulcich, Jordan Genmark Heath, Quentin Lake, Alec Anderson, Datona Jackson, Obi Eboh and Ethan Fernea.