Five takeaways as UCLA heads into homestretch of spring football practice

The moderate to heavy rain that pelted UCLA’s artificial turf Saturday morning was on point for one of its final spring football practices.

Everything, it seems, is fluid.

Given the overlap between spring practice and the transfer portal, the Bruins are missing at least a handful of players — including starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava — expected to be significant contributors next season.

That means that almost everything the team does before its entire roster reports for fall training camp could deserve an asterisk. Coaches are clearly tinkering with lineups and positions before having their full complement of players.

Here are five takeaways as the Bruins head into the final week of spring practice:

Among incoming transfers, coach DeShaun Foster said he could only talk about Iamaleava because his signing has been made official.

Several other players are on the way. Quarterback Madden Iamaleava (formerly of Arkansas) is expected to join his big brother at UCLA in addition to running back Jaivian Thomas (California) and defensive backs Rodrick Pleasant (Oregon) and Jamier Johnson (Indiana).

Thomas could challenge for a starting role after rushing for 626 yards and seven touchdowns last season as the backup to Jaydn Ott, and Iamaleava could be the top backup to his sibling.

The arrival of the Iamaleava brothers prompted quarterbacks Joey Aguilar and Robert McDaniel to enter the transfer portal, with Demaricus Davis vacillating on his future, according to Foster. Other UCLA players who entered the transfer portal were running back Leo Kemp; offensive linemen Alani Makihele and Marquise Thorpe-Taylor; punter Brody Richter; linebacker Isaiah Patterson; and defensive back Khristian Dunbar-Hawkins.

Veteran right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio spent some time at left guard in practice, with Reuben Unije filling DiGiorgio’s vacated position.

Foster said Unije had been cleared from a knee injury that slowed him earlier this spring, and DiGiorgio still took a number of snaps at right tackle. Oluwafunto Akinshilo played left guard when DiGiorgio was at right tackle.

The rest of the first-string offensive line included Julian Armella at right guard, Sam Yoon at center and Courtland Ford at left tackle.

With the depth at his position thinned considerably for the rest of spring, Luke Duncan appears on track to be the team’s starting quarterback in the spring showcase next weekend at the Rose Bowl.

The redshirt sophomore took first-string repetitions Saturday, followed by Nick Billoups, Henry Hasselbeck and Colton Gumino.

Duncan’s best sequence came midway through the practice when he completed a touchdown pass to Kwazi Gilmer in one corner of the end zone followed by a touchdown to Gilmer in the other corner.

None of the quarterbacks left on UCLA’s spring roster have thrown a pass in a college game, and they will presumably be competing with Madden Iamaleava to be the top backup in fall training camp.

Anthony Woods, who played at Idaho before transferring to Utah and now UCLA, is expected to be a big contributor next season.

(Young Kwak / Associated Press)

Anthony Woods, the former star running back at Idaho who sat out last season at Utah because of a knee injury, showed why the Bruins recruited him with a nice touchdown run in his first extensive playing time of the spring.

Gilmer continued to make a strong case as the team’s top receiver as the preferred target of Duncan.

Defensive backs Jadyn Hudson and Jadyn Marshall made interceptions on back-to-back plays to lead the defense. Foster said Marshall continues to make a case to play wide receiver in addition to defensive back and kick returner.

Freshman edge rusher Cole Cogshell showed explosiveness in getting into the backfield for a simulated sack. Edge rushers Grant Buckey and Nico Davillier prompted some of the biggest cheers from their defensive teammates when they converged to stuff a run at the point of the handoff.

The Bruins have several players wearing the same number on offense and defense.

Offensive tackles Jaylan Jeffers and Ford both wear No. 77; defensive backs Andre Jordan Jr. and Bryon Threats both wear No. 2; linebackers Isaiah Chisom and Jalen Woods both wear No. 9; and Cogshell and defensive back LaRue Zamorano both wear No. 24.

So who will get to wear those numbers once the season starts?

“Whoever the starters are,” Foster said, “will get those numbers.”

Foster said wide receiver-quarterback Karson Gordon was out for the season because of an Achilles’ injury suffered in track. Wide receiver Nico Flores Jr. and tight end Hudson Habermehl ran sprints as part of their recoveries from injuries. Habermehl also completed several walk-throughs while lining up at tight end.