The Bruins have received word that starting offensive tackle, Jake Burton has entered his name into the transfer portal as a grad transfer.
UCLA has not sent out a release regarding Burton’s departure. One can speculate that the reason he has decided to transfer is the cancelation of the Pac-12 season.
Burton would have been entering the season as a redshirt senior and would have started the season as a three-year starter.
Over his career as a Bruin, Burton logged 23 starts and saw action in 29 games during his career as a Bruin. He was a staple for a line that saw Joshua Kelley rush for over 1,000 yards during over the last two seasons.
Burton is listed on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Top 250 watch list going into the 2020 season.
Burton’s departure leaves the Bruins with limited starting experience across the offensive line.
Once again, the pressure is on offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Justin Frye to build an inexperienced group of players into a serviceable unit. Since arriving on the job, that seems to be his challenge every season.
Frye will have eight scholarship players to work with who have been in the program. He will have ten in total when you include incoming freshmen Bruno Fina and Patrick Selna.
Paul Gratton, a grad transfer from Villanova, who has NFL potential, is scheduled to come to UCLA, but he decided to transfer to Westwood when it was still thought there would be a season in the fall.
Thankfully, according to an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer by Mike Jensen, Grattan is planning on sticking to his commitment to UCLA.
Grattan will bring experience and could end up playing guard or center for the Bruins.
The Bruins have a track record for playing walk-ons and have a solid stable of walk-ons that will also get a look at serious playing time.
Sophomores, Sean Rhyan, who started all 12 games his freshman year at left tackle, Duke Clemens who started the last eight games of the season at guard as a freshman, and Alec Anderson who played in ten games, three of them starts his redshirt freshman season have the most game experience.
Yes, indeed, Frye once again has his work cut out for him.
