Among the biggest question marks for UCLA heading into the 2023 college football season is a defense that finished in the middle of the Pac-12 Conference and regressed in the second half of last season.
Individually, though, a pair of standouts were recognized as preseason all-conference first-team selections in a vote by the media released Tuesday ahead of this week’s media day festivities.
Edge rusher Laiatu Latu and linebacker Darius Muasau headlined the Bruins’ five honorees, while Ball State transfer running back Carson Steele earned a second-team selection and offensive linemen Duke Clemens and Garrett DiGiorgio picked up honorable mention nods.
Latu, who will join Clemens and head coach Chip Kelly at Friday’s media day in Las Vegas, tied for eighth in the country and led the Pac-12 with 10.5 sacks last season. His efforts earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors after his first season with the Bruins, who brought in Latu after he was deemed medically retired at Washington and missed 17 months with a neck injury.
Muasau, who also spent his first year in Westwood after transferring from Hawaii, had 91 tackles to lead UCLA last season. He and California transfer Oluwafemi Oladejo are expected to shore up the middle of the defense as the Bruins look to make a jump under first-year defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.
Latu was a first-team selection and Muasau earned second-team honors at the end of last season.
Steele is looking to make the transition to Power 5 football after an eye-opening sophomore season at Ball State. His 1,556 yards rushing is second only to Quinshon Judkins of Ole Miss for the most among returning running backs in the country.
How the Bruins collectively replace the production of All-American running back Zach Charbonnet remains to be seen, with Steele battling rising sophomore TJ Harden for carries.
The offensive line, which was a strength for the Bruins as last season went on, has its own share of questions heading into 2023 after injuries and departures depleted the group in spring camp.
Clemens and DiGiorgio are the lone returners on a unit that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award given to the top offensive line in the country.
Clemens will be back as the starting center and DiGiorgio will hold down the right tackle position.
Purdue left guard Spencer Holstege and Old Dominion left tackle Khadere Kounta were among the transfers brought in to make up for the loss of guards Jon Gaines II and Atonio Mafi and left tackle Raiqwon O’Neal.
