Throughout the spring, UCLA’s specialists would often be left on their own to get work in while the rest of the football team practices.
Kodi Whitfield, the Bruins’ cornerbacks coach who added special teams coordinator duties this offseason, then dedicated newly hired special teams analyst Tucker Meyer to oversee the group.
Meyer can often be seen challenging them, having the holders put down a variety of high and low snaps. There’s more attention to the details, and the kickers are put through their own competitive period with attempts from varying distances.
The extra work paid off in last Saturday’s 16-13 season-opening win at Hawaii, with California transfer Mateen Bhaghani converting all three of his field goals — including the game-winner with 56 seconds left for UCLA’s first and only lead.
Bhaghani’s effort sealed the first coaching victory in DeShaun Foster’s debut, and Monday he was named the Big Ten’s special teams player of the week.
“Coach (Foster), coach (Whitfield) and our special teams analyst (Meyer) have been making sure all the kickers have been put in situations where they can replicate that type of pressure,” Bhaghani told reporters after the victory.
“Only one word going through my head: execution. Our snapper, our punter, it was a great operation. A great hold. Everything just kind of fell into its place. Felt natural.”
Bhaghani connected on kicks from 22, 37 and 32 yards, including two in the final quarter, to help the Bruins overcome a 10-0 halftime deficit.
Going into the week, Bhaghani and Blake Glessner, who split duties last season with R.J. Lopez, were still battling it out for the starting job.
Glessner, in fact, handled the first kick of the season as the Bruins’ long-range specialist, but he missed wide right from 52 yards.
“We both knew that we were going to kick, but Blake (Glessner) knows that I have his back just as much as he has mine,” Bhaghani said. “It’s always friendly competition. You’re competing against yourself at the end of the day.”
Last season, UCLA was just 8 of 17 on field goals.
The Bruins have an open week on the schedule before next Saturday’s home opener and first Big Ten contest against Indiana. It remains to be seen if Bhaghani will handle all kicks going forward, but he made a strong case to do so in his Bruins debut.
“Every time I go out there — it sounds weird — but you kind of just black out and you just rely on your training. And not as much focus on the result but the process of it,” Bhaghani said.
