Defense starts taking shape under the new coordinator

the field again from players like Calvert and Blaylock.

“I think when you set expectations for yourself, you raise your level of play physically and mentally,” Blaylock said at Pac-12 media day. “We want to be great and bring this program back to be something greater than it was before and we can do that by just being ourselves, playing ball, and not making any game bigger than what it is.”

Among those expectations are to become bowl eligible for a second straight year. The Bruins became bowl eligible last season for the first time since 2017 but were unable to play in their scheduled Holiday Bowl matchup against North Carolina State due to COVID-19 protocols within the UCLA program.

“It was tough for everyone,” Calvert said when reflecting on finding out the game was called off just hours before kickoff. “I'm looking forward to (starting the season) and getting to another bowl game. … I'm confident we will be able to do that.”

Roster surprises

UCLA officially released the football program's 2022 roster Thursday ahead of the start of fall camp. There were a few interesting takeaways upon its release.

Kazmeir Allen is listed as a receiver, after previously being listed as a running back in each of his first four seasons.

Allen has proven to be one of the Bruins' most versatile players and could still line up in the backfield this season. He was named to the Paul Hornung Award watch list in July. The award recognizes the most versatile athletes in football.

“Our job is to try to find out how many different ways we can get (Allen) the ball,” Kelly said at Pac-12 media day. “He obviously has game-breaking speed (and) has tremendous vision and instincts when he's running the ball.”

Allen was a difference maker in the Bruins' 62-33 victory over rival USC, producing 278 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. Allen had three catches for 115 yards and two touchdowns and scored another on a 100yard kick return for a touchdown.

Linebacker Damian Sellers was not listed on the team's fall camp roster. He did participate with the team during spring practice but the reason for his absence was not made public.

As a true freshman, he started five of seven games at outside linebacker in 2020.

He did participate in the team's spring practices this offseason but the reason for his absences has not been made public.

Sellers started the 2021 season in a walking boot and missed the first four games of the season before playing the final eight games. He was the Bruins' highest-rated recruit in the 2020 class.