UCLA quarterback picture remains blurry

UCLA’s quarterback situation seemed to gain some clarity, yet remained murky.

Kevin Prince, Richard Brehaut and Brett Hundley received all the work in the brief team scrimmage Saturday. Jerry Neuheisel was given time in situational 11-on-11 drills.

Nothing, though, was said to have changed.

“What I have to do is go watch he film,” Coach Jim Mora said. “The old coach’s cliche.”

Offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone added, “I’m going to have to give you coach-talk. I have to watch the film.”

Yes, the coach-speak was in midseason form, even if the passing wasn’t always.

Prince, Brehaut and Hundley all threw make-you-cringe passes that were intercepted. Prince and Brehaut were both picked off at the end of practice, spoiling what had been decent days by both.

“They brother-in-lawed me on those,” Mazzone said. “I told them it was between you two guys and the winner is buying. They both decided to throw those so no one won.”

Mora and Mazzone were steering clear from saying the field had thinned, but the fact that Prince, Brehaut and Hundley were getting the work indicated that this is a three-player race, as expected.

Freshman T.J. Millweard, who enrolled in school days before spring practice, has struggled because of inexperience. Neuheisel has had moments but appears to be running fourth.

Mazzone said, “We are moving closer to the kids understanding my expectations. … It’s hard for me to get mad at them for trying to run stuff they have never run before. We’re getting to the point where these guys should have a handle on it. It’s like a Rubik’s Cube; you have to keep turning it until the colors line up.”

Prince threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Steven Manfro on his first series. Brehaut was five for five for 55 yards, including a nine-yard touchdown pass to Manfro, on his first series. Hundley had his only pass intercepted by linebacker Patrick Larimore on his first series.

“I still feel during the course the next six practices we’ll start to see separation,” Mora said. “I would love for the sake of the team to come out spring feeling like we had a guy, but I never felt that would be an absolute.”

Still, Mora does have a fail-safe point.

“I’m not taking it up to the first week of the season, I’ll tell you that,” he said.

Marvray, Sermons to have surgery

Wide receiver Ricky Marvray, who has yet to participate in spring practice because of a disc problem, will have back surgery Tuesday. He is expected to be out three months.

Cornerback Brandon Sermons will have surgery Wednesday to repair a broken bone in his right hand and probably will miss the rest of spring practice.

Quick hits

Larimore and fellow linebacker Aaron Wallace wobbled out of practice early after being injured on the same play. Mora said that they either suffered “a concussion or had concussion-like symptoms.” … Tackle Connor Bradford is no longer on the team. He will graduate and try to transfer. He has one year of eligibility remaining. …. Guard Casey Griffiths is seeking a medical disqualification. He would remain on scholarship, but it would not count against the 85 limit.

[email protected] twitter.com/cfosterlatimes