UCLA Football: Myles Jack focusing on defense, has taken no offensive snaps in spring

Myles Jack was just a freshman trying to find his way in the world of big-time college football for the UCLA Bruins as a linebacker on defense. However, all it took was one night for the youngster to become an overnight sensation–and it had very little to do with anything on defense.

In the game against the Arizona Wildcats, because of injuries, Jack was forced to move to the offensive side of the ball because he was the only one left with significant experience in the backfield from his high school days.

Well, after a six-carry, 120 yard and one touchdown performance, people believed that the “Iron Man” of this generation was born.

While he would get a few more carries in the backfield, after the season was concluded head coach Jim Mora stated that he will not be a two-way player, instead he will focus solely on defense. Mora reiterated this to ESPN this past week.

“He is a defensive player — period — who maybe will have some offensive packages,” stressed UCLA coach Jim Mora. “He hasn’t taken a single offensive snap this spring, nor will he. In training camp, either. He plays defense for us. The important thing is to help us maximize his abilities at linebacker. He’s phenomenal on either side of the ball. But in his mind and the reason he came here is to play linebacker. I’m not going to take that away from him. It would hurt our football team.”

It’s fun to think about a player pulling double-duty, but in today’s world, it’s a lot more dangerous than it used to be. Then there’s the issue of Jack’s future NFL Draft stock to worry about, and a lot of that entails keeping him healthy.