The enduring images of their freshman season haven’t been ones for the scrapbook.
There was UCLA punter Austin Kent, slinking away on the sideline after Coach Jim Mora scolded him for failing to try and knock the ball out of bounds on a punt that bounced backward for a loss of one yard. And there was kicker J.J. Molson, telling reporters he lacked focus over the season’s first month after a string of missed field goals.
There was some resulting fallout. Mora benched Kent for two games and alternated Molson with fellow freshman Andrew Strauch in an attempt to alleviate pressure and improve results.