He was a pocket passer. Built for a pro-style offense. Not mobile enough to thrive in the kind of high-speed spread system that Kelly intended to run in his first season as UCLA's coach.
Kelly's response? Why, he told the graduate transfer from Michigan that he would fit right in.
Kelly's pitch, and an innovative approach that helped him go 46-7 in four seasons as Oregon's coach, eased any lingering doubt. Speight decided to become a Bruin in mid-April after spending the previous three seasons at Michigan, where he was a teammate of UCLA tight end Devin Asiasi before Asiasi transferred prior to last season.