UCLA Spring Game 2015: Recap, Highlights and Twitter Reaction

Head coach Jim Mora and the UCLA Bruins began the quest for a third consecutive 10-win campaign Saturday with the 2015 Spring Showcase.

While Saturday didn't feature a full-blown scrimmage with score tracking and a game clock, it did help the roster take the next step in the wake of major losses such as quarterback Brett Hundley, linebacker Eric Kendricks and defensive end Owa Odighizuwa.

The structured event featured a trio of 11-on-11 scrimmages divided by individual drills. New arrival Josh Rosen stole the show by posting a 13-of-17 mark with two touchdowns and an interception in the scrimmages, perhaps taking an early lead in the race to replace Hundley.

The day started with Pride Alley, UCLA's version of the infamous Oklahoma Drill. UCLA Football shared the lineup for the event:

Perhaps the most bone-crunching hit of the day occurred when linebacker Myles Jack met running back Ryan Davis in the hole, with the former winning the encounter in emphatic fashion.

Pride Alley seemed to end quicker than usual, so the event then transitioned to special-teams drills and individual drills.

Of course, during the latter the quarterback competition came into stark focus. Asiantii Woulard took the first snaps from under center, while Jerry Neuheisel and the freshman sensation Rosen were close behind.

The tone of the workouts was positive, which isn't a shock considering how encouraging and poised even the freshman was about the competition in the days leading up to the event.

"Honestly, whoever starts, we're all going to be supremely confident in them because if they win the job, they won it for a reason," Rosen said, per Chris Foster of the Los Angeles Times. "They are going be the best man to lead this team."

Rosen, despite less collegiate game experience than Neuheisel, was the main attraction, even gaining the attention of 2017 wideout recruit Terrell Bynum:

"

Josh Rosen out here throwing dimes

— Terrell Bynum (@TDBynum) April 25, 2015"

The competition kicked up a notch when 11-on-11 drills began, the closest thing the Spring Showcase would get to live-game action.

There, Neuheisel struck first, hitting Tyler Scott for Saturday's first touchdown. Rahshaun Haylock of FoxSportsWest.com details the moment and the crowd's reaction:

Neuheisel wasn't the lone player turning heads, though. Running back Craig Lee, a redshirt sophomore, put on quite the show with quick cuts and breakaway speed.

Joining him in the "wow" department was wide receiver Jordan Lasley. Pac-12 Networks offers the explanation:

As for Rosen, Mora decided to let the experienced players see the field first, with the freshman not taking the field in the first set of 11-on-11 play.

He suited up in the second and put on a show.

Rosen completed his first five passes on the way to a two-yard-touchdown pass to Scott, who had quite the busy day himself. As Rick Kimbrel of BruinBru.com notes, though, the freshman did provide a reminder of his inexperience on the next drive:

It didn't take long for Rosen to recover. On the next drive after his hiccup, he hit Eldridge Massington for a 10-yard touchdown to cap off a solid performance.

Foster's colleague, Eric Sondheimer, offers his thoughts on the freshman signal-caller:

While Saturday won't be enough for Rosen to win the job outright, there's nothing people remember better than a solid first impression. He accomplished such a feat, as did the rest of a roster transitioning to a new season with new faces.

The long summer ahead for UCLA football will decide much about the program's most important positional battles. Saturday was a critical first step and an impressive one with new faces stepping up to fill voids.

Info courtesy of UCLABruins.com unless otherwise specified.