Sean Sheller Posts -- FanHouse

Talk about a program needing some good news right now. Talented UCLA senior running back Kahlil Bell, who tore his ACL eight games into the 2007 season, was starting to become a big worry for his status heading into 2008. But late word from Inside UCLA's Brian Dohn has Bell looking ready to roll on the eve of fall camp. Now he's not all the way back, participating in seven-on-seven drills and the like, but he's getting there.

Technically, Bell has not been medically cleared to practice, but he told me recently he expects that to happen in early August, when he is examined by the UCLA doctors.

Bell was a big bright spot on the UCLA offense last year, rushing for 795 yards with a team-high 5.6 yards per carry in '07. He's got excellent size at a physical 6-0, 206, and is the best big-play threat on the UCLA offense.

But the real worry is what Bell will see when he actually gets the football in game situations this season. UCLA's offensive line is in tatters, with just one starter back in 2008. The recent loss of projected starting right tackle Sean Sheller only complicated things. Add in QB Ben Olson still slowly coming back from a broken foot, and you can imagine Bell will see nothing but defenses stacking the line of scrimmage to try and take him out of the offensive equation. Norm Chow might be the "Yoda" of NCAA offensive coordinators, but he might start asking what he's gotten himself into with this UCLA job.

UCLA Offense Takes Another Hit

The UCLA offense is a little thin these days, what with starting quarterback Patrick Cowan and backup Ben Olson already nursing various injuries. Cowan is actually lost for the entire 2008 season after tearing his ACL, and Olson suffered a broken right foot late in spring ball and should miss most of the off-season training sessions. But now the offensive line has joined in, as projected starting right tackle Sean Sheller could be on the shelf for some time.

According to the LA Times, Sheller was injured over the weekend while riding an ATV. He suffered an open wound on his left ankle as well as an undisclosed injury to his left knee. An MRI is pending on the knee to determine how much damage was actually done in the accident.

An interesting angle is that the LA Times also reports in the same story that UCLA gained a JC tackle in Donovan Edwards. Edwards is a late signee who could be eligible to play immediately this fall, pending summer school results.

The troubling thing for UCLA is what this does to an already-thin offensive line. It's bad enough when you are without a couple of QB's and it's only June. But the Bruins were already down to two returning starters up front with the "Micah" duo of Micah Reed at center and Micah Kia at left tackle. Overall eight of the top 10 listed on the offensive line depth chart didn't even play a single snap last year, so potentially losing Sheller isn't exactly good news.