Anyone who’s ever had to transfer to a new school knows how difficult it can be — the pressure of learning your way around, making new friends and fitting in. That pressure multiplies when competition enters the mix.
Such is the case at UCLA, which opened spring football with 19 transfers on the roster and potentially more on the way. Each player was a “somebody” before arriving in Westwood. Some are veterans parachuting in for their final stops.
All are now tasked with carving out roles in a locker room rife with turnover, but still filled with established leaders.
“The first couple of months, I just tried to sit back and observe, because obviously I’m in a foreign area for myself,” said Key Lawrence, the sixth-year transfer from Mississippi.
Lawrence’s arrival at UCLA marks the fourth stop of his college career, having contributed at each along the way. Well-traveled — a fact he jokes about with a smile — the 24-year-old previously suited up for Tennessee (2020), Oklahoma (2021 to 2023) and Ole Miss (2024).
Halfway through spring, his performance has drawn rave reviews, and he’s already stepping into a role in the secondary, according to position coach Demetrice Martin.
“On the field, he’s got most of the guys’ attention, barking out instructions,” Martin said. “He’s growing by bringing others along, showing them exactly how it’s done.”
Several coaches, including Martin, describe Lawrence as an alpha. His energetic personality could rub some the wrong way in certain locker rooms. But at UCLA, it’s been embraced because of his grounded nature, carrying the mantra, “A wise man learns from others.”
“Oh, man, it’s been crazy — guys from the offense trying to get me intertwined because I have an energy that people gravitate toward,” Lawrence said. “So I just try to give it back to them, you know what I mean? Just embracing everything from everybody.”
Like Lawrence, junior Nico Davillier, a transfer from Arkansas, is another defender making the move from the Southeastern Conference. He understands that stepping into a new environment means walking a fine line — showing respect for the locker room’s established leadership while still finding ways to contribute and emerge as a leader himself.
“Not getting too high, not getting too low,” Davillier said. “I mess up on the play, take the coaching for my teammates. Hear what they’re saying, and not how they’re saying it.”
Davillier spent the last three seasons contributing on the defensive line with the Razorbacks and now arrives at UCLA looking to compete for a starting spot under new defensive line coach Jethro Franklin. He joins a group that includes six returning upperclassmen from last season.
“I feel like what I know I could teach, and then I ask questions as well,” Davillier added. “So just being a voice and being a listening ear.”
So far, the transfers have really jelled since arriving in the winter, according to coach Deshaun Foster. Players such as Lawrence, Cole Martin and Julian Armell have quickly demonstrated their leadership qualities, stepping up as vocal leaders on the team.
The Bruins looked to the transfer portal to fill the void left by 11 departing starters on both sides of the ball. It was essential that the newcomers blend seamlessly with the players already on the roster.
“That’s the part that was awesome,” Foster said. “These guys came out, let their work do the talking, but were still vocal and got guys to follow them. Now, you can really see it on the field.”
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