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Nov 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; A general overall view of the Wasserman Football Center on the campus of UCLA. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

UCLA Player Praises Practice Field After Harsh Early Reviews

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The UCLA Bruins' new and improved $2.9 million grass practice field may have taken a few months longer to be finished.

It may also have flooded just a few days after being finished, forcing the Bruins to move to the intramural field. And the layout, which features a full 100-yard field and two red zone-length portions on the side, may have sparked its own slew of critique. But, alas, the field has arrived, and the players love it.

Welp, that’s sure a lot of rain.

The Los Angeles storm’s impact on UCLA football’s newly-renovated grass field on Spaulding Field is quite prevalent.

Water logged. @InsideSoCalSpts pic.twitter.com/6GjLso4HxK
— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) October 14, 2025

Bruins wide receiver Mikey Matthews, during Wednesday's media availability, expressed his excitement to take the new field for the first time.

"I love it," Matthews said. "Especially the grass field right here. It definitely takes less wear and tear on our bodies than the turf field, but I definitely love the grass field, being able to cut on it. It just feels way smoother.

"It was [OK to run in]. I actually think it held up pretty nicely. I thought it was going to be pretty muddy, but it wasn't muddy at all. I feel like it drained pretty well."

The ongoing delay of the practice field was one of the gripes the media and fans had early in the season. But, much like the Bruins' overall performance, everything is starting to come together.

UCLA HC's Blunt Message Amid Improbable Turnaround

UCLA Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper has been about nothing but messaging since taking the reins of a 0-3 program.

However, his messages resonated with everyone in the locker room. They kick-started one of the biggest turnarounds of the college football season, with upset wins over No. 7 Penn State and Michigan State.

Following their stunning win over the Nittany Lions two weeks ago, Skipper's message to his UCLA squad posed one question -- "Are you a one-hit-wonder?"

The question fueled the Bruins to take care of business against the Spartans this week, dominating the Spartans, 38-13.

A message like that certainly made headlines, but the one Skipper instilled into his players when he took over was much more blunt.

"It starts with, 'Nobody's going to feel sorry for us,'" Skipper said during Monday's media availability. "We're football players and the schedule's set, and we need to show up. The way we practice, the way we attack practice reps helps us out. We have identified a style of play that we want to be. And it's our job now to keep the standard the standard.

"Play with fanatical effort. Play with fundamentals, being smart. All those things we just have to continue to do. But it's not something that's just going to show up on Saturday. You have to practice about it. You have to work about it and not just talk about it. I think the guys are working really hard and it's starting to pay off."

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Read more on UCLA football and their second season in the Big Ten here. While you're here, check out all things UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin improving the Bruins through the transfer portal here.