Watch: Atonio Mafi Talks UCLA's Veteran O-Line, Managing Weight

Veterans coming back on the interior O-line, how's it coming together?

We're going good. We're just trying to work with each other, trying to communicate with the newcomers and whatnot, trying to get everyone up to speed. The summer was really good for us, and spring ball, of course, so just trying to work on our communication together, get everyone on the same page and we'll be ready.

Comfortable after the transition?

I'm very comfortable now playing, for sure.

How does it feel, having worked with these same interior guys for so long?

It just makes me comfortable. You know, just we already know we've played with each other, we've had a lot of snaps together, so that camaraderie's there, our chemistry. It's just getting whoever else is in there as well, just trying to get them on the same page as us and it'll be good.

You and Duke do a lot of work together in the offseason?
Yep, me and all the centers. All the guards and centers work a lot together, yep.

How's Raiqwon looking on your left?

Raiqwon, he's doing just fine. You know, getting him up to speed cause he's learning the plays and whatnot. And all the tackles are all competing for that spot too. So it's going well, I'd say our tackles are coming along pretty great.

Easier when someone like Raiqwon already has so much experience?

It's pretty good. With losing Sean and Alec, tackles that were just like him, had a lot of experience, it's great to have another guy come in with the same amount of experience. It's just pretty good for making our team – at least our O-line, our unit – just adding more experience to the team, as you can see. Most of us have played a lot before, so just having another guy that has experience, even though it was in the Big Ten, it's just pretty good for us.

Help to have familiar faces to play with when the O-line coach changes?

Yeah, I mean, well coach Drev was also here the whole time, so I'd say that transition wasn't hard at all. It was pretty flawless, it was pretty easy, same terminology and whatnot, same techniques. Plus, a lot of us boys are still here, so yeah, it wasn't that difficult.

How happy are you with where you are physically?

I'm pretty happy right now, this is probably the lowest I've been in a very long time, so I'm pretty excited.

Where are you right now?

341 today. Yeah, pretty happy about that.

How much were you when you got here?

When I first came here freshman year, I was 411, in 2018.

That's almost another person

Yeah, it was. That guy – that was a long time ago. Yeah, I'm happy with where I'm at now.

What was the biggest thing in getting to where you are now?

Just saying consistent, you know? Just over time, I was always battling with it, losing weight, gaining back up, losing weight. Just kinda finally understanding – coach Kelly sat down, talked with me, we need to talk about your future here, if you really want to play well, you just gotta stay committed to it. I just made that decision in the offseason to stay with it.

How hard is it mentally to develop those habits?

Most definitely. I mean, just learning all the things I've learned here. And especially, we hired a nutritionist this year, Ross, big shoutout to him. He really definitely helped me on the nutrition side, I'd say. He wrote out a plan for me, there's this app that I'm using that I take pictures of my meals and whatnot. So just, you know, transitioning out of college in whatever I do, just trying to stick with that plan that he gave me.

Things you wanted to improve on coming into this season?

For me, most definitely my pass sets. Twist games, working those twist games, those 3rd-and-longs, just passing it off and working with the tackles, I'd say. That's what I want to work on the most. And then my stretch plays, I feel like I've gotten faster, I'm able to work on those stretch plays better now.

Mostly technique working on those pass sets or tactics of passing off?

Um, I'd say it was just tactics, just knowing wide three technique, how to set when they're running a twist game. When to know they're gonna – there's tips and tells that I didn't fully grasp, I'd say. And just understanding this look, this is their most likely gonna run a game, you is how you should pass it off so that you can the tackle cannot give up the free rusher.

Tradition for defensive lineman to move to O-line? Are you the granddaddy of them all?

Right now, I think I am. I mean, well, Boss Tagaloa did it a while ago, so I'd say he is. But yeah, something about those Poly D-linemen, we all end up playing O-line. And we always joke around with like, "You're next, man. You're next." Nah, that kid, he definitely loves defensive line, so I would be shocked if they moved him.

Expectations for the rotation between you, Gaines, Marrazzo and Clemens?

Just the same as it went last year, just rotating whoever's having that good week of practice or whoever's ready to go. Coach is always saying the best eight players, we're gonna rotate, that's how he likes to run our offense. So whoever's ready and whoever coach feels most comfortable with, they're gonna play.

You might plug in at tackle?

I mean, if that's what they believe, then I'm down to do it. Yes, sir.

Going to see you dance at practice again?

Oh man, well we're all the way down there, I don't think you guys can see me, but I'm usually dancing a little bit down there, if you can zoom in.

Have to dance for us if you're on this field in the open 20 minutes of practice

Ok, I got you guys for sure, I will. I got you.