Practice had ended Tuesday, and some UCLA players lingered to talk while others retreated to the cushy confines of their new $75-million football facility.
Cornerback Darnay Holmes stood alone in the midday sun. He sprinted a few yards before flinging his body toward a tackling sled, wrapping his muscled arms around the thick padding. He grunted as he pushed the contraption up the field.
It was a post-practice drill that would have been routine for training camp, but not nearly a month into the season.
Strange times for the Bruins defense have sparked unusual responses as the calendar creeps toward October.