Key Lawrence has logged more miles than an Allman Brothers roadie, but he still has not enjoyed a meal at In-N-Out Burger.
Don’t worry – it’s on his list of things to do.
Lawrence, a UCLA safety and native of Nashville, Tennessee, is prepping for his sixth season of college football. The Music City Man is striking all the right keys in his first spring camp with the Bruins.
“I’m passionate, and I’m someone who’s going to find the ball and uplift my teammates,” Lawrence said.
The Bruin was upbeat after practice Tuesday.
“Today was one of our better practices. People here are dialed in and intertwined,” he said.
Lawrence is a living, breathing, hard-hitting model for football inspiration. “With the right mindset and right attitude, you can make anything happen,” he said.
Demetrice Martin, UCLA’s secondary coach, called Lawrence the “alpha” of the room.
“He’s out there barking on the field. He’s bringing the guys along,” the coach said of Lawrence.
The Bruin newcomer, who played four games with Mississippi in 2024, registered 14 starts in 36 games with Oklahoma in three seasons. Before that, he spent his 2020 freshman campaign with Tennessee.
Lawrence thrived at Oklahoma with the Sooners. He was an All-Big 12 Conference honorable mention selection in 2021, racked up a career-high 58 tackles in 2022 and snared a career-best two interceptions in 2023.
Through the trials and tribulations, UCLA can count on Lawrence for a boost of energy and joy.
Before he left his first news conference as a Bruin, he gave a fist bump to every member of the media and walked back to the locker room with a smile on his face.
“You have to be here anyway. Why not make the most of it?” Lawrence said. “I’m excited. I just like being here. I’m trying to embrace everything.”
HOME AGAIN
This is Martin’s second tour of duty with the Bruins. He was a UCLA assistant for six seasons under former skipper Jim Mora, which included a stretch as assistant head coach from 2014 to 2017. He called this homecoming a full-circle moment.
“It’s great to be back home, and get home cooking from Mom and Pops,” the Pasadena native said. “It’s great to be back with D-Fost (head coach DeShaun Foster). He’s putting together a heck of a staff.”
Demetrice Martin was cornerbacks coach at Michigan State last fall, and he’s spent time at former Pac-12 schools USC, Oregon, Arizona, Washington and Colorado. Martin will coach against his former team, Michigan State, during a Big Ten showdown Oct. 11 at Spartan Stadium.
Martin spoke highly of his colleagues, specifically mentioning defensive assistant Shea Pitts, a former UCLA linebacker and Agoura Hills native who prepped at Oaks Christian. Pitts is considered a rising star in the coaching world.
Martin talked with reporters about challenges – the UCLA defense must replace 11 starters from 2024 – and joys of the job, including coaching his son, Cole Martin, a third-year defensive back.
“It’s great for me to be able to coach my son and really coach the whole room,” Demetrice Martin said. “Even in ‘dad mode,’ it’s about ball with him. He’s a football kid. He loves it.”
Martin was frank about the new era of NIL and player autonomy, including recruiting players on his own roster.
“It’s like coaching in the NFL junior league,” he said.
ROOM WITH A VIEW
The media viewing period for Tuesday’s practice lasted roughly 10 minutes.
During that brief window, several Bruins took reps fielding simulated punts and kicks in special teams drills overseen by, among multiple staff members, second-year head coach DeShaun Foster.
Cole Martin stood out in these drills with his quickness and explosiveness after changing directions. The younger Martin, a third-year defensive back, spent last fall at Arizona State after playing for his dad and starting every game as a true freshman at Oregon in 2023.
Mikey Matthews, Kanye Clark, Anthony Woods and Cameron Jones also returned kicks during the special teams drills. Matthews, a receiver who played at Cal in 2024, is a player to watch this spring. Matthews is working hard to learn the offense, which he called “very complex.”
“You’ve got to make sure you know everything,” Matthews said earlier in camp. “It’s fun to move around (and line up in different positions).”
SOMBER NEWS
The grandfather of second-year UCLA quarterback Henry Hasselbeck died Monday.
Don Hasselbeck was an NFL tight end from 1977 to 1985 who helped the then-Los Angeles Raiders win Super Bowl XVIII after the 1983 season. The 6-foot-7 tight end, who played 86 games for the New England Patriots, blocked an extra-point kick in the Raiders’ 38-9 win against Washington. Two of his sons, Matt and Tim, played quarterback in the NFL. Don Hasselbeck was 70 years old.
“He was a great husband, father, grandfather, friend, coach, player, co-worker, artist, mentor, and storyteller. Despite being an All-American at Colorado and a Super Bowl Champion with the Raiders, what we are most proud of is the leader he was for our family,” Matt Hasselbeck, Henry’s father, wrote on social media.
Henry Hasselbeck, an honor roll student who did not see game action in 2024, has participated in quarterback drills this spring with the desire to secure an expanded role with the Bruins this fall.
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