As UCLA Football enters the second week of Preseason Training Camp under first-year Angelo M. Mazzone III UCLA Head Football Coach Bob Chesney, the Bruins are changing the scenery.

The team relocated to Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine this week, where it will train through Aug. 14, creating what Chesney hopes feels a little less like a routine week of camp and a little more like life on the road.

"One of the main things is I wanted to just try to get away from [UCLA] for a minute and just see if we can piece it together a little bit and see what it feels like for guys to be on the road," Chesney said. "A little bit of a bowl game vibe to it which is I think important for us to be able to practice that."

The move serves multiple purposes. It takes the Bruins away from their normal routine, creates additional opportunities for team bonding, gives players and coaches a chance to experience the logistics that come with traveling together, and helps preserve UCLA's practice fields in Westwood as camp progresses.

"There's a lot of factors that ultimately went into the decision," Chesney said.

For a program still establishing its identity under Chesney, the week in Irvine serves as more than a change of scenery.

Competition Culture

If there is one theme that has emerged consistently throughout camp, it is competition.

Chesney's practices are built around competitive periods and measurable outcomes.

"We got to test everything in fire," Chesney said. "The name of the game here within this program is to compete as much as possible every single day. We keep score of everything that we can and make sure that we're challenging each other, uplifting each other and learning from mistakes."

The approach has resonated with players.

"The compete periods, that's it," UCLA defensive back Rodrick Pleasant said. "It brings the team together. It's exciting and it brings a whole lot of competition level. You know that it's you – you’ve got to make the play."

Pleasant has particularly enjoyed watching teammates respond to those challenges.

"It's been great to see all the units rise to the occasion," he said. "Competitiveness is there. Everyone is just coming out here ready to compete."

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava echoed that sentiment.

"Competitiveness has been there, it has been high ever since Coach Chesney got here,” Iamaleava said. “Everybody brings the juice and we're ready to go and compete.”

Building Chemistry in the OC

The trip to Orange County is also designed to strengthen relationships away from the practice field.

For defensive lineman Aiden Gobaira, the value of camp often comes in the hours between meetings and practices.

"Just making sure that we're doing things together outside of football," Gobaira said. "Especially now in camp, we have a lot of time to be together. So, instead of going and being in your room alone, it's let's go hang in the locker room, play a little ping pong, just do something together and make sure we're building camaraderie all the time."

Asked if he was looking forward to spending the week in Irvine, Gobaira smiled.

"Oh my gosh, yes. Super excited."

Defensive lineman Darold DeNgohe pointed to a similar dynamic along the defensive front.

"I feel like we're all pushing each other and all helping each other to be better," DeNgohe said. "It can't just be one of us doing all the heavy load."

That collective mindset has stood out to Chesney throughout camp.

The Bruins have spent months learning a new system. This week, they have an opportunity to learn even more about each other.

And that may ultimately be the most important part of the trip.

"It's really day four, five, six, seven that I'm interested to just see exactly who they are and how they handle all this," Chesney said.