Chip Kelly evaluates what sticks out about RB Carson Steele

If UCLA is going to build on the major jump the program has taken in the last two years, it’ll have to replace Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Zach Charbonnet, two of the stars that made it possible. Enter Ball State running back transfer Carson Steele.

Steele is a freak of an athlete who ran for 1,556 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

“He’s been outstanding,” coach Chip Kelly said. “Just his work ethic is kind of off the charts when you look at what he does in the weight room, which stood out, because he got here in January and he went through the entire 10 weeks of the winter quarter before we ever got on the field for football. You kind of saw what he did there.”

That’s good, because UCLA will certainly need him to emerge this fall.

Thompson-Robinson and Charbonnet combined to rush for 2,005 yards and 26 touchdowns a year ago, a one-two punch that helped the Bruins win nine games, up one from the previous year’s tally.

A Chip Kelly tenure that started off quite rocky now seems to be humming right along.

Back to Steele, though. Just how big of a freak is he?

“I think he’s a 420 bench kid, 650 squat,” Kelly said. “He does backflips. My goodness, he’s a really, really talented football player. But the thing that sticks out to me is just his work ethic. He’s always trying to get better, whether it’s in the weight room or the classroom. Doing running with our strength and conditioning staff he’s been outstanding so far. We’ve been really happy with him.”

Steele might also be one of the most interesting characters in the country.

He has a pet alligator back home in Greenwood, Ind. Sadly, the alligator did not make the trek to the West coast with Steele.

“He’s a lot more interesting than I am, I can tell you that,” Kelly said. “That whole part makes him definitely the world’s most interesting man. He’s got Crocky-J at home. He said he’s up to about six feet, so I’m glad he made the decision to leave him back in Indiana and not bring him to Westwood.”

UCLA, of course, will be hoping that Steele brought all of his rushing production along with him.

The Bruins will open their season on Sept. 2 with a home game against Coastal Carolina, where Steele will get a chance to make his debut in blue and gold.