UCLA came out of its Week 1 win over Cal with a few bumps and bruises, but the early read is encouraging for the Bruins: most of the injury concerns don’t appear to be serious.
The biggest scare came late, when Iamaleava went down after a 10-yard rush and was clearly in pain as he hit the turf. Trainers hurried onto the field, and he had to leave with help rather than on his own, which naturally set off alarm bells for anyone watching.
Those worries were eased after the game. Both Chesney and Iamaleava addressed the situation in their postgame press conferences and said it was nothing to worry about, with Iamaleava expected to move forward without issue.
Tao Johnson’s status is less settled. He exited against Cal after going down early in the first quarter, and Chesney described it as a wait-and-see situation. “We just got to take some contact off him and see where that falls,” Chesney said.
If Johnson can’t go, Ta’Shawn James looks like the next man up. James made the most of his chance on Saturday, picking off Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele twice in the Bruins’ win. Johnson would obviously be a loss, but James has already shown he can help carry the defense.
UCLA also got a positive update on the receiver side with Ellis. He was hurt on a scary sequence when his head hit the ground after a failed trick play, and he did not return. Chesney said Ellis was in good spirits and wanted to get back in the game:
“He's just trying to work through it and see what it's like. But he feels a lot better.
He felt fine after the game. He was wearing sunglasses on the sideline, but he felt good right away.
We just got to make sure it's the right move to put him out there.”
There was more good news in the wideout room, too. Mizell has been cleared to play after being sidelined against Cal, and the Florida transfer should be available for UCLA’s home opener.
As the Bruins turn their attention to San Diego State, the overall picture looks fairly clean. A few players may still end up on the sideline, but UCLA has enough depth underneath them to keep the concern level low after a promising first game of the season.
In Other News...
UCLA Heads Into Week 2 With A Few Usage Questions Fans Noticed
UCLAs season opener offered a familiar early-season snapshot: plenty of bodies got work, the rotation was broad, and the offense made a point of spreading the ball around. Seven different receivers were targeted in Week 1, while the Bruins also mixed and matched defensively, with Malik Hartford and Tao Johnson starting ahead of Martin, who logged only 11 snaps.
The part worth watching now is how the staff sorts out the smaller usage decisions as the season settles in. Phifer and Loftin were on the field a similar amount at tight end but were barely involved in the passing game, Brian Rowe Jr. flashed early before fading in the second half, and those details can say as much about a depth chart as the snap counts themselves. Through one game, the Bruins have shown they trust their rotation, but the next few weeks should tell a lot about which pieces are getting a real role and which ones are still waiting for theirs. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Faces A Run Defense Test Bruins Fans Can't Ignore
UCLA got the season off to a clean start by beating Cal, but the next test looks a lot more grounded. San Diego State comes to Week Two with an offense built around the run, and that means the Bruins defense will have to be sharper at the point of attack if it wants to keep building early momentum under coach Bob Chesney.
The matchup is especially tricky because the Aztecs have leaned hard into the ground game to open the year, making this the kind of assignment that can expose any missed fits or weak tackling. For UCLA, the task is less about chasing splash plays and more about proving it can control a physical opponent for four quarters, the sort of challenge Bruins fans will be watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
UCLA Fans Will Be Watching One Thing In Chesneys Home Debut
Bob Chesneys home debut at UCLA comes with the usual first-game curiosity that follows a new coach, but there is already one obvious thing Bruins fans will be tracking when San Diego State arrives. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was injured during the Week 1 game, is expected to be available, and that matters because UCLAs offense showed plenty of life on the ground in the opener and now gets a chance to build on it in front of a home crowd.
San Diego State brings a defense under new coordinator Demetrius Sumler, which adds another layer to a matchup that already feels like an early read on where this Bruins team is headed in the Big Ten era. If UCLA can keep its run game rolling and stay steady at quarterback, Chesneys first home game could tell a lot about how quickly this group is settling in. [Read more 🡒]