Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Neptune to Launch a Creator-First, Customizable Algorithm Social Platform to Rival TikTok

22 hours ago

Kamala Harris Will Not Run for Governor of California in 2026

23 hours ago

Trump Pushes for Release of Epstein, Maxwell Grand Jury Testimony

1 day ago

Trump Says US to Hit India With 25% Tariff Starting Friday

1 day ago

Tariff Revenues Hit Record $150 Billion Amid Trump’s Trade Talks, Fox Business Reports

1 day ago

Israeli Minister Hints at Annexing Parts of Gaza

1 day ago

Fed Likely to Hold Rates Steady Despite Trump’s Push for Big Cuts

1 day ago

What’s Behind California’s Frozen Housing Market?

2 days ago

Marjorie Taylor Greene Is First Republican Lawmaker to Call Gaza Crisis a ‘Genocide’

2 days ago
Young UCLA Hopes It Can Beat Fresno State. What Do You Think?
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 years ago on
September 11, 2018

Share

LOS ANGELES — As more freshmen find their way onto the field for UCLA, it might seem like new Coach Chip Kelly is focused on the future.
However, Kelly insists his attention is on getting the Bruins a win, ideally against Fresno State on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
The answer could come when quarterback Wilton Speight is healthy enough to play again. The Michigan graduate transfer was a limited participant in the portion of practice open to reporters Monday, doing more than he has at any point since sustaining a back injury in the 26-17 loss to Cincinnati in UCLA’s season opener.

“Our temptation is to beat Fresno.” — UCLA Coach Chip Kelly, answering if the Bruins are tempted to build for the future over trying to win now
Kelly said Speight is not guaranteed to reclaim the starting job when he returns.
“There’s no promises to anybody,” Kelly said. “We want to make sure he’s healthy before we do anything.”
Dorian Thompson-Robinson made his first career start in a 49-21 loss at No. 5 Oklahoma on Saturday, completing 16 of 26 passes for 254 yards and one touchdown. But Kelly said he is not tempted to commit to the touted freshman and let Thompson-Robinson work through any growing pains.
“Our temptation is to beat Fresno,” Kelly said.

Youth Movement for Bruins?

Still, it looks as though UCLA (0-2) might be going with a youth movement against the Bulldogs (1-1) and beyond, even if it is not stated explicitly.
Thompson-Robinson took snaps from freshman center Christaphany Murray. Freshman running backs Kazmeir Allen and Martell Irby each got 10 carries against the Sooners and combined for 78 yards rushing. Freshman receiver Chase Cota had four receptions for 45 yards and Michael Ezeike scored a touchdown on his first career catch.
A total of 13 freshmen played against Oklahoma, which Cota said is the product of putting Kelly’s teachings into action.
“A lot of us freshmen are playing now because we’re really keying into what he says and trying to be the best we can as a unit,” Cota said.
Cota enrolled early to participate in spring practice and was able to get any early jitters out against the Bearcats, opportunities that eluded Ezeike. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Ezeike made his college debut after a strong week of practice, but insisted there were no nerves playing for the first time on the road.
“Honestly, it wasn’t as difficult as it seems,” Ezeike said. “Actually, it was pretty exciting, just being out there. I was more exciting than nervous playing out there.”
Kelly said Ezeike earned his playing time and was hopeful he could build on the performance, something Cota said Thompson-Robinson was able to do after replacing Speight against the Bearcats.
“He just seems like a lot more relaxed the second game,’ Cota said. “You know he knew what the shots are going to feel like after the first game, so he knew going into it like, ‘Hey, this is going to be a battle.’ He was aware. I was aware. And he stayed composed through it all, and in the end he ended up playing better in the second half than the first half so you could tell that he was confident in himself.”
Cota was especially impressed with the leadership Thompson-Robinson displayed at Oklahoma and expects him to continue to develop with more playing time.
“He realizes he has to take us in like we’re his team, and I’ve bought into it,” Cota said. “I’m like, ‘Shoot, DTR is our leader right now,’ so it’s pretty special, and I think he’s doing a great job in that role.”

What Might Have Been for Bulldogs

On Saturday, Seth Green ran for two short touchdowns, including the game-winning 3-yard score late in the fourth quarter, and Antoine Winfield Jr. sealed it with an interception off a trick play in the end zone as Minnesota held off Fresno State 21-14.

“It’s a play we’ve run before and we were comfortable running it. You can’t blame it on the play call at all. We had our opportunities in the first half and we didn’t execute the way we should have.” — Fresno State QB Marcus McMaryion
On first-and-goal from the 4 with 1:18 to play, Bulldogs quarterback Marcus McMaryion handed off to fullback Josh Hokit, who floated a pass toward Jared Rice in the corner of the end zone.
But Winfield reached back with both hands, snagged the ball and somehow got his foot down in bounds for the touchback.
“I saw the ball come over and I just went high up under the ball,” said Winfield, who added he thought he was beaten on the play.
The Bulldogs successfully ran the same final play twice last year, with Hokit throwing a 65-yard touchdown pass against Incarnate Ward and a 16-yard score against Nevada. But Fresno State Coach Jeff Tedford said Saturday night’s pass was underthrown.
“It’s a play we’ve run before and we were comfortable running it,” McMaryion said. “You can’t blame it on the play call at all. We had our opportunities in the first half and we didn’t execute the way we should have.”

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

DON'T MISS

Costa Has ‘Concerns’ About Newsom’s Plan to Copy Possible Texas Gerrymander

DON'T MISS

Yosemite’s Largest Campground Reopens Friday After $26.2 Million Renovation

DON'T MISS

Two Men Shot During Fight at Tulare Apartment Complex

DON'T MISS

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

DON'T MISS

US Navy Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field. Pilot ‘Safe’ After Ejecting

DON'T MISS

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

DON'T MISS

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Nathaniel Smith

DON'T MISS

Judges Question Whether Trump Tariffs Are Authorized by Emergency Powers

DON'T MISS

US Treasury Chief Says He Expects Fed Chair Announcement by Year’s End

UP NEXT

More Than 100 NFL Players and Club Employees Face Fines for Selling Super Bowl Tickets

UP NEXT

Venezuelan Little League Team Denied Entry to US Over Travel Ban

UP NEXT

A First Look at Fresno State’s Quarterback Battle

UP NEXT

The Entz Era Begins at Fresno State With QB Job Up for Grabs

UP NEXT

US Olympic Officials Bar Transgender Women From Women’s Competitions

UP NEXT

Trump Threatens Washington Stadium Deal Unless NFL Team Readopts Redskins Name

UP NEXT

Age Is Just a Number: 80-Year-Old Conquers Death Valley to Mt. Whitney Ultramarathon

UP NEXT

Wonderful Co. Has a New Face Promoting Pistachios: MVP Josh Allen

UP NEXT

Uber Named Official Rideshare, Delivery Partner for Los Angeles Games

UP NEXT

Trump to Attend Club World Cup Final, FIFA Opens Office in Trump Tower

Two Men Shot During Fight at Tulare Apartment Complex

1 hour ago

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

1 hour ago

US Navy Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field. Pilot ‘Safe’ After Ejecting

1 hour ago

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

3 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Nathaniel Smith

3 hours ago

Judges Question Whether Trump Tariffs Are Authorized by Emergency Powers

3 hours ago

US Treasury Chief Says He Expects Fed Chair Announcement by Year’s End

3 hours ago

Fresno Illustrator Debuts as Author With Gamer’s ‘100 First Words’ Children’s Book

3 hours ago

The Trump Presidency Takes a Better Turn

3 hours ago

Fresno Man Killed in Hit-and-Run, Suspect Vehicle Located

3 hours ago

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

A three-alarm fire tore through a commercial building Thursday near Road 128 and Avenue 164, prompting a major response from Tulare County F...

2 minutes ago

A three-alarm commercial building fire near Tipton on Thursday, July 31, 2025, prompted a large response from Tulare and Kings County fire crews, with no injuries reported and the cause under investigation. (Tulare County FD)
2 minutes ago

Tulare County Fire Responds to Three-Alarm Fire at Commercial Building Near Tipton

12 minutes ago

Costa Has ‘Concerns’ About Newsom’s Plan to Copy Possible Texas Gerrymander

1 hour ago

Yosemite’s Largest Campground Reopens Friday After $26.2 Million Renovation

1 hour ago

Two Men Shot During Fight at Tulare Apartment Complex

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) attends a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's budget request for the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 11, 2025. (Reuters File)
1 hour ago

US Senate Committee Backs $1 Billion for Ukraine in Pentagon Spending Bill

F-35C U.S. Navy fighter jets in flight
1 hour ago

US Navy Jet Crashes in Fresno County Field. Pilot ‘Safe’ After Ejecting

President Donald Trump speaks with Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, during the "Making Health Technology Great Again" event in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 30, 2025. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
3 hours ago

Trump Says Mexico Trade Deal Extended for 90 Days

Nathaniel Smith is Valley Crime Stoppers' Most Wanted Person of the Day for July 31, 2025. (Valley Crimes Stoppers)
3 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Nathaniel Smith

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend