UCLA running back Paul Perkins suffers leg injury against Cal

An already battered UCLA team took another blow on Thursday.

With about 6:35 left in the second quarter against Cal, star running back Paul Perkins suffered an apparently leg injury after rushing for 73 yards on 11 carries at the Rose Bowl. He went down after being hit just above his left knee knee by Cal defensive back Cameron Walker.

Walker went low, his helmet driving into Perkins’ leg. The redshirt junior tried to stand up right after the hit, but couldn’t initially put his full weight on the leg. After a few minutes on the field, he walked toward the sideline unassisted, but limping.

Trainers examined the area around his left knee, and Perkins later spent some time on the stationary bike. He shook hands and talked with several teammates, none of them appearing distraught.

Backup running back Nate Starks was also out with a head injury, so true freshman Soso Jamabo assumed the lead role in UCLA’s backfield. The five-star recruit ran for 30 yards on six carries before halftime.