UCLA Bruins wide receiver Darren Andrews catches a pass for a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies in the fourth quarter during a NCAA college football game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017. UCLA Bruins won 45-44. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)
UCLA lost its most productive receiver to a season-ending knee injury, head coach Jim Mora confirmed Monday, as redshirt senior Darren Andrews will soon undergo ACL surgery after suffering the injury against Utah last Saturday.
Defensive lineman Ainuu Taua suffered an even more signficant injury as the redshirt junior’s career is in jeopardy after he tore multiple ligaments, including his ACL, MCL and PCL. Mora said Taua’s kneecap was on the side of his knee when he came to the sideline. He will need at least three surgeries to “get where he can actually function,” the coach said.
Other injury notes from Monday’s press conference:
- QB Josh Rosen will “hopefully” play after a concussion kept him out against Utah
- QB Devon Modster fractured his right thumb against Utah, but has a chance to play, depending on swelling and pain tolerance. It was a non-displaced fracture that occurred when Modster hit his throwing hand on a helmet.
- If neither Modster or Rosen can play, Matt Lynch will get the start against Arizona State on Saturday
- LB Krys Barnes will be evaluated for the recurrence of fluid in his lungs that hampered him against Utah. He first suffered the condition against Arizona.
- LB Breland Brandt has medically retired with concussions as the redshirt freshman suffered his fourth in three years in September.
Other links for today
- Leftover from the weekend: UCLA’s once-high-flying offense has been grounded
- Video of Mora’s press conference
- First look at Arizona State
- The women’s soccer team earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament
- Former UCLA Bruin Maurice Jones Drew comes home to UCLA with the Players Tribune
For @MJD, it’s about finishing what you started. We return with him to @UCLA with @Hyundai to see what it will take to finish his degree. pic.twitter.com/KazTGTanvn
— The Players’ Tribune (@PlayersTribune) November 6, 2017
A final note: UCLA’s game against USC on Nov. 18 was pushed to six-day selection, meaning the kickoff time will not be announced until Nov. 13. The other games in the mix are Arizona at Oregon, Utah at Washington and California at Stanford. The time slot options are, in order of selections by the networks:
- 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC/ESPN or 5 p.m. PT on ABC
- 5 p.m. PT on FOX or 1 p.m. PT on FS1
- 7:30 or 7:45 PT on ESPN
- 4 p.m. on Pac-12 Networks
So in summary, don’t make any solid plans for that Saturday yet.