The UCLA running backs made a statement Wednesday by not saying much at all.
In what seems to be a disturbing trend for a team that has lost four straight games, there appears to be a new situation brewing in the backfield.
UCLA redshirt junior running back Christian Ramirez was pegged to be the starter until an ankle injury kept him largely on the sidelines for the first half of the season. Redshirt freshman Johnathan Franklin stepped in and looked solid starting every game for the Bruins in place of Ramirez.
Then last week against Arizona, Ramirez got the starting nod. One critical fumble later and Ramirez found himself on the sidelines once again.
So how is the running back situation?
“No comment on that,” Franklin said.
Ramirez was only slightly more willing to expound.
“I mean, all I can tell you is that we’ll find out at game time,” he said seeming both frustrated and confused. “We experienced that at Arizona this past week.”
“It’s just how Coach feels I guess,” Ramirez said with a sigh.
At Wednesday’s practice, Franklin remained the primary running back, taking most of the first-team reps, while Ramirez continued trying to figure out why he got yanked Saturday.
When asked about why he was removed from the game, Ramirez said: “Honestly I don’t know. … I can’t even answer that for you. I just know that I was just waiting to get back in, and unfortunately it never happened.”
Ramirez was benched immediately after he fumbled with the Bruins down only a touchdown in the third quarter. It’s a problem Ramirez had as a freshman, but one he feels he has corrected.
“(The fumble Saturday) was just an unfortunate thing,” he said. “A helmet got put on the ball. I had both hands on the ball.”
The guy who will decide who gets the lion’s share of the carries against Oregon State remained vague when it comes to the backfield.
“The running back situation is we have five guys that all want to play,” coach Rick Neuheisel said. “Wayne Moses is my running backs coach, and I count on him to make sure that the guys who are in there are ready to play and will play well. I know it’s complicated but that’s what happens when you have a long line.”
Brehaut’s shot
Neuheisel reiterated Wednesday that freshman quarterback Richard Brehaut will play in a meaningful series in the first half of Saturday’s game, but he would not speculate any further.
Asked if he would pull Brehaut even if the true freshman did well, Neuheisel said, “I haven’t made that determination.”
“I’m going to play the quarterbacks as I see fit,” he added.
Brehaut is just excited to be getting a chance to prove himself so early in his UCLA career.
“I’m a true freshman,” he said. “There are not a lot of guys out there getting this opportunity that I’m getting.”
Quick hits: Senior defensive tackle Jerzy Siewierski limped off the field with crutches after suffering a foot injury. Neuheisel was unsure of the severity of the injury and his status for Saturday.