Check out a breakdown of the UCLA sports stories you might have missed this week.
Just screaming
Former Bruin linebacker Eric Kendricks continued a solid rookie season on Sunday with six tackles and two sacks in his Minnesota Vikings’ win over the Detroit Lions.
Kendricks, who led UCLA with 149 tackles last year before being drafted in the second round, is second on the Vikings in tackles and sacks. Among rookies in the league, he is tied for first in sacks and sixth in tackles.
Fellow Viking Anthony Barr, a 2014 first-round pick out of UCLA, is third on the team in tackles. Matt Vensel of the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune recently wrote about Kendricks and Barr, who were roommates at UCLA during their junior year.
Vensel recounts the moment they found out they would be NFL teammates. When he heard the Vikings had drafted his former roommate, Barr called Kendricks and the two started screaming into the phone.
“I answered the phone call and he was just like, ‘Wooooo!’ And I was like, ‘Wooo!'” Kendricks said. “There were literally zero words said. Just screaming. And then we hung up.”
Here’s the kicker
After knocking in all four of his field goal attempts on Saturday – including a UCLA-record 60-yarder – senior kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn received special teams Pac-12 Player of the Week honors.
The senior may not be done breaking school records – he is just 18 points away from surpassing the UCLA record of career points held by John Lee.
Fall ball
UCLA softball hosted Cal State Fullerton Saturday for a fall scrimmage between the two Southern California teams. The Bruins won the NCAA Super Regional last postseason and will look to repeat that success this upcoming season after losing a few key veteran players.
Compiled by Matt Cummings, Claire Fahy, Korbin Placet and Tanner Walters, Bruin Sports senior staff.