It’s Devon Modster time.
The redshirt freshman will start at quarterback in UCLA football’s game against Utah on Friday night, as junior Josh Rosen did not travel due to a concussion.
Rosen exited with an apparent finger injury in Saturday’s loss to No. 12 Washington – a game in which he was sacked four times – springing Modster for his second playing stint this season. After the backup completed 1-of-3 passes for five yards in his first career appearance versus Hawai’i, Modster went 7-of-12 for 77 yards and a touchdown in Seattle.
“(There were) multiple things going on,” said coach Jim Mora on Monday.
It would be unfair to Rosen to go into detail about his injury, he said.
Rosen has been sacked 19 times this year, which does not include a targeting play in which Arizona defensive tackle Parker Zellers and Rosen were involved in a head-to-head collision.
Last season, Rosen missed the final six games with a shoulder injury that required surgery. In his place, then-redshirt senior Mike Fafaul completed 52.1 percent of his passes for 1,602 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Against the Utes last year, Fafaul set school records for single-game passing attempts and completions in a 52-45 loss.
The Bruins’ third-leading receiver in yards, redshirt junior Jordan Lasley, also will not play Friday night. Mora said he was suspended the previous two games for a disciplinary issue.