After two seasons spent on the scout team and the practice field, defensive end Reggie Stokes finally found himself in the Bruins’ starting lineup.
The redshirt sophomore, who had never played a snap in a collegiate game prior to this season, filled in for defensive end Tom Blake in the Bruins’ 31-24 loss to Oregon on Saturday, tallying five total tackles.
And with Blake’s future status uncertain due to an abdominal strain/sports hernia injury, Stokes’ role will only increase. While coach Rick Neuheisel said that Stokes played “fine” in his first start, he admitted that he would not like to have him in a lot of plays due to the physically demanding nature of the position.
“When you’re really good on the defensive line, is when you’re playing somewhere between 30 and 35 plays because it’s a full out, 100 percent effort on every play, and you’re chasing the ball and all that kind of stuff,” Neuheisel said. “It’s almost like a hockey shift; if you’re out there too long, you lose a little bit of that ability to get to the ball and close all those things.”
Entering his first start of his career at UCLA, Stokes said the biggest thought going through his head was he wanted to prove to both players and coaches he could play the position.
“Just building confidence in my coaches and my teammates showing that I can play a little bit,” Stokes said. “Just going out there and playing hard, just trying to get my first time start (and) be impressive.”
In the week leading up to the game against Oregon, Stokes said Blake gave him tips, such as staying low, being aggressive and not dwelling on past mistakes. In addition to Blake, Stokes said he sought advice from former UCLA defensive ends Bruce Davis and Justin Hickman. Defensive Coordinator DeWayne Walker said he has seen a great deal of maturity in Stokes since he came into the program two years ago.
“You see maturity, and that’s what happens when you have a chance to be in a system for a little bit,” Walker said. “He’s played behind some really good players, so I just think that he’s matured, and again, he understands the defense and he’s a smart player.”
Junior cornerback Alterraun Verner, who was part of the same recruiting class as Stokes, said that his strengths lie in his determination and his understanding of the game.
“Reggie has a motor,” Verner said. “He doesn’t give up on anything. He might make a mistake, but he’s going 100 percent trying to go get it.”
With the possibility of Blake missing a few games, Walker said that players such as Stokes and freshman defensive end Datone Jones will have to step up.
“These guys, they’ve earned their right to play,” Walker said. “You hate to say, “˜Wow, you know, we’re not going to be able to get it done because Blake’s not playing.’ We don’t think that way. Blake was an integral part of our defense, but we just want to keep going.”
BEN OLSON IN PADS: Redshirt senior quarterback Ben Olson was in pads at practice on Tuesday, yet did not see much action. Neuheisel said Olson is in the “infancy stages” of coming back from a foot injury that has kept him out since fall camp. He will not play this weekend. Neuheisel did not, however, rule out the possibility of Olson becoming the Bruins’ starting quarterback.
“I don’t have any problem with Ben coming back and being our quarterback,” he said. “If Ben can come back and is our best quarterback, then obviously we’d like him to play.”