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Untested freshmen play big for UCLA after injuries deplete defense

UCLA defensive linemen Marcus Moore (95) and Keisean Lucier-South (11) celebrate after forcing a turnover by Oregon during the second half Saturday.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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The swarm of applicants responding to the help-wanted sign included some with negligible experience.

UCLA’s defense put them on the job anyway. A wave of injuries left the Bruins with no choice.

Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Marcus Moore had made one tackle in spot duty this season. True freshman defensive lineman Greg Rogers had only watched from the sideline, putting him on track to redshirt.

The trajectory of their seasons changed significantly Saturday when UCLA defensive linemen Jacob Tuioti-Mariner and Matt Dickerson sustained serious injuries against Oregon, joining the already hurt Rick Wade on a growing list of unavailable players. Their replacements were part of a defensive youth movement that reinvigorated the Bruins during a 31-14 victory over the Ducks.

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Moore made one of UCLA’s four sacks and two of its season-high 11 tackles for losses. Rogers penetrated the Oregon offensive line on a fourth-down play late in the third quarter, helping fellow defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa force a fumble by Ducks quarterback Braxton Burmeister. Burmeister fell on the ball, but the Ducks turned the ball over on downs.

Rogers lost his redshirt but might have saved a victory for his team.

“Had to pull his redshirt off—had to do it,” UCLA coach Jim Mora said afterward, the weight of the decision evident in his voice. “Had to have guys to play, comes out in the fourth and one and makes a huge play.”

Odighizuwa, a redshirt freshman, added a team-high three tackles for losses coming off the bench. The production of the undaunted underclassmen didn’t surprise their more seasoned teammates.

“They meet, they practice as much as we do,” junior safety Adarius Pickett said, “so I’m not expecting no drop off.”

Other relative newbies helped the Bruins hold the Ducks scoreless in three of four quarters, including the entire second half. True freshman defensive lineman Martin Andrus made his first career tackle. True freshman defensive end Jaelan Phillips logged four tackles and a sack in his return from an injury layoff of more than a month, and sophomore cornerback Colin Samuel made an interception at UCLA’s four-yard line in the third quarter by wrestling the ball away from a Ducks receiver.

Samuel said he knew a pass was headed in his direction because of how hard the receiver was running.

“As soon as he looked back, I looked back,” Samuel said, “and I had to make a play on the ball.”

UCLA finished the game without sophomore linebacker Josh Woods, who left the field holding his right shoulder on the second play of the third quarter. That further thinned a linebacking corps already missing Krys Barnes (pneumonia), Breland Brandt (concussion) and Lokeni Toailoa (undisclosed injury).

The Bruins responded by moving defensive end Keisean Lucier-South to weakside linebacker and having Pickett play a hybrid linebacker role by creeping close to the line of scrimmage. UCLA also used some nickel formations to compensate for its lack of linebackers.

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All the moving parts combined to form a mostly steady defense against a team determined to run the ball. Oregon managed 246 rushing yards but only 4.0 yards per carry, major improvement for a UCLA defense that is giving up 6.1 yards per carry on the season.

“We emphasized that to be a good defense, you have to stop the run,” senior safety Jaleel Wadood said, “so we watched film more, everybody just locked into what they had to do more and it showed big-time.”

The Bruins babes could be seeing a lot more playing time the balance of the season. Mora described Dickerson’s collarbone injury as “very significant” and Tuioti-Mariner was taken to a hospital for internal injuries, though Mora said the preliminary indication was that he was going to be OK.

“It takes a team banding together when there’s some adversity and continuing to believe and working hard and trusting each other,” Mora said, “and that’s what those guys have done.”

Quick hits

UCLA has started a season 4-0 at home for the first time since 2013 and just the second time since 2006. The Bruins won their first five games at the Rose Bowl in 2013 before finishing 5-1 at home. … UCLA has scored on 29 of 33 chances in the red zone this season—tallying 24 touchdowns and five field goals—including both opportunities against Oregon. … Receiver Darren Andrews’ 151 receptions put him sixth on the school’s all-time list.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

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Follow Ben Bolch on Twitter @latbbolch

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