One is Catholic, the other Jewish. One was a star linebacker for a private high school, Loyola, the other a star receiver for a public high school, Newbury Park. Both wear the same jersey number at UCLA, No. 20.
Scott Taylor and Shane Rosenthal became roommates last year and based on their many smiles, witty comeback lines and football success, it’s clear they’ve become best friends and best teammates.
“It’s cool,” Rosenthal said.
“We just get along really well,” Taylor said.
They share an apartment with two other UCLA players, punter Lennox Miller and defensive back Kuron Jabari.
Whatever initial concerns or perceived stereotypes they may have had quickly vanished after learning about their similar upbringings, goals and expectations to be good students and good people.
“I hosted him on his official visit,” Taylor said. “Hosted him for dinner, took him to Westwood. We have a lot of the same priorities, doing the right things, eating the right food, going to bed at the right time. Little things.”
Said Rosenthal: “We’re on the same timing for everything. He plays defense. I play offense. We’re able to watch film together, talk about football, talk about what he sees from the defense, talk about what I see from the offense and how we go at each other in practice.”
Taylor, a 6-foot-4, 241-pound sophomore who’s never seen a steak he didn’t want to eat, “is a damn good cook,” said his grandfather, Bill Thomason, a former Loyola principal and basketball coach. Thomason once bought his grandson Omaha Steaks as a birthday gift.
“They were so good,” Taylor said.
He sometimes drives home on Sundays to cook steaks for family members. And he eats them, too.
In the competition for who cleans the room the best, Rosenthal wins in a landslide.
“He might be the cleanest guy in the country,” Taylor said. “He might be an All-American cleaner.”
Said Rosenthal: “I definitely feel like I’m the cleanest guy in the apartment.”
As for washing clothes, both said there are no irons in sight. They learned how to do laundry at home but it appears parents are always welcome to help.
Taylor is dating a girl who’s Jewish but Rosenthal gets no credit as a matchmaker since they’ve been seeing each other well before Rosenthal arrived. “There’s usually two Jews in the apartment,” Rosenthal said.
Taylor has become a key pass rusher for the 4-0 Bruins going into Saturday’s game against Oregon. Rosenthal, also a sophomore, has received playing time as a gunner on punts while being a backup receiver. He’s the state-record holder in high school football with 24 career interceptions, so tackling on special teams is something he does well while waiting for the opportunity to show his receiving skills.
Taylor has used weight training to build up his body and give himself an NFL-like stature. It started back during the pandemic when he was 13. He decided to walk down the street to the local fitness center that was allowing kids to use the equipment for free — as long as they were 15. Somehow, he convinced them he was 15. When the business started charging him, he got his mom’s credit card, became a paid member and the rest is history. He has the talent to be on par with former UCLA linebacker Carson Schwesinger.
He also possesses the ability to comfortably talk in public. He was the only UCLA player chosen to answer questions from the media after Bob Chesney was introduced as head coach last December. On Tuesday, Taylor welcomed a group of middle school students touring Spaulding Field with high-fives and fist-pumps.
Taylor remembers his first impression of Chesney addressing the team.
“He’s a great communicator to you guys,” Taylor said of Chesney. “He’s also a great communicator to us. Everything’s crystal clear about what we’re supposed to do, what our role is since Day 1. He showed up and said, ‘If you guys choose to stay here’ and … this is before the portal even opened. ‘If you guys choose to stay here, we’re gonna do something special, so if you choose to stay, be ready to work, be ready to compete.’”
Taylor said the foundation of strong relationships within the team is important.
“It’s really special the connection we have,” he said. “And I think that speaks to who we are as a team because it’s really easy to play hard for each other when we’re so close off the field.”
If Chesney ever decides to host a team barbecue, Taylor is ready to lend his steak-cooking skills, with Rosenthal at his side.
All season long, Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase has been begging her team to empty the tank. In the winner-take-all Game 3 win over Dallas on Friday, it seems she took that too literally.
“The stress at this time of year is real,” said Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces coach and Nakase’s former mentor. “The pressure, you don’t get a lot of sleep. You’re not eating as well as you probably should. There’s a lot of factors that go into that. That was kind of scary actually to watch, and just you know, that little sucker popped right back up, though. Got right back up on that marker and kept it pushing.”
Nakase said Sunday she is fine and just battling exhaustion, something she is taking seriously in her quest to prioritize self-care.
“[My father] told me about 10 years ago when I never knew what I was going to do with my career, and he just said, ‘do not let your career ever get involved if your mental health or your health gets complicated,’” she said. “So when that happened, it definitely was like a wake-up call for me.”
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But anyone who knows Nakase is not surprised to see her truly empty the tank like this. Ever since the Huntington Beach native and Marina High graduate was a walk-on to UCLA’s team in 1998, she has had an unwavering intensity.
“She has that [intensity] but with a smile on her face,” said her high school coach Pete Bonny. “From the get-go, this is who she is.”
In her second season as a WNBA coach, those around her have seen her willingness to adapt to the situation.
“She has always found ways to keep us winning,” Valkyries assistant coach Landon Tatum said. “Her ability to change in real time and make adjustments I think is the biggest difference for her this year.”
Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase talks with Kaitlyn Chen during Game 1 of a WNBA semifinal series against the Las Vegas Aces in San Francisco on Sunday.
(Tony Avelar / Ap Photo/tony Avelar)
Nakase walked on at UCLA after turning down a scholarship offer from UC Irvine. With the Bruins, she became a starter and captain, earning honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2002 and finishing her career ranked 10th in program history with 358 assists.
The Bruins made two NCAA tournament appearances during Nakase’s four seasons.
In her first year as a WNBA head coach, Nakase led the Valkyries to the postseason, the first time an expansion team ever accomplished that feat. It earned her the league’s coach of the year award.
“If you put all 44 games together, all 44 of the regular season, I don’t know if there’s a team that played harder than her team every [game] for the 44 games, and that’s that’s a tribute to her,” Hammon said. “That’s the highest compliment I can give someone.”
This year, Golden State went even deeper with a first-round series win over Dallas after finishing the regular season with the league’s second-best record. After top seed Minnesota was upset in the first round, the Valkyries now have home court throughout the postseason.
“She always sticks to her plan,” said Valkyries point guard Veronica Burton about how she has seen Nakase grow this season. “Every single game she approaches with the utmost respect. I think it says a lot about her as a coach, and then what she expects of us. I think every single game I know what to expect going in, and I know what she wants of me, and I know what she expects of me. She makes us feel prepared.”
Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase raises the WNBA Coach of the Year award before a playoff game against the Minnesota Lynx on Sept. 17, 2025, in San José.
(Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
Nakase was back on the sidelines on Sunday to face Hammon, wearing a heart monitor and trying to practice what she preaches about recovery. She ultimately led Golden State to a 71-60 win in Game 1 of the series.
Nakase does not plan on tempering her trademark fervor, even if this was an important learning experience. After all, she built an unlikely UCLA career and surging WNBA coaching career by sticking with who she is.
“She’s never been afraid that she knows she is going to mess up sometimes,” Tatum said. “Her ability to create a culture that fast, like that’s not easy. I think that’s when you kind of knew off top in training camp, like, oh yeah, I think she’s ready for this. She’s got this.”
Bruins’ Canada also thriving in WNBA playoffs
Dream guard Jordin Canada dribbles between New York Liberty center Han Xu, left, and guard Marine Johannes, right, during Game 1 of a WNBA semifinal series Sunday in Atlanta.
(Colin Hubbard / Associated Press)
The Associated Press’ Alan Cole highlighted a banner Sunday for UCLA alum Jordin Canada:
Jordin Canada scored 20 of her 25 points in the second half and had five steals to help the Atlanta Dream beat the New York Liberty 92-82 on Sunday in Game 1 of the best-of-five WNBA semifinals series.
DeWanna Bonner added 23 points and helped fill the void when Allisha Gray went down with a left hand injury in the second quarter. Atlanta once again played stellar defense, scoring 32 points off 21 forced turnovers, including 16 in a dominant third quarter. The 32 points off turnovers tied an all-time WNBA playoff record.
“Everybody stepped up, and that’s what we need,” Canada said. “Next-man up mentality. I just tried to do what I do best. I tried to be aggressive, find my shots and take my shots with confidence.”
Gray’s injury was the key moment of a very even first half. Neither team led by more than six points in a half that had 14 lead changes. New York went into the locker room with a slim 40-37 advantage. But Atlanta outscored New York 32-15 in the third quarter, seizing control with relentless defensive pressure.
“We knew we didn’t play our best in the first half,” Canada said. “We gave up a lot of defensive assignments, we weren’t playing up to our schemes and we just weren’t being aggressive enough on the offensive end.”
Angel Reese and Canada had three steals apiece in the third, keying a 13-3 run to start the half which gave Atlanta a lead it never surrendered. Seven New York players recorded at least one third-quarter turnover, and the team shot just four of 14 from the floor in a stretch that created a margin too big to overcome.
Oregon’s Lanning compares UCLA to national champs
Oregon coach Dan Lanning dodged questions this past week about the health of quarterback Dante Moore following a brutal hit during a win over USC by trying to focus on UCLA.
USC linebacker Desman Stephens II charged forward to tackle Moore on a run play on Sept. 26. Moore slid late and Stephens didn’t change course, lowering his shoulder and running into Moore’s head. Oregon players and fans were more offended after Stephens celebrated the play that nearly triggered a fight among the two teams and he was captured by NBC cameras smiling on the sideline while Moore was treated on the field before being transported to the hospital by ambulance. Stephens was ejected for targeting, but new NCAA rules allowed him to remain on the sideline and try to fire up his team during the second half.
A day after USC coach Lincoln Riley said he did not see Stephens’ sideline behavior and defended keeping him on the sideline in the second half, the school issued statements from Riley and Stephens apologizing for the hit and Stephens’ behavior while Moore received treatment. Stephens was suspended for one game.
Lanning called the play “disgusting” during his postgame news conference.
Oregon announced that Moore was diagnosed with a concussion, but tests showed no further injuries. Lanning said the team would be cautious as Moore recovers from the head injury.
Oregon, like UCLA, had a bye this past week and Lanning didn’t see reporters again until Wednesday. When asked for updates on Moore and for his thoughts on USC’s apologies and discipline, Lanning punted and instead compared UCLA to last year’s national champion.
“We’re about to play a UCLA team that reminds me a lot of Indiana from last year,” Lanning told reporters. “…Let’s just be honest. We’re not remotely close to what we need to be. We’re not remotely close.”
Lanning also said UCLA coach Bob Chesney texted him after the Ducks’ win over USC, offering to visit Moore if he had to remain in the hospital in Los Angeles. Moore instead was released and allowed to fly back to Oregon with his teammates.
Men’s water polo splits top-four matchups
The No. 1 UCLA men’s water polo split its marquee matchups to open Mountain Pacific Sports Federation play during the weekend.
The Bruins fell 19-15 to No. 2 Stanford on Saturday, but they rebounded for a 13-11 win over No. 4 California Sunday. Junior Ryder Dodd had five goals and three assists during the victory over the Golden Bears.
The Cardinal set a tougher pace on Saturday, leading by one goal at the end of the first, second and third quarters before extending their lead during a pivotal 7-4 fourth quarter. Dodd again paced the Bruins with four goals and five assists.
UCLA hosts Golden West College and California Baptist this weekend before the pressure rises again with a match at No. 3 USC on Oct. 17.
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Bruins on deck
Here are all UCLA games scheduled to be played this week across all sports, with all times Pacific:
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Men’s soccer vs. Westmont, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8
Women’s soccer vs. Indiana, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 9
Men’s tennis at UC Santa Barbara Fall Classic, All day
Cross country at Wisconsin’s Nuttycombe Invite, Time TBA
Women’s volleyball at Maryland, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10
Men’s tennis at UC Santa Barbara Fall Classic, All day
Football at Oregon, 12:30 p.m.
Men’s water polo vs. Golden West College, 1 p.m.
Women’s volleyball at Rutgers, 4 p.m.
Men’s water polo vs. California Baptist, 6 p.m.
Men’s soccer vs. Ohio State, 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 11
Men’s tennis at UC Santa Barbara Fall Classic, All day
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.
UCLA running backs coach A.J. Steward preaches it and it is the mantra adopted by the Bruins’ prolific running backs.
UCLA’s three-headed backfield, composed of fifth-year players Wayne Knight and Anthony Woods and senior Jaivian Thomas, is hailed for its undeniable impact on the ground, ranking first nationally in rushing touchdowns, third in yards per carry and fifth in yards per game this season.
Steward, who works in tandem with offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Smith, said it’s what his tailbacks do without the ball and the group’s commitment to each other that separates the group from the rest of the pack.
UCLA running back Anthony Woods scores against Cal while receiver Mikey Matthews celebrates the touchdown on Sept. 5.
(Godofredo A. Vasquez/For The Times)
“The way we play without the ball in our hands is no different. It should be no different than what we do when we have the ball in our hands in terms of trying to make a play for our offense,” Steward said. “You cut the film on any of these guys, you’ll see they’re downfield making blocks. They’re there at the end of the play in case somebody puts the ball down [on] the ground and that’s because they hear it every day how you do anything’s how you do everything.”
Apart from the group’s buy-in to doing the little things, its commitment to unselfish football keeps one of the most dynamic running games in the country from fracturing.
All three of the Bruins starting running backs could have been the sole starter at another program, with Woods rushing for 1,131 yards and 16 scores at Idaho in 2023, Thomas running for 626 yards and seven touchdowns at California in 2024 and Knight earning AP All-America honors last season at James Madison for his record-breaking 2,039 all-purpose yards.
But, as Steward preaches, the star of the running unit is the running back unit. And that belief is shared by the players, keeping them tightly knit and unbothered by who gets the most touches or scores.
“It goes into their buy-in as a program, as a group, because you’re talking about three dynamic running backs that could have 40 carries, 50 carries, 30 carries, 20, whatever it is,” said offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy. “But the fact that they’re buying into each other, that you could see them on the sideline, genuinely caring about other people’s success, and when you have a group like that, it bleeds to the team.”
The ability to utilize three differently skilled but equally high-impact running backs has dramatically opened Kennedy’s playbook, allowing him to put the tailbacks out on the perimeter and act as receivers, creating headaches for opposing defenses.
But the real value comes in the dying embers of games, when everyone on both sides of the field is exhausted — except the UCLA running backs.
“The ability to when we’re in the fourth quarter, I’m looking at these three guys and none of them are banged up, none of them are gassed and we can just roll,” Steward said. “We have guys that have only played 15 snaps in a game, 20 snaps in a game, that we trust with the game on the line to be able to push the ball forward and get first downs in a four-minute situation. That’s a competitive advantage. That’s part of the method to the madness is to have guys really fresh by the time we get to the fourth quarter.”
The team-first mentality of the running back group stems from the emphasis Steward places on having authentic relationships with his players, a lesson he learned under coach Dave Bailiff, now the special assistant to the head coach at Texas State, when Steward was a graduate assistant at Rice.
After a fellow graduate assistant chewed out one of the scout team players, Bailiff brought all of the young coaches into his office and reprimanded them, highlighting that they should never say or do anything they wouldn’t do to their own son.
UCLA running back Jaivian Thomas weaves through the Purdue defense on Sept. 19 at the Rose Bowl.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
And Steward has carried that experience from more than a decade ago in Houston, inspiring how he leads his group in Westwood.
“I definitely see them as somebody’s sons. I struggled earlier in my career to be blunt in the moments that they needed me to be blunt, because I didn’t want to ruffle their feathers or strain our relationship momentarily,” Steward said. “But now, I’m addressing it with them because I don’t want them to get hurt from a place of love. It’s been good for them to see me with my family, so they see a lot of the consistency with how I raise my boys, with some of the lessons that I’m trying to teach them.”
That spirit allowed Steward to be one of two coaches — alongside nickels coach Gabe Lynn — to be retained after working for former coach DeShaun Foster.
Soon after he arrived, new UCLA head coach Bob Chesney asked Steward whether he wanted to remain in Westwood.
And the answer was easy.
“I told him how much I really believe in this place and how much I love the players that we have here. I knew it was only a matter of time before we could get this thing going in the direction that I’ve always envisioned it,” Steward said. “I’m blessed that he gave me an opportunity to stay, and we’re seeing the fruit of some of the work that was put in before they got here, but also the success that they brought and the culture they added.”
And Steward’s emphasis on cultivating a genuine connection to his players fit naturally with the culture Chesney vowed to instill in Westwood.
Steward’s three top running backs now praise the coach for who he is as a man and a leader.
“His faith and how he carries himself as a father and off-the-football-field stuff — I admire a lot of that,” Knight said. “He’s a very respectable man.”
On the field, Knight said Steward has made him become more of a pro, by harping on the little things and making sure that no one takes anything for granted. Thomas said Steward knew things about his game that Thomas did not know himself.
UCLA running back Wayne Knight smiles after scoring a touchdown against Purdue at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 19.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Woods echoed his teammates’ message, adding that Steward has pushed the group to its limit and held them to the highest standard because he knows the players’ potential.
“If they believe the why behind the things that you do, it opens the door for them to trust your decision making sometimes when it doesn’t necessarily benefit them,” Steward said. “That’s really what’s unlocked our ability to see these guys get closer to their ceiling. Even when I’m giving them coaching points, they understand this comes from a place of love. Love is saying great job when it’s a great job, or telling you that’s not the standard when it’s not the standard.”
COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Bob Chesney’s friend nicknamed “Juice” led the effort to bus in supporters from the first-year UCLA coach’s hometown of Kulpmont, Pa., to watch the Bruins put the squeeze on Maryland in a 54-3 victory on Saturday.
Thomas Letcavage, the man known as “Juice,” brought four buses filled with 160 Chesney fans to watch their friend cook the Terrapins.
With the victory, Chesney became the second UCLA head coach to win his first four games at the helm, matching the start by College Football Hall of Fame inductee Red Sanders in 1949. But Chesney accomplished something Sanders couldn’t: beating Maryland on the road. Saturday marked UCLA’s first game here since the No. 1 Bruins fell to the fifth-ranked Terrapins in September 1955.
It was clear by halftime that another Terrapins upset wasn’t likely as the hot seat for Maryland coach Mike Locksley warmed as light rain fell consistently at SECU Stadium. After opening the season 2-0, the Terrapins’ home losses to Virginia Tech and UCLA will no doubt lead to more calls for the dismissal of Locksley, who is coming off consecutive 4-8 seasons and has an overall record of 39-51.
After failing to score on their first three possessions that included their first lost fumble of the season, the Bruins’ offense reeled off touchdowns on their next three possessions. The first was set up by UCLA defensive back Mason Rivera’s interception late in the first quarter.
Three plays after Maryland’s first turnover of the season, Wayne Knight opened the scoring with a 45-yard touchdown run. Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas followed with short touchdown runs as the Bruins scored 20 unanswered points to open the game. Troy Leigber added a 63-yard rushing touchdown with four minutes left in regulation.
Maryland quarterback Malik Washington tossed three more interceptions in the second half, the first two returned for touchdowns as Ta’Shawn James and Scooter Jackson scampered in from 39 and 65 yards, respectively.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava put a scare into the Bruins’ cheering section as he was slow to get up after he was hit delivering a pass to Aidan Mizellfor an 83-yard touchdown.
Iamaleava didn’t appear to be injured on the play, although with a huge lead, backup Madden Iamaleava took over the offense and helped the Bruins coast to the victory.
The rout marked the first time the Bruins have scored 50 during back-to-back games since 1993.
Americans have demonized us as criminals, buffoons, lechers, invaders, criminals and job stealers since the fall of the Alamo. Latino culture typecasts hombres as eternal machos always a few drinks away from brawling or bawling. Educators view us as underachievers. The political class long stereotyped Latino men as a sleeping giant who could change the country, if only we showed up to vote with the same enthusiasm as attending a Raiders game or lining up for a sneaker drop.
The blame game continues. A study released this month by UCLA’s Latino Policy & Politics Institute basically paints Latino men as little better than MAGA minions, trumpeting a gender gap on standing up to this administration’s deportation deluge, defending democracy and “fighting the Trump agenda.” To the media and to outraged internet commentators, it didn’t matter that two-thirds of Latino men had responded that each of those three issues was “very important” or “somewhat important.”
We just aren’t anti-Trump enough, which marks us as alien to the president’s critics. The UCLA paper’s cover page even features a red man and a blue woman conversing in what look like Aztec speaking glyphs — as if the sexes can’t understand each other and probably never will.
To explain the Latina-Latino political chasm, UCLA offers hypotheses straight out of “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.” The women supposedly work more in caretaker jobs like teaching and healthcare, softening their views toward the least of us. The men are in blue-collar sectors with a Darwinian outlook. But it doesn’t take a fancy academic paper to come to that conclusion — all you need to do is, you know, talk to Latino men.
When Trump descended that damned escalator in 2015 to announce his first presidential run by sliming Mexican immigrants as rapists and drug dealers, I knew that this racist excuse for a leader — the most anti-Latino politician in our nation’s history — would nevertheless appeal to many Latino men.
The reasons were evident: Trump’s fame. His strongman persona. His riches. His default setting of, as we Mexicans say, me vale madre — I don’t give a damn what people think. Yet three successive Democratic presidential campaigns willfully ignored these flashing sirens, instead insisting that Green New Deals and diversity, equity and inclusion programs would appeal to working-class Latino men.
Pundits thought we were still motivated by the radical politics of the Chicano movement, as previous generations were. What they didn’t realize was that assimilation had transformed Latino men into the modern equivalent of President Nixon’s silent majority.
A “Latino Americans for Trump” office in Reading, Pa., during the 2024 elections.
(Joe Lamberti / Associated Press)
I’ve always thought Latino male Trumpers were deluded — but I’ve always understood where they’re coming from. They’re believers in rancho libertarianism, my neologism for the individualistic politics exemplified by the Mexican men who raised me and who I grew up with.
Rancho libertarians, like their Scotch-Irish cousins from another mother, are forever skeptical of government, respect insurgents who want to take on the establishment, love their people and subscribe to a bootstraps approach to life. Not as praiseworthy is a tendency to dislike being told what to do, and in proving a point, to not only cut off their nose to spite their face but to lop off their heads as well.
No wonder so many Latino men went for Trump. To quote another Mexican saying, por eso estamos como estamos. That’s why we’re the way we are.
And look at what it’s earned us.
MAGA has been a miasma on this land, but especially for the blue-collar Latinos whom Trump increasingly courted with each election cycle. Immigration agents have arrested U.S.-born Trump supporters and thrown their friends and family members into squalid detention centers to await certain deportation. Diesel and gas prices are outrageously high, after Trump started a war with Iran that seems to have no end.
Nothing has degraded more for Latino men, however, than the simple pleasures of life.
When my dad and my brother had a pool party for some cousins and their children last month at our Anaheim home — no more than 15 people — the cost of carne asada, chicken, chorizo and tortillas from a local carnicería was more than $200. That side of the family never supported Trump while not exactly being wokosos, either. As Spotify blasted Antonio Aguilar and Banda El Recodo, they complained about the economy and the Republicans who have rubber-stamped the Trump agenda, when we should have been talking about the Dodgers and vacations back to our ancestral Mexico state of Zacatecas.
If my Arellano cousins are ready to stick it to Trump on election day, so should the Latino men who supported him two years ago.
In 2024, Latinos were the pivotal vote that delivered swing states to Trump. In this year’s midterms, Latino men are the swing vote within that constituency, from congressional races once considered safely red in Texas and Florida to local elections across the country. It’s gotten so dire for Republicans that Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar put out a television ad warning Trump that “the same Hispanics who brought you to the White House … feel betrayed today.”
Honor remains big among rancho libertarians, and no politician has insulted the Latino way of life more than Trump. Helping to flip the House and Senate to the Democrats wouldn’t end his influence, but it sure would help. Plus, it would be a perfect rebuke to a pendejo who fooled too many good Latino men.
American society, whether the left or the right wing, will never fully accept us. We’ll always be thought of as too conservative, too dumb, too reactionary, too violent by too many.
Well, if we’re going to be loathed, we might as well stand on the right side of history. It’s time for Latino men to stand up and hit Trump with another Mexican saying:
While Maryland has not compiled a winning conference record since 2010, UCLA will face one of the most refined pure passers in the Big Ten when the Bruins and Terrapins face off Saturday at SECU Stadium in College Park, Md. If the Bruins prevail, Bob Chesney will be the first UCLA head coach to start his tenure 4-0 since Henry Russell “Red” Sanders in 1949.
Maryland signal-caller Malik Washington is the fourth consecutive returning starting quarterback the Bruins have faced, with five left on the schedule, and his play could pose problems for the UCLA defense.
“You can’t leave any stones unturned because he can make all the throws, and he’s got the ability to extend plays with his feet or make plays with his feet,” Hitschler said.
While Washington tied for third in the conference last season in interceptions with nine, the signal-caller set school records for freshman completions and passing yards, throwing for 2,963 yards and 17 touchdowns.
With new Maryland offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Clint Trickett at the helm, the Terrapins’ quarterback has taken a leap in Year 2 running the offense.
Through three games, Washington has thrown for 892 yards and six touchdowns with no turnovers.
UCLA defenders bring down San Diego State running back Lucky Sutton at Rose Bowl on Sept. 12.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“He’s an entirely different quarterback right now,” Chesney said. “He’s an exciting-to-watch player, and he’s got some legit dudes out at receiver right now that are phenomenal. The offensive line is stout. They’ve been playing together for a little while. There’s a lot of things that they do to protect him, and he has a chance to deliver footballs. He’s getting hit sometimes, and just flicking this ball out there. He has a giant arm, and he’s as accurate as can be.”
Washington has benefited from a revamped receiver group after Maryland ranked among the national leaders in drops last season. Maryland coach Mike Locksley added Chris Durr Jr. and Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding, who have become Washington’s top targets.
“Na’eem can play inside, he can play outside. He’s got the ability to separate,” said Hitschler, who faced Gladding when he played for Old Dominion last season against James Madison. “He’s got the ability to run, great routes, get in and out of breaks, and he’s got great hands. And now he’s making plays in the return game too.”
Hitschler’s secondary will be challenged by Washington, who led the conference in pass attempts last season with 473 and leads the Big Ten thus far with 116.
Maryland’s reliance on the passing game could pose problems for a secondary that was picked apart by Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne last week and is still without free safety Tao Johnson.
“There’s obviously plays you would love to have back, obstacles that you overcame and throughout the game they improved and started to figure it out,” Hitschler said of the UCLA defense. “But at the same time, we can’t put ourselves behind the eight ball in moments and we have to execute at a higher level. This game’s fun because you have the opportunity to lose every week. If it was easy, it wouldn’t be fun.”
Offensively, the Bruins have the chance to build off their most productive game yet, scoring 52 points and accumulating 645 yards against the Boilermakers. But, UCLA will have to work to protect senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who was hit often and battled multiple injuries against Purdue.
Maryland edge rushers Zahir Mathis and Sidney Stewart combined for 13 sacks last season. And though Mathis was ruled because of an injury, the Terrapins can turn to five-star edge Zion Elee, the highest ranked recruiting prospect in program history.
Given Iamaleava’s fearlessness with his legs and the Terrapins’ effective pass rush, it may be difficult to keep the signal-caller on his feet.
UCLA head coach Bob Chesney, offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy and starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava were all in alignment after UCLA’s Week 2 win over San Diego State.
The Bruins’ offense had to get better.
UCLA wasted no time following through on their promises, scoring 21 first-quarter points against Purdue — the most UCLA has scored in the inaugural quarter against a conference opponent since 2016 against Oregon State.
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While the Bruins’ offense exploded, their defense imploded, giving up 38 points and 488 yards to the Boilermakers.
But in a homage to “Pac-12 After Dark,” it was only natural that UCLA outpaced Purdue, rumbling to a 52-38 win over the Boilermakers on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in the Bruins Big Ten opener.
Here are three key takeaways from UCLA’s third win of the season, matching its victory total from last season in just three games.
Running backs are elite
UCLA running back Anthony Woods is hoisted up by offensive lineman Julian Armella after scoring against Purdue at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
UCLA has returned to its roots.
With a rich history of churning out premier tailbacks, including Maurice Jones-Drew, DeShaun Foster and Zach Charbonnet, the Bruin offense has lacked a formidable rushing attack the last few years and finished as the nation’s third-worst ground unit in 2024.
But the Bruins may have struck gold in 2026.
UCLA ranks third in the country in rushing yards, first in rushing scores and fourth in yards per carry. Leading the charge is fifth-year tailback Wayne Knight who has 345 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in just three games — matching the Bruins’ total rushing touchdown mark from last season. Knight finished with his third multi-touchdown game of the season against Purdue, reaching the end zone twice to go alongside 200 all-purpose yards.
Through three games, Knight is exceeding the yardage and touchdown output from Reggie Bush’s 2005 season and Mark Ingram’s 2009 campaign — both of which featured Heisman Trophy wins.
But what makes UCLA’s ground attack so special is that it is a four-headed monster. And the Bruins proved it for the third straight week against the Boilermakers.
All three starting running backs — Knight, fifth-year Anthony Woods and senior Jaivian Thomas — reached the end zone and averaged more than six yards per carry in at least nine rush attempts. And Iamaleava added 55 rushing yards of his own to the 369 total the offense tallied.
After three games of consistent rushing dominance, it is becoming less of a coincidence and more of a pattern — UCLA may have one of the most potent rushing attacks in the country.
And one of its most valuable assets is the ground game’s ability to open up the passing offense.
Iamaleava answers the call
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava hurdles over Purdue defensive back Hudauri Hines during the fourth quarter at the Rose Bowl Saturday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Iamaleava challenged himself to play better after a shaky start to the 2026 season.
After failing to complete a touchdown pass while throwing two red zone interceptions during the first two games, Iamaleava and Chesney knew that the signal caller left plays on the table.
“It’s not his best game, he knows it’s not his best game,” Chesney said after beating San Diego State. “I just think that the grit and the toughness that he played with though when he needed to get a couple first downs that really, really mattered to keep drives alive and put his body on the line and you know peeled himself off that ground and just kept fighting for his teammates, that’s special. But there’s a whole lot we got to do there.”
Iamaleava responded Saturday night, going 19-for-31 through the air for 276 yards and three touchdowns.
Not only did Iamaleava light up the stat sheet, but more important, he also passed the eye test. After looking impatient against San Diego State, consistently leaving the pocket early and failing to let plays develop downfield, he looked like a totally different player Saturday night.
Iamaleava looked poised in the pocket, going through multiple reads and hitting pass catchers across the field in an array of spots and formations. He also protected the ball against a solid Purdue defense.
But what was most impressive from the Bruin signal caller was his resilience and toughness on the field. After taking some bruising hits during the Bruins’ first two games, Iamaleava was fearless on scrambles and designed quarterback runs against Purdue, taking big hits downfield to gain extra yards. He also looked willing to take hits in the pocket to make deep or layered throws.
Although some of the hits led to time off the field — he cut a finger on his throwing hand and later took a crushing hit to his throwing shoulder that left him lying on the turf for some time — he always returned to the game. Chesney said he repeatedly asked Iamaleava whether he was sure he could continue playing and the senior kept insisting on returning to the game once he was cleared by the UCLA medical staff.
“He’s just a straight dog, there really isn’t much to say about that,” Knight said. “He’s battling. He gets hurt and he gets back up. He plays the next play. He’s doing this for his brothers.”
Same defense, different opponent
Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne scrambles out of the pocket while being chased by UCLA players Saturday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Purdue’s offense revealed glaring holes the San Diego State offense could not expose.
Aztec quarterback Jayden Denegal only threw for 45 passing yards against UCLA, consistently missing open receivers downfield that had gained considerable separation on the Bruins’ cornerbacks. And even when he did find them, the receivers were not able to haul in catches.
Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne, on the other hand, had no problem picking apart the UCLA secondary. Browne went 19-for-30 for 378 yards and three scores, and while he did throw an interception to cornerback Rodrick Pleasant, it came with less than six minutes remaining when the Bruins were already up two scores.
Purdue’s slot receivers tore through the UCLA secondary, running through multiple layers of coverage. Receivers Asaad Waseem and Xavier Townsend combined for 14 receptions, 311 yards and two touchdowns.
Not only did the Purdue offense score five touchdowns, but the pace at which the team scored illustrated the lack of resistance the Bruins’ secondary gave the Boilermakers. Three of the five touchdown drives took less than two and a half minutes, with the first touchdown coming on one play — courtesy of completely broken coverage.
When asked about the impact of Purdue’s receivers Wednesday, defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler said he would have to wait for the game to answer certain questions.
“When you have 10 personnel and that many receivers that can catch the ball, it can create mismatches, and we play a lot of man, so who’s going to fold first?” Hitschler said. “Are we going to be able to man them up or are we having to play more zone? Those are questions that will play out as the game dictates by who’s winning the one-on-one matchups. It’s the chess match that always happens in any game.”
It was obvious who won the chess match.
Two forced fumbles from linebacker Sammy Omosigho and a formidable run defense that held tailback Fame Ijeboi to 2.8 yards per carry helped mitigate the defense’s problems.
How many games UCLA can win the rest of Big Ten play may rest on the defense’s ability to rebound from a brutal win over Purdue the way the Bruins’ offense did after an ugly win over San Diego State.
Few have felt the transformation quite as deeply as Iamaleava, who was the face of both teams.
“Shoot, it means everything,” Iamaleava said of the team’s 3-0 start. “I think that just speaks to the growth of the team and speaks to Coach Ches, of how he got us to buy into this process and his winning, his winning ways. It feels good to be 3-0, and we’ve got to keep going.”
Women’s soccer scores signature win
The UCLA women’s soccer team has take on grueling schedule, facing off with four teams ranked in the top 25 so far this season.
The No. 21 Bruins (5-3-1, 2-1-0 Big Ten) made the most of their fourth opportunity for a signature win, earning a 1-0 win at No. 5 Ohio State (6-1-1, 2-1-0) on Thursday night. It was the Buckeyes’ first loss this season.
Kara Croone set up Leena Powell for the game winner fired from just outside the box in the 25th minute. UCLA goalkeeper Daphne Nakfoor recorded five saves to maintain the shutout victory.
“Amazing performance for the girls,” UCLA women’s soccer coach Gof Boyoko said. “We needed a solid performance, and they did it. We scored a good goal, we didn’t concede, and we were strong defensively.”
UCLA alum Jordin Canada, who has dealt the ball with expert precision this season, had 11 points and 10 assists for the WNBA-playoff bound Dream.
UCLA alum Gabriela Jaquez, who has enjoyed a strong rookie season with a rebuilding Sky team, finished with 14 points, three rebounds, two steals and one assist. Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention, but Jaquez has been a bright spot for the team all season.
Bruins on deck
Here are all UCLA games scheduled to be played this week across all sports, with all times Pacific:
Monday, Sept. 21
Women’s golf at Canadian Collegiate Invitational, All day
Tuesday, Sept. 22
Women’s golf at Canadian Collegiate Invitational, All day
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Sports editor Iliana Limón Romero contributed to this report.
UCLA offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy stressed that his offense needed to come out swinging Saturday against Purdue after going scoreless in the first half against San Diego State last week.
And the Bruins heeded the advice, scoring 21 first-quarter points before pulling away in the second half to take a 52-38 win in their Big Ten opener Saturday night at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA improved to 3-0 and matched its 2025 win total with its first 50-point game against a Power Four program since November 2022. Bob Chesney joined Terry Donahue and Jim Mora as the only coaches to start their UCLA tenures 3-0.
Fifth-year tailback Wayne Knight spearheaded the offensive outburst, rushing for 177 yards and two touchdowns for a Bruins team that had 369 yards and four touchdowns on the ground via an average of 7.7 yards per carry. Knight has eight touchdowns in three games, matching the Bruins’ total output for rushing touchdowns last season.
“The biggest thing for us was to just put it all together. And I think that we stepped up to that challenge — what we did on the ground, in the air,” Knight said. “But the guys up front, no matter who is in there as guys are rotating all the time, whoever is in there is going to put up front. They are working as a team.”
While Chesney made sure to acknowledge his running backs — with all three starters reaching the end zone — he made a point to recognize the man under center, highlighting senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s resiliency.
After posting two interceptions to zero passing touchdowns through the first two weeks of the season, Iamaleava completed 19 of 31 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 55 more. Iamaleava looked much more comfortable and confident in the pocket, despite playing through multiple injuries.
UCLA defensive players celebrate after defensive lineman Sahir West (15) recovers a fumble against Purdue Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“Last week, I told you it wasn’t his greatest game. We watched him go out here today, and I think he was near perfect for a stretch in the beginning of that game, finding all kinds of different receivers and being able to carry the ball himself a little bit,” Chesney said. “And just what a warrior, because he was pretty nicked up out there in moments, and he just wanted to keep fighting.”
Iamaleava found security in senior wideout Semaj Morgan, who hauled in four passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns. In three years at Michigan, Morgan had just four receiving touchdowns. Outside of Morgan, fifth-year wide receiver Leland Smith caught three passes for 59 yards despite playing just one snap across the previous two weeks, potentially giving Iamaleava and Kennedy a big target to look to going forward.
James Madison transfer Landon Ellis, who returned to the field for the first time since going down with a head injury in the beginning of the second half against California, scored his first touchdown as a Bruin. And South Carolina transfer Brian Rowe Jr. caught two passes for 65 yards despite getting targeted eight times, including a deep shot from Iamaleava in the end zone that bounced off his chest.
Although UCLA’s offense turned in 645 yards of total offense, its defense struggled to hold back a Purdue team that lost its 19th consecutive conference game.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava passes during the first quarter Saturday against Purdue.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
While the Bruins held Aztec signal caller Jayden Denegal to just 45 passing yards, the secondary found itself facing a different beast in Boilermaker quarterback Ryan Browne, who completed 19 of 30 passes for 378 of Purdue’s 488 total yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Xavier Townsend had 162 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
“I felt like the pressure mounted a little bit and we were not as clean in our technique as we needed to be,” Chesney said. “We can’t put ourselves in panic mode, which might have hit us a little bit throughout today. But when we needed it the most, we were able to get a stop.”
Chesney said the UCLA defense has the personnel and ability to compete with anyone, but penalties and a fake punt that resulted in a first down allowed the Boilermakers to get within one score and added unnecessary pressure.
Fortunately for the UCLA secondary, linebacker Sammy Omosigho put the defense on his back.
Omosigho led the team in tackles with 12, but more important, he had two sacks and two forced fumbles. He has four forced fumbles in three games.
“That’s his third game in a row forcing a fumble. There’s other things he’s going to want to clean up in there too and other schematic things that he can do better,” Chesney said of Omosigho. “But at the same point in time, the one play that stuck out to me was a running back, and it looked like he was going to go and get the edge, and Sam just put out one arm and just crumbled this kid with one arm. The strength he has, the poise he plays with, the toughness he plays with and the strength to be able to execute and finish on those tackles, are things that are pretty impressive.”
UCLA running back Anthony Woods is hoisted up by offensive lineman Julian Armella after scoring a touchdown against Purdue at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.
(Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
James Madison transfer Sahir West recovered both of Omosigho’s takeaways — the Boilermakers’ first two giveaways this season — and they set up UCLA touchdowns.
While Purdue (1-2) kept up with UCLA for most of the game, its hopes of a comeback ended when senior defensive back Rodrick Pleasant picked off Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne with less than six minutes left.
Despite the Bruins’ difficulty thriving on both sides of the ball during the same game, Chesney said he is confident in his team’s ability to compete going forward.
“We heard the guys on defense saying thanks for getting our back,” Chesney said. “The offense struggled last week, we’re going to need them at some point. The defense is going to need that at some point, and then we’re all going to need the special teams at some point. We haven’t played the perfect complementary game yet, but there’s one in there and I’m looking forward to seeing that day because it exists. There’s fibers in here of a really high level football team.”
While Purdue is not projected to be a Big Ten juggernaut this season, UCLA coach Bob Chesney and his team expect to be challenged during their first game against Big Ten competition on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
The Boilermakers’ defensive line features five high-impact players that are at least 6-foot-3, and a nose tackle who weighs in at 301 pounds and anchors a defensive front that ranks second in the Big Ten with 17 tackles for loss.
“They’re talented in who they’re as individual players, there are some game-wreckers in there,” Chesney said. “They are as vertical as can be, they jump out of their stances, they’re jumping snap counts and they’re violent. They pose a giant problem, and we are not going to be able to push them around, and we are not going to be able to find ourselves in a spot where they tire. This is going to be a battle on the inside throughout the entire course of that game.”
While UCLA’s ground attack has dominated through the first two games of the season — rushing for 277 yards and six touchdowns against California and 214 yards and four scores against San Diego State — it might be harder for the Bruins’ running backs to have their way against the Purdue defense.
Purdue held both Indiana State‘s and Wake Forest’s starting running backs to less than four yards per carry, and has conceded just two rushing touchdowns to those starters this season.
“There’s some things that I think Purdue does a really good job defensively, in terms of getting off the ball,” said UCLA offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy. “They have got a lot of length. They’re a very, very big team, it will probably be one of the biggest teams we will face, so we have to be prepared for that.”
However, the Boilermakers have struggled to stop quarterbacks on the run — allowing Indiana State’s Elijah Owens and Wake Forest‘s Gio Lopez to combine for 118 rushing yards and two touchdowns — giving Bruins senior quarterback Nico Iamaleava the opportunity to rely on his legs.
While Iamaleava should have wide receivers Landon Ellis and Brian Rowe Jr. back to full strength, fortifying the aerial attack, the signal-caller will be without Mikey Matthews, after the slot receiver went down with a lower-body injury against San Diego State.
“There’s a fine line. Understanding what the coverage is doing, when is it time to take off and go,” Kennedy said. “If you are going through your read, from a clock standpoint, and it’s not there, it’s a great time to take off and go. It’s our job as an offense to create explosives, whether it’s him taking off or it’s him creating a scramble drill. We look at scramble drills, that we have to create explosives, and that’s something we have to do a better job of.”
Defensively, the “Bruin Bullies” will be tasked with stopping running back Fame Ijeboi, who has run for 201 yards and four touchdowns on 5.3 yards per carry this season. Chesney said that Ijeboi has a “Wayne Knight” feeling to him, where he plays low to the ground, displays proficient body balance and leg drive, allowing him to be influential in the passing game and break tackles.
While UCLA has already faced formidable rushers in Cal’s Adam Mohammed and San Diego State’s Lucky Sutton, Ijeboi could be the most impactful yet. And no one knows that more than Bruin defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, who went to the same high school as the Boilermaker running back.
“It’s been fun to watch his growth, following him through high school, and watching him earn those scholarships and opportunities,” Hitschler said. “Those first two games, he jumped off the tape. He’s got great potential and he’s going to go a long way. We have to do a good job putting a physical shoulder on him and knocking him down because he’ll run through contact and does a great job of finding the edges.”
If Ijeboi is unable to get it going, it will have to be up to Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne to generate offense.
While the signal-caller struggled last season — throwing nine touchdowns with 10 interceptions — Browne has looked like a new player in 2026, passing for 646 yards and four touchdowns.
Browne has benefited from the addition of two premier slot receivers in Florida Atlantic transfer Asaad Waseem and Iowa State transfer Xavier Townsend. They have combined for 25 receptions, 277 yards and one score.
“What makes them unique is there are a lot of them,” Hitschler said. “When you have 10 personnel and that many receivers that can catch the ball, it can create mismatches, and we play a lot of man, so who’s going to fold first?” Hitschler said. “Are we going to be able to man them up or are we having to play more zone? Those are questions that will play out as the game dictates by who’s winning the one-on-one matchups. It’s the chess match that always happens in any game.”
The Bruins’ defense will look to force turnovers, but that is no easy feat as the Boilermakers have yet to turn the ball over this season.
UCLA senior wide receiver Mikey Matthews expects the Bruins’ aerial attack to be as electrifying and dominant as their ground game was in a season-opening win over California.
The passing offense lived up to Matthews’ expectations against Cal — but only for a half.
After quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 12 of 18 passes for 179 yards in the first half, he completed just two more passes for five yards — the Bruins’ only yardage in the third quarter.
The rushing attack carried the Bruins to victory, breaking open a tied game with three fourth-quarter touchdown runs.
UCLA receiver Mikey Matthews (7) celebrates after quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) ran for a touchdown against Cal at California Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
(Godofredo A. Vasquez/For The Times)
While UCLA called a run-heavy script in the second half, throwing it just four times compared to 18 rushing attempts, the passing game clearly stalled.
Offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy said the offense had to improve after last weekend’s 45-24 victory, noting that two penalties in the third quarter — including on third and one — derailed drives and that the self-inflicted wounds were a teaching moment.
“You have to make sure that every drive, you’re treating it independently. There was a lull in the third quarter, but when you look at it, I was happy with how they responded,” Kennedy said as the team prepared for Saturday’s home opener against San Diego State. “Obviously, you’re not happy with the production of the third quarter, but you’re happy with how they responded in the fourth. There was always belief on the sideline. We had three really bad drives and that’s just as much on me as it is on anyone else.”
Iamaleava played a vital role in keeping the offense on track. And despite largely not contributing through the air in the second half, he looked more comfortable and confident than he ever had in his college career. Matthews called that poise Iamaleava’s greatest improvement since the duo arrived in Westwood last year.
Kennedy said the senior signal-caller was walking up and down the sideline, talking to teammates and stressing a “next drive” mentality.
And Iamaleava’s short-term memory focus echoed his coordinator’s in-game philosophy.
“We will make corrections on bad plays on Sunday, there will be things where we have to make in-game adjustments, but when you are talking about a missed assignment, there’s nothing you can do about it,” Kennedy said. “The only thing you can do about that is worry about ‘how do I get better, how do I learn from my mistake,’ and you have to do it in the moment. You are in a 60,000-seat stadium and it’s not the easiest thing to do, but having other people understand, ‘Let’s move on,’ that’s where he did a really good job.”
Leading up to the opener, Kennedy said he was “beyond confident” in Iamaleava as a leader, player and face of the program, and added that Iamaleava’s willingness to run hard and take hits instills conviction in the team and makes him an easy person to rally around.
“He’s had the opportunity to play young in his career. He’s been in the spotlight for so long,” UCLA assistant quarterbacks coach Jon Boyer said. “He’s dealt with victories. He’s dealt with adversity, and now he does feel valued, and I don’t want him to feel like he’s in it all alone ever.
“He’ll be tested this year where moments of doubt come in, and that’s our job to provide that vision of hope and come up with a plan to get him out of whatever he’s facing.”
Matthews, who led the receivers with four catches for 88 yards, is confident his quarterback will put the ball in the hands of many UCLA receivers he can trust.
“We’re deep in the receiver room. Landon Ellis, Semaj Morgan, Brian Rowe, Aidan Mizell, Shane Rosenthal. I can literally just go down,” Matthews said. “I feel like everyone is bound to have a breakout season, breakout game, whatever it is. Everyone’s going to eat in that room. That’s just how much we trust everyone throwing the ball down the field and everything like that.”
