Loss of Eddie Vanderdoes forces UCLA defensive line coach to formulate new plan

UCLA defensive line coach Angus McClure has a plan.

“I always have a plan,” he said.

This, however, is one plan he undoubtedly would prefer to keep on the shelf.

The Bruins lost defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes to a knee injury during a 34-16 victory over Virginia on Saturday. It leaves UCLA without one of its top players.

The gap will be plugged by the tag team of Eli Ankou and Matt Dickerson.

“It’s going to be hard to replace Eddie because of the type of player he is and the force he can be,” McClure said.

Ankou, a 6-foot-3, 305-pound junior, has been in the program for four seasons. But he missed part of the 2013 season because of a knee injury and was bothered by a wrist injury during training camp last month. He played in 13 games as a reserve and on special teams last season.

Dickerson, 6-5 and 275, is a sophomore who played in 12 games as a reserve last season.

“Eli is excellent against run blocking and using strength as leverage,” McClure said. “He’s more of a bull rusher when pressuring the quarterback.”

Dickerson, McClure said, “has a little more speed. He’s more of a pass rusher. At 6-5, he gives us more length.”

McClure said that “using those two guys as a combination will be a benefit for us.”

But neither is quite Vanderdoes, who had a team-high eight tackles against Virginia. Coach Jim Mora said that Vanderdoes’ knee “locked up on him” during the game. He collapsed after hoisting nose tackle Kenny Clark in the end zone after Clark caught a touchdown pass in the third quarter. Both had been on offense for a goal-line formation.

Clark said that the Bruins will miss Vanderdoes’ enthusiasm.

“He brings a lot of emotion, and his abilities as a pass rusher and stopping the run are crazy,” Clark said.

Dickerson was in for 25 plays and Ankou for 20 against Virginia, McClure said. Ankou had one tackle, Dickerson none.

“There is not really much to say except you have to be ready to step up when your time is called,” Dickerson said. “There will be a lot of guys in the rotation who haven’t been in rotation as much.

“I’m going to try to imitate Eddie’s aggressiveness, but that is hard to do.”

A year ago, Dickerson said, “I had a lot of jitters. You could feel like an all-star in practice, but the game is a different world. I felt this last game, I was a whole lot more comfortable playing. I was getting off the ball faster.”

Numbers game

The Vanderdoes injury hit an area where the Bruins have less experience. Dickerson, Jacob Tuioti-Mariner and Takkarist McKinley were freshmen last season. McKinley started against Virginia.

The Bruins also have nose tackles Ainuu Taua and Najee Toran. Taua sat out last season as a redshirt freshman. Toran is a converted offensive lineman.

Defensive end Rick Wade, a freshman from Santa Margarita High, was expected to build his strength as a redshirt this season. McClure did not rule him out for playing time.

“Rick is still very active in our game planning,” McClure said. “We’ll continue to develop Rick and have him ready.”

Vanderdoes plan

Vanderdoes will have surgery to repair his anterior cruciate ligament. McClure plans to keep him mentally involved during his rehab.

“I’ll have him start studying film of our next opponent, while we’re getting ready for our current opponent,” McClure said. “He’ll study all our personnel groups. He’ll be a better football player down the road.”

McClure used the same plan when defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa sat out the 2013 season following his surgery.

chris.foster@latimes.com

Twitter: @cfosterlatimes