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UCLA center Jake Brendel says he’s completely healthy

UCLA center Jake Brendel is on the Rimington Trophy watchlist for the second consecutive season.

UCLA center Jake Brendel is on the Rimington Trophy watchlist for the second consecutive season.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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It’s hard to pin offensive line struggles on one position, but this much is clear: UCLA looks like a much better football team with center Jake Brendel on the field.

The redshirt junior missed the Bruins’ season opener at Virginia because of a sprained left knee, but returned against Memphis last week. On Tuesday, Brendel said that he’s back to full strength.

“I’m at 100% now,” Brendel said. “I wasn’t going to go on the field if I wasn’t.”

From the get-go, the offensive line looked more cohesive against Memphis. Quarterback Brett Hundley had more time in the pocket, running back Paul Perkins rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and UCLA finished with 540 yards in total offense.

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“I felt like we were more settled,” Coach Jim Mora said after the game. “The ball was snapped, and we were, like, moving together, like you’re supposed to. I thought the protection was excellent.”

Sophomore offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch added: “We made a lot of improvement. It was a big help getting Jake back. I think our offensive line moved a lot smoother, and we’re finally getting comfortable playing with each other again.”

Before the Virginia game, Brendel had been the only player Hundley had taken snaps from in his UCLA career, as he had started 27 straight games before this season. The center’s return allowed Scott Quessenberry to move back to guard, while freshman NaJee Toran, a starting guard in the opener, didn’t play a single down against Memphis.

When asked if it was weird to not be on the field against Virginia, Brendel said, “A little bit, but I had full trust in what Scott was doing. What’s nice about having the guys that we do have is that there’s always a guy who can be that backup to me or the right guard or left guard.”

For more Bruin observations, follow Everett Cook on Twitter @everettcook

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