UCLA football: Bruins have backfield crowded with tailbacks

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Tailback Who?

That will be question asked on sidelines in Knoxville, Tenn., this week every time UCLA has the ball. The Bruins displayed three main tailbacks in a 33-14 victory over San Diego State on Saturday. That won’t change this week when UCLA plays at Tennessee.

“We’re going to keep rolling them out,” Coach Rick Neuheisel said. But, he added, ‘we told all our players there are no guarantees. If we get a hot tailback, we’re going to ride him.”

Johnathan Franklin and Derrick Coleman did most of the work, and damage, in the first half against San Diego State. Coleman, a sophomore, had 69 yards on four carries, including a 29-yard touchdown run that gave the Bruins a 16-14 lead in the second quarter. Franklin, a redshirt freshman, had 48 yards on 12 carries, scooting 12 yards for the Bruins’ first touchdown on his first carry as a college player.

“I couldn’t wait to get the ball,” Franklin said. “I was hungry and nervous. I saw our linemen pancake a guy and it was all green in front of me. It was like a baby going to a candy store.”

Milton Knox was put into the mix in the second half, finishing with 45 yards on eight carries.

“We want them to all have fresh legs,” Neuheisel said, an important factor when the Bruins play in steamy Knoxville this week.

But while the three ran well, Neuheisel was disappointed in one aspect of their game.

“We need improvement from our running backs as blockers,” he said. “That was not good enough [against San Diego State].”

-- Chris Foster

twitter.com/cfosterlatimes