COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Pagni, Reidt Split Kickoff Duties
Walk-on kickers Mike Pagni and Eric Reidt will handle the kickoff chores for UCLA in its opener against Cal State Fullerton Saturday night at the Rose Bowl. Reidt transferred to UCLA after UC Santa Barbara dropped football.
Freshman kicker Bjorn Merten, a scholarship player who had been slated to kick off for UCLA this season, is sidelined by an injured thigh muscle.
“My gut feeling is we’ve improved ourself in that area,” Bruin Coach Terry Donahue said. “We had a lot of trouble in that area last season. Pagni and Reidt both seem to get the ball where we’d like it to hit and sometimes kick it out of the end zone.”
Senior Louis Perez, who made 15 of 21 field-goal attempts last season, returns. Senior Mike Merrill is the backup field-goal kicker.
Wide receiver Sean LaChapelle will return punts this season. However, Donahue has yet to select a kickoff returner.
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