COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Freshman Fien to Start Against Arizona State

Freshman quarterback Ryan Fien will make his first college start against Arizona State on Saturday. Fien completed five of 20 passes for 55 yards with one interception during last week’s 30-17 loss at Washington State. He lost two fumbles to set up Cougar touchdowns and was sacked four times.

Fien will be the fourth quarterback to start for the Bruins this season. Rob Walker, who started four games after starting quarterback Wayne Cook suffered a season-ending knee injury, is sidelined indefinitely because of an ankle injury. Senior John Barnes, a transfer from UC Santa Barbara, started against the Cougars last week, but lasted only three series before he was replaced by Fien after throwing an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

Since converting to the T-formation from the single wing in 1962, UCLA has never started four quarterbacks in during a season.

The last time the Bruins started three quarterbacks was in 1979, when Rick Bashore, Bernard Quarles and Tom Ramsey started. UCLA also had three starting quarterbacks in 1974, with John Sciarra, Jeff Dankworth and Steve Bukich.

Fien will be the first true freshman to start for the Bruins at quarterback since Ramsey did it in 1979 in games against Oregon and USC.

Saturday’s game against Arizona State at the Rose Bowl will start at 7 p.m. instead of 12:30 p.m., as originally scheduled, to accommodate Prime Ticket, which will televise the game live.

Tailback Kevin Williams (hamstring pull) and nose guard Sale Isia (sprained right ankle) will sit out Saturday’s game.

The playing status of wide receiver Sean LaChapelle, who sat out last week’s game because of a cracked rib, remains uncertain. Defensive end Mike Chalenski, who sat out last week’s game after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb last Sunday, might play against the Sun Devils.

Wide receivers J.J. Stokes (bruised left knee) and Mike Nguyen (bruised right knee) will be held out of practice until later this week, but are expected to play Saturday.