Longtime Starter Nece Platooned

Junior linebacker Ryan Nece has started 26 games, more than all but three of his teammates. In last week’s 27-24 victory over Arizona, however, the UCLA coaches rotated him with sophomore Marcus Reese on alternating possessions for the first three quarters. Nece played most of the fourth.

“We’ve got to get Marcus in there,” linebacker coach Marc Dove said. “Ryan’s got a lot of experience, but Marcus is a very talented player.”

Nece will remain the starter, Dove said. Nece is playing despite a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that he suffered during spring practice and one that will require surgery after the season.

“It’s painful all the time,” Nece said. “It could be a dull pain, or a pain where I can’t even move my arm one day. I think a lot of people are surprised I made it this far.”

If the coaches continue to increase Reese’s playing time at his expense, Nece said he would consider undergoing surgery before season’s end so he would have a better chance of being fully healed for next season.

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Backup quarterback Ryan McCann will not play this week and may not play again this season. McCann also has a torn labrum in his left shoulder and, after resting the shoulder for three weeks, he tried to throw Tuesday but could not do so without pain. . . . Coach Bob Toledo said defensive end Sean Phillips probably will not return this week but linebacker Asi Faoa might. Both have ankle injuries . . . Quarterback Cory Paus said he got to see a replay of his game-winning touchdown scramble, but not on television. Family friends downloaded the video clip and sent it to his parents, who forwarded it to him via e-mail. “Technology is cool,” he said.