Key for Walker Is His Versatility

Junior linebacker Wesley Walker has been one of UCLA’s most consistent players in recent weeks and his play has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff.

“Wesley has made steady progress throughout the season,” defensive coordinator Larry Kerr said. “He’s really been solid and he continues to do the right thing by being in the right place and making plays.

“He’s done a good job with his coverages and he knows his assignments very well.”

Walker ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 42, including 25 solos and 3.5 for losses. He began the season competing with redshirt freshman Aaron Whittington for playing time. But once injuries hit and the Bruins lost starting middle linebacker Justin London for a few weeks because of an ankle injury, Walker’s versatility became a strength.

Walker started the season opener against Oklahoma State at outside linebacker but moved inside for the next four games, filling in for London.

Once London returned, Walker moved back outside where he has started the last three games with Whittington as his backup.

“It’s not that Whittington isn’t capable,” Kerr said. “We would like to still give him some plays. But right now, because we’re playing so much nickel coverages, Wesley is in there alternating with a nickel back.”

With Spencer Havner, a semifinalist for both the Butkus and Lombardi awards, and London, whose health continues to improve, playing next to him, Walker said that the Bruin linebackers have great chemistry.

“That’s part of the reason why we’re playing better as a defense,” Walker said. “We just feel comfortable playing next to each other. We know that the guy next to you has your back and that experience comes into play because we’ve done it before.”

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Starting center Mike McCloskey did not practice Tuesday because of lingering headaches as a result of a hit he suffered in last week’s 21-0 victory over Stanford.

“We want to be careful with him doing anything,” Coach Karl Dorrell said. “He had it over the weekend and it really hasn’t subsided all that much. We want to get him checked out by the doctors and hopefully that it’s not anything significant.”

Sophomore Robert Chai worked out with the first unit in place of McCloskey, who sat out a game earlier this season against Arizona because of an ankle injury.

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Dorrell on kicker Justin Medlock, who missed his first two field-goal attempts of the season against Stanford, from 51 and 38 yards: “He’s one of those hard-working guys who puts in a lot of practice time ... he’ll be fine. He just had a bad day.”

Medlock, 10th on UCLA’s career field goal list with 23, has made nine of 11 attempts and 30 of 31 extra points.