Niusulu Is Suspended

UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell suspended junior defensive tackle C.J. Niusulu for Saturday’s game against San Diego State for violating athletic department policy.

“I made a mistake,” said Niusulu, who did not disclose the reason for the suspension following Tuesday’s practice. “I’m kind of hurt by the fact that I won’t be able to be there on the field. I just want to apologize to the team and let them know that I will try and make it up to them next week.”

Because federal laws regarding student privacy prevent UCLA from giving details regarding the suspension, Dorrell said in a statement: “It affects not only [Niusulu] but the entire team.”

For Niusulu, UCLA’s most experienced defensive lineman, the one-game suspension is another setback. Before arriving on campus as a freshman in 2002, Niusulu was charged with felony assault for his involvement in a fight at a drive-in theater in his hometown of Barstow.

That season, Niusulu played in five games before sitting out the final three after an emergency appendectomy . Niusulu played in all 13 games last season, and finished with 26 tackles, including five for loss.

During the off-season, Niusulu had surgery on his left knee to repair cartilage damage. He had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee on Sept. 1 and did not play in UCLA’s season-opening loss to Oklahoma State.

The next week, Niusulu played sparingly against Illinois before making his first career start against Washington on Sept. 19. He had three tackles.

“There’s consequences with everything but I’m surprised that [the suspension] came like this at this time of year,” Niusulu said. “I can only go up from here now.”

With freshman tackle Kenneth Lombard questionable for Saturday because of a shoulder injury, UCLA will turn to former offensive guard Eyoseph Efseaff or walk-on Robert Garcia to start in Niusulu’s place next to Kevin Brown against San Diego State. Efseaff, who started 36 of 37 games he played in before this season on offense, is ready to play a bigger role after coming off the bench the last two games.

“He’s getting pretty consistent,” Brown said about Efseaff, who missed most of training camp because of a groin injury and then was switched to defense. “He came from the O-line and immediately made his presence felt.... This is a difficult blow for our defense because we’re losing a player of C.J.’s caliber. That just means we have to be that much tougher.”

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Freshman defensive lineman Chris Johnson, who had been working with the scout team, worked out with the main defense on Tuesday to add more depth because of Niusulu’s suspension.... Lombard, who injured his shoulder against Washington, aggravated the injury in Tuesday’s practice.... Receiver Tab Perry, who will start in place of injured Craig Bragg on Saturday, did not finish practice because of a minor hamstring injury.