UCLA Bruins football – Syndication Server

UCLA football lands Louisville safety in transfer portal

The Bruins add a veteran piece to their secondary.

The UCLA Bruins have seen some major changes to their roster since the end of their first season in the Big Ten. But this week, UCLA added a new face through the transfer portal.

University of Louisville safety Benjamin Perry announced his transfer to UCLA earlier this week, according to Allen Trieu of 247Sports.

Perry, a rising senior defensive back, played a hybrid role for the Cardinals throughout his career in Louisville. Able to play multiple positions in the secondary, the Bruins add a versatile piece to their defense with some serious experience under his belt.

In his previous four seasons with Louisville, Perry accounted for 132 tackles, eight passes defended, two sacks, and a forced fumble in the ACC.

Perry joins a UCLA program in dire need of help in the secondary after a lackluster performance in pass defense. But with the addition of Perry, coupled with the hiring of new secondary coach Demetrice Martin, the Bruins secondary should see improvement in 2025.

UCLA football hires former Oregon passing game coordinator

UCLA adds a familiar face to the coaching staff.

The UCLA coaching staff has seen some significant turnover since the end of the Bruins’ first season in the Big Ten.

After parting ways with offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, the Bruins tapped former Indiana co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Suneri to head the offense.

This week, the Bruins added a familiar face to their offensive coaching staff.

UCLA hired former Oregon passing coordinator Demetrice Martin to lead the Bruins’ pass game and the secondary. Martin, a two-way player in college, playing receiver and cornerback at Michigan State, returns to Westwood, where he spent the 2012-2017 seasons.

In his coaching career, Martin made notable stops at USC, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Arizona and returned to his hometown of Pasadena, California, to reunite with the Bruins.

Though Martin will have a lot on his plate, with the unusual task of coaching two sides of the ball with the Bruins, his versatility as a coach and track record should translate in his return to Westwood.

Former UCLA WR J. Michael Sturdivant eying Georgia Bulldogs visit

The former Bruin is close to visiting one of college football’s best.

After closing their season with a win over Fresno State, the UCLA Bruins roster has already seen several notable subtractions. Losing a bevy of players to the transfer portal, one recent ex-Bruin is eying a visit with an SEC powerhouse.

Rising redshirt senior wideout J. Michael Sturdivant entered the transfer portal in early December after an abbreviated season with the Bruins in 2024.

Dealing with injury, Sturdivant only appeared in seven games with UCLA last season, amassing only 22 catches for 315 yards and a pair of touchdowns. With one season of eligibility remaining, Sturdivant understandably entered the transfer portal, looking for a better opportunity.

This week, according to James H. Williams of USA TODAY, Sturdivant could potentially visit Georgia soon. Given the success of Georgia over the last several years and their appearance in the College Football Playoff in 2024, the Bulldogs present a compelling destination for Sturdivant.

As for the Bruins, they hope to continue to grow their team through the transfer portal as they reset for an important second season in the Big Ten.

Carson Steele leads all AFC fullbacks in Pro Bowl voting

Carson Steele is getting votes.

Former Bruins running back Carson Steele is currently the leading Pro Bowl vote-getter among all AFC full backs in the latest update that was released on Monday.

While fullbacks aren’t all that common in today’s NFL, the former UCLA Bruin, may very well represent the AFC at the position as he remains in the lead at the position. Not only is Steele outpacing all other AFC fullbacks, he has received the third most votes of any rookie as of last week, behind only Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Steele joined the Chiefs after not being selected in this year’s draft and earned a spot on their 53-man roster out of training camp. With early-season injuries to the Chiefs running backs’ Steele got thrust into action as a rookie, appearing in 13 games and starting two while totaling 158 rushing yards on 48 carries.

Despite Kansas City having a tied for NFL-best 12-1 record, it hasn’t been all positives for Steele, who’s fumbled three times this season and has yet to score an NFL touchdown. Instead of sticking with Steele as their feature back, the Chiefs re-signed Kareem Hunt to take over the role before starter Isiah Pacheco returned to the fold two weeks ago.

Even with the ups-and-downs, the former Bruin has a chance to be the only UCLA alum named a Pro Bowler in 2024, with Raiders left tackle Kolton Miller and Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn also having deserving seasons.

Steele played just one season in Westwood, scoring eight total touchdowns and rushing for over 800 yards in 12 games as a Bruin.

Pac-12 transfer Wayshawn Parker could replace TJ Harden

Could UCLA be poaching a Pac-12 RB in the portal?

The UCLA Bruins will welcome in one of the top running backs in the transfer portal, Wayshawn Parker, for a visit, reported Pete Nakos of On3 Sports on Twitter Thursday afternoon.

Parker announced he was entering the transfer portal earlier this month after a terrific freshman season with the Washington State Cougars. He totaled 735 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per carry and added another 108 receiving yards with five total touchdowns.

The running back committed to Washington State last year as a 3-star recruit out of Elk Grove Charter in Sacramento. While he’d be an ideal for a team who lost their leading rusher, TJ Harden, to the transfer portal earlier this month.

While it’d be nice for UCLA fans to imagine Parker taking his talents to Westwood, Utah is another school he’s visiting along with the Bruins, USC and Arizona, and the Utes hired former Washington State running backs coach Mark Atuaia as their running backs coach which could attract Parker to follow his coach to Utah.

Parker is currently the #31 ranked player in the transfer portal according to On3 Sports and is their #4 running back.

The biggest thing is that he could replace TJ Harden, who entered the portal amid a flurry of offensive talent. J. Michael Sturdivant and Justyn Martin also left Westwood, so the offense will look much different in 2025 regardless.

Washington State running back to visit UCLA, USC, and Utah

The Bruins pick up a visit from a talented tailback.

The UCLA Bruins lost running back T.J. Harden to the transfer portal this week but already have their sights set on their next potential tailback.

Washington State freshman Wayshawn Parker entered the transfer portal this week after a breakout season with the Cougars. Parker rushed for 735 yards and four touchdowns in 2024, averaging an impressive 5.4 yards per carry.

According to Pete Nakos of On3 (subscription required), the former Washington State tailback is set to visit UCLA, USC, and Utah.

In 2024, the Bruins averaged a Big Ten-worst 86.6 yards per game behind a questionable offensive line. With lots of room for improvement and a wide-open depth chart, UCLA offers a lot of playing potential for a running back like Parker.

Under new offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, who helped the Indiana Hoosiers rush for over 2,000 yards and a whopping 37 rushing touchdowns this season, the Bruins should see a massive improvement in the running game, with Parker potentially playing a big role if he transfers to Westwood.

UCLA in the hunt with Georgia, Indiana, and Wisconsin for Cal quarterback

The Bruins have some stiff competition.

The UCLA Bruins have already seen a lot of turnover on their roster since the end of their first season in the Big Ten. Losing key players on offense like wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant and former 2025 commit Madden Iamaleava, the Bruins are buyers this off-season to replenish their roster.

This week, University of California quarterback Fernando Mendoza entered the transfer portal and has the Bruins in his sights. According to Pete Nakos of On3 (subscription required), the Bruins are in the hunt for the sophomore signal-caller alongside Georgia, Indiana, and Wisconsin as Mendoza mulls his transfer destination.

Mendoza finished the 2024 season with the Golden Bears throwing for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Though the Bruins do not have the same cache as their competitors, Mendoza would likely be a plug-and-play starter for the Bruins next season.

Moreover, hiring offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri offers Mendoza a unique opportunity for growth. Though there is no timetable for when Mendoza will decide, the Bruins are undoubtedly putting together a big pitch to bring the Miami, Florida, native to Los Angeles.

UCLA football lands visit from Miami cornerback

The Bruins secured a visit from a former four-star recruit.

The UCLA Bruins have already had a busy off-season. With players entering the transfer portal to big changes at offensive coordinator, the Bruins are already in the process of building their team for 2025.

This week, University of Miami (FL) cornerback Robert Stafford announced on X that he will visit Westwood this month.

Stafford, a redshirt freshman, only recorded two tackles with the Hurricanes this season and has entered the transfer portal. A consensus four-star recruit in high school, Stafford will visit the University of Central Florida, Georgia Tech, Maryland, and UCLA before the end of the calendar year.

Though the Bruins’ 5-7 record in 2024 leaves much to be desired, UCLA’s defense was one of the top units in the Big Ten against the run and could use some help against the pass.

In the transfer portal and NIL era, where playing time and visibility reign supreme, UCLA offers Stafford an opportunity to play and learn under defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, who helped make linebacker Carson Schwesinger a finalist for the Butkus Award.

UCLA Bruins cornerback accepts invite to the Hula Bowl

The UCLA redshirt senior is Orlando-bound.

The UCLA Bruins, as a program, will not be playing in a bowl game this season. That said, several notable Bruins will be playing in college all-star games ahead of the NFL Draft.

This week, UCLA redshirt senior cornerback Bryan Addison accepted his invitation to play in the Hula Bowl. Addison, who played a total of 67 games in the NCAA for both the Bruins and Oregon Ducks, will get a shot to impress scouts from the NFL, XFL, USFL, and CFL in January of 2025.

In 2024, Addison recorded 44 tackles, one fumble recovery, and two interceptions, with one going for a pick-six against his former team, Oregon. At 6′ 5″ and a hair under 200 pounds, Addison is truly a physical specimen who proved he could compete in the Big Ten.

With above-average size and a knack for taking down ballcarriers, Addison already profiles as a potential NFL player. With another shot to showcase his skills in Orlando, Florida, at the Hula Bowl, keep an eye on Addison’s name as the NFL Draft approaches.

UCLA Bruins linebacker accepts invite to Reese’s Senior Bowl

One Bruin is headed to Mobile, Alabama.

The season may be over for the UCLA Bruins, but one of their star defensive players still has one game left.

After a breakout season in the Big Ten, UCLA defensive end Oluwafemi Oladejo has accepted his invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl. Finishing his senior campaign with 57 tackles and 4.5 sacks, Oladejo was a force along the Bruins defensive line all season long.

Oladejo transferred to UCLA after a short stint with the University of California in 2022, racking up over 100 tackles and five sacks with the Bruins. At Cal, Oladejo played mostly as a true linebacker, but a shift to the line of scrimmage improved his numbers and UCLA’s defensive production.

Now, Oladejo has a chance to improve his draft stock with a solid performance in the NCAA’s most prestigious all-star game with NFL scouts in attendance.

The Reese’s Senior Bowl kicks off on February 1st, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. (PT) on the NFL Network in Mobile, Alabama.