Highlights from Saturday's UCLA football practice

A brief look at UCLA’s training camp practice Saturday at Spaulding Field:

Mix and match

Kenny Young is firmly entrenched as the leader of the UCLA defense, but the senior had to relinquish his starting middle linebacker role Saturday to sophomore Lokeni Toailoa during team drills and walk-throughs. Toailoa was in the conversation to play at middle linebacker last year as a true freshman, but was stuck behind veterans Young and Isaako Savaiinaea. With Savaiinaea graduated, Toailoa pushed Young to the weak-side linebacker role and got to run with the No. 1 defense. Junior Josh Woods then slid to strong-side linebacker where he played last year.

Freshman Daay Holmes joined junior Nate Meadors in the starting coerback roles in Saturday’s practice, bumping junior Denzel Fisher to the second unit for the day. Octavius Spencer stepped into the No. 1 nickelback role, which had been Holmes’ during the first three days of practice.

Tempers flare

Sophomore Mique Juarez and freshman Shea Pitts got into a small scuffle on the sideline after a special teams period. Teammates came in to break up the small shoving match.

Injury report

Running back Soso Jamabo missed his second straight day of practice with a tight back. The junior rode the stationary bike and did individual conditioning work on the sideline for most of the nearly three-hour practice.

Quotable

“There are guys who have clearly secured their (starting) position, but we don’t want anybody to get comfortable so we don’t say who those are.” — Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch

Thuc Nhi Nguyen

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