UCLA football holds energetic spring game at Rose Bowl

The big winner of UCLA’s spring football game was anyone looking for signs of life in the program.

A year ago, the team held what was dubbed a spring showcase before a smattering of fans. It was a glorified practice, with quarterback Nico Iamaleava watching in sunglasses and a designer T-shirt after having recently transferred from Tennessee.

This was something else entirely.

On a warm, sunny Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, there were trick plays galore — including a flea-flicker from Iamaleava and a William “Refrigerator” Perry-style run involving 330-pound offensive lineman Mike McDonald — during a real spring game before an enthusiastic crowd of about 10,000.

In a display high on energy but low on offensive highlights under new coach Bob Chesney, the Blue team held on for a 24-17 victory over the White. The Blue team consisted of mostly the first-string defense and the White represented mostly their offensive counterparts, with a few others sprinkled in on each side.

Players from the victorious team sprinted into the end zone in celebration after backup quarterback Ty Dieffenbach’s pass on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line sailed out of the back of the end zone.

During an on-field interview broadcast over the stadium’s sound system, Chesney signaled his intentions for a program that hasn’t made a peep nationally since winning the Pac-10 title in 1998.

“We’re back, baby,” Chesney told the fans. “We’re back.”

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Chesney infused fun into the proceedings, inviting men’s water polo coach Adam Wright to call plays for the Blue team and women’s basketball coach Cori Close to call plays for the White team. Chesney said Close had sought advice from Rams coach Sean McVay about what to call.

This was all about friends and family.

Competing against his older brother, backup quarterback Madden Iamaleava put the Blue ahead, 24-17, when he completed a 45-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Kenneth Moore III.

It was redemption for Moore after he collided with a referee on an earlier deep pass that fell incomplete, bowling the referee over.

Watching Moore take questions from the media while standing behind reporters, Chesney chimed in with one of his own, jokingly asking why he had let the ref get in his way.

Without missing a beat, Moore matched his coach’s wit. 

“That was great defense,” Moore shot back. “All I can say is that was great defense. I didn’t even see him. He was so stealthy.”

Madden Iamaleava also completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Landon Ellis.

His sibling had a few highlights of his own. Nico Iamaleava completed a flea-flicker to Jackson Meehan for 47 yards and showed off his mobility by taking off running on a long gain. The elder Iamaleava also fired a 7-yard touchdown pass to Mikey Matthews in the back of the end zone.

“I thought the whole QB room just did OK,” Nico Iamealeava said, “so I think all of us are looking for some type of improvement.”

The defensive standouts were linebacker Sammy Omosigho, who made a vicious hit, registered a sack and tipped a pass that fell incomplete, as well as defensive lineman Lucien Holland, who forced a fumble after surging into the backfield while also making a sack and another tackle for loss.

Wanting the game to serve as a rehearsal for the home opener against San Diego State on Sept. 12, Chesney put his team up in a nearby hotel Friday. The team also visited the stadium that night to walk the field, many coaches and players seeing the Rose Bowl logo outside lit up for the first time.

“To get a chance to walk in here and just feel this and see all of these surroundings and the things that took place in this venue,” Chesney said, “is pretty special.”

Chesney’s other primary goals included avoiding injuries and entertaining the crowd.

His team went 2 for 2.

Among the fans was former UCLA defensive back Bob Stiles, who made the goal-line stop on a two-point conversion to give the Bruins an upset of top-ranked Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl. After gazing onto the field to take in the scene, Stiles turned around and provided his assessment to a group of reporters.

“This,” Stiles said, “is fun.”