Suspended wideouts earn playing time by squaring off against scout teams

The UCLA football team names two scout team players of the week at the conclusion of the week’s practices.

Last week’s decision was a no-brainer.

Scholarship players sophomore defensive tackle Cassius Marsh and redshirt sophomore Ricky Marvray ran away with the honors as they were serving their respective Pac-12 mandated suspensions by dominating the scout teams, which are largely comprised of walk-ons.

It was painfully clear that the suspended players ““ four of them being wide receivers ““ were leaps and bounds ahead of the scout players, but now they’re back. All of them are eligible for Saturday’s game against Arizona State except for Marsh, who was the only player in the altercation that was given a two-game suspension for the fight that occurred during UCLA’s 48-12 loss to Arizona.

“I’m not a selfish person, so I do whatever I can do to help the team win,” redshirt sophomore receiver Shaquelle Evans said. “I was out there giving the defense a good look to make sure they were ready for Saturday.”

While the first-team defense doesn’t have Evans or his wide receiver compatriots to compete against this week in practice, they will be back on the field Saturday. UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said the Bruins would “go back to how we do things” at receiver, meaning the suspended players will be thrown back into the rotation, and receivers like redshirt sophomore Jerry Rice Jr. will head back to the bench.

Not so fast says offensive coordinator Mike Johnson.

“(The suspended players) all know that if they’re not going to be physical this week, they’re going to be sitting on the sideline, so I’m watching them closely,” Johnson said. “They’re going to earn their snaps this week.”

Evans said having to sit out was painful, but he looks at it as a learning experience.

“It’s a humbling experience to get suspended,” Evans said. “It makes you appreciate what you’re able to do every Saturday because some people don’t get to do it. Seeing how it is on the scout team showed me how lucky I am to be out there on gameday.”

Following with the trend of the team, Evans is remembering what happened that fateful night in the desert without dwelling on it.

“All of us got suspended at one time because we had each others’ backs,” Evans said. “We don’t want to do anything like that again, but we know it brought us closer together.”

Riley ruled out

Neuheisel said it was “extremely doubtful” that sophomore safety Dietrich Riley will play in Saturday’s game after a scary hit he took against Cal. Riley led with his head in an attempt to make a tackle and collided with Cal’s Isi Sofele.

Riley said he could not feel his upper or lower body momentarily and was held in the hospital overnight. Riley will undergo an MRI this morning from a doctor that he sought out for a second opinion. He said he feels “great” and hopes to return to the field next week.

“We have guys that are willing to step in and carry on,” Riley said. “I’m just being safe for precautionary reasons. We’re just playing it safe. I’m not in a rush to return.”