Kevin Craft named starting quarterback

After practice on Monday, UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel made the announcement everyone has been waiting for since quarterback Ben Olson was sidelined over a week ago.

Despite having a tough start at Saturday's scrimmage, Kevin Craft was named the starting quarterback for the Bruins and will open the season against Tennessee on Sept. 1 at the Rose Bowl.

“We’ve decided to name Kevin Craft our starting quarterback,” Neuheisel said. “He’s earned it with his consistent play, and he has the best mastery of the offense at this point.”

Craft is a junior transfer from Mount San Antonio College, where he completed 313 of 511 passes for 4,231 yards, 44 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season.

In 2005 and 2006, Craft played for the San Diego State Aztecs. As a redshirt freshman in 2006, he played in nine games for the Aztecs and started five. He completed 69 of 121 passes during that season for 737 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Craft bested redshirt freshman Chris Forcier for the starting position.