Tennessee Stat Book
UCLA Bruins
LOS ANGELES - UCLA tailback Kahlil Bell says his right knee doesn't feel any different than it did last August. It just looks different when he's on the football field.
Full football gear for Bell now includes a brace on his right knee, which required surgery last year after he suffered a torn ACL in the eighth game.
Eight months later, Bell is comfortable with the brace and confident he can run as effectively as last season when he rushed for 817 yards.
"I don't feel any pain when I cut," said Bell, a 6-foot, 220-pound senior. "I feel as good as I did last year.
"The brace is mandatory with the doctors. It's not the prettiest thing in the world. But if it keeps my knee safe, I'm all for it."
Bell missed all of spring practice and has been limited in preseason workouts. He has carried the ball just enough to convince himself he hasn't lost a step.
"I feel great," he said. "I haven't got that many live carries. But on the carries I got, I felt fine. I felt I was back to the form I left off at."
The Bruins can only hope he's right. They're breaking in a new quarterback in Monday night's season opener against Tennessee, and they have a revamped offensive line.
They don't need a question mark at running back.
Tennessee Tradition: Rick Neuheisel will become the third coach to open his UCLA head-coaching career against UT.
Bob Toledo coached his first game against UT in 1996 (a 35-20 loss), and Dick Vermeil began his UCLA career with a 17-17 tie against UT in 1974.
Winning Streak: Since losing to UT in the 1996 season opener, the Bruins are 2-0 against the SEC in openers. UCLA beat Alabama 35-24 in the 2000 opener and 20-17 in the 2001 opener.
Same Old Song: "Rocky Top" is getting plenty of airtime on the West Coast this week. It's played at the end of each UCLA practice.
Sports editor John Adams may be reached at 865-342-6284.
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Comments » 14
RockyTop31174 writes:
1st - hahahahahahaha Keep John Adams
Volomatic writes:
Rocky Top will get more airtime monday night every time we get in the endzone.
UT 31
ucla 10
BSweet writes:
Sure his knee is fine now, but how will it handle real contact? I don't wish injury on the kid, but McCoy, Berry, Morley, and all the rest aren't going to ask him to go down politely. They will lay the wood on him. I guess we'll see if he can take it.
Is anyone else getting the feeling that our D feels they have something to prove, and that they might just tear this already patch-work O to pieces? Man, I hope we do.
ravensearay writes:
They will hand the ball to him their first 2 plays and he will get stuffed for losses.
Tennessee by 30
DroopyDrawers writes:
The kool-aid has started early. I will take a win.
SemperVol writes:
Those orange jerseys will rang yo' bell, brotha!
SemperVol writes:
Correction, white jerseys. Away game and all. Premature post there. Where's my comment inhibitor medicine?
GoVol writes:
I don't think the brace on his knee will help hold his head on...our D will rip him apart!
givehim6 writes:
Does Bell have a few good back-up's? Foster does! GO VOLS!
tnbanker_govols writes:
Did they give UCLA the lyrics to Rocky Top as well?
jasonn1970 writes:
Tennessee 30
UCLA 0
At least they'll know what they keep hearing.
IBleedOrange444 writes:
I think he's got 2 freshmen backing him up. With their "O" line, there shouldn't be too many holes for him to hit. Hope that sound knee doesn't make any funny popping sounds when he's getting dropped for a loss.
RockyTop31174 writes:
KEEP JOHN ADAMS - BOYCOTT VOLS0073 POSTS
DannyVol writes:
Good news for the other team = the way John Adams makes a living. He's the Benedict Arnold of East Tennessee.
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