LOS ANGELES — Numerous coaches in Westwood had shouted out Donavyn Pellot’s name since he arrived as a true freshman in 2023.
The linebacker from Las Vegas played in five games that season, shedding redshirt status and playing in late-season games against USC, Cal and in the Los Angeles Bowl against Boise State.
After Pellot’s emergent start, his name turned silent on the radar. A spring injury before the 2024 season wiped out his sophomore campaign – joining the rehabilitation squad for the year that included the likes of tight end Hudson Habermehl and wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. – and Pellot had to begin the waiting game rather than hustle down the Rose Bowl turf.
This season has been different for Pellot. Since senior defensive analyst Kevin Coyle’s arrival – prior to the Northwestern game and following then-defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe’s departure – the redshirt sophomore has seen plenty of playing time, recording multiple tackles in five consecutive games since the Bruins lost to the Wildcats in Evanston, Illinois.
“I learned a lot – just about myself, the type of person I am, the type of person I want to be, type of person, type of player, that sort of thing,” Pellot said when asked about his year away from playing. “Going through those hardships. It really builds character.”
He continued: “(The season has) been great. Honestly, I’m glad to be back with my teammates, glad to be back playing ball.”
Across his five appearances, he’s tallied 11 tackles (eight solo tackles), while helping to shore up a defensive front that’s infused with younger energy with Bruins such as freshmen Scott Taylor and Jewelous “Juju” Walls, all of whom have worked with associate head coach and inside linebackers coach Scott White.
“The belief he has in, honestly, everyone in the room is amazing,” Pellot said of White. “He’s a great teacher, a great leader. He breathes confidence into us.”
Berger believes
Redshirt senior Jalen Berger has seen an increased role within the Bruins’ running back room over the past five weeks.
The second-year Bruin, who was once billed alongside Jaivian Thomas by then-head coach DeShaun Foster as a one-two punch, had quite a slow start to the season – averaging 2.8 yards per carry across the Bruins’ first two games – before exploding for 89- and 65-yard efforts against Michigan State and Maryland, respectively.
In its last game, however, UCLA (3-5 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) regressed altogether in the running game. Berger tallied just 17 rushing yards on five carries in the 56-6 loss to No. 2 Indiana, while the team recorded just 88 rushing yards altogether.
What does UCLA need to do to get back to its previous marks – like rushing for 269 yards against Penn State and 238 yards against Michigan State – when it faces Nebraska (6-3, 3-3) on Saturday?
Berger said the Bruins need to trust themselves.
“Just do what we can with the opportunities we get,” Berger said. “We went down kind of early in the game (against Indiana), so it’s hard to run the ball when you’re down so many scores. So, just do what we can with the opportunities we get.”
