Kicking Specialists Return To Ucla For 2026 Season

All nan caller news has been astir really basking UCLA is erstwhile it comes to nan transportation portal. When nan play came to an extremity for nan Bruins, complete 20 of nan existent oster deed nan portal. Bob Chesney and his staff came successful and countered that pinch 38 incoming, and it's still counting.

A fewer of those outgoings person made a U-turn, and that goes for their kicker, Mateen Bhaghani. The elder deed nan transportation portal early successful nan offseason but has changed his mind and is heading backmost to Pasadena for nan 2026 season.

It was Bhagani's 2nd twelvemonth pinch nan Bruins aft transferring from Cal. During nan 2025 season, he made 100% of his other constituent attempts, securing each 22. He was beautiful coagulated erstwhile it came to section goals, pinch an 80% occurrence rate, hitting 16 of 20 attempts. His longest of nan play was a 54-yarder, and he besides had different 50+-yarder, though he deed 1 from 57 yards successful 2024 successful his first play astatine UCLA.

Getting him backmost is simply a immense spot of activity from Chesney and nan staff. Bhagani has been accordant successful his 3 seasons successful college, ne'er missing an other point. He has ever been complete 80% from nan field, pinch 2025 being his lowest successful college.

Early successful nan season, Bhagani showcased his clutch gene, nailing a walk-off winning section goal against Maryland successful nan Rose Bowl. It was conscionable a spot shot, but it still showed he had nan composure to decorativeness nan occupation nan discourtesy had fixed him. In his first crippled pinch UCLA, he had a game-winning section extremity successful nan last infinitesimal against Hawaii.

UCLA Add Former Punter to Roster

Bhagani was not nan only typical teams subordinate to travel backmost to UCLA. The squad added Chase Barry, nan team's erstwhile punter. The 2022 enlistee spent 4 seasons pinch nan Bruins earlier entering nan transportation portal this past season. He transferred to Oklahoma State, wherever he saw constricted crippled time.

Barry is now backmost pinch nan squad and looks group to compete pinch another transfer for punting work successful 2026. Former San Houston punter Curtis Gerrand came in, and nan Australian comes pinch coagulated stats.

The 2 signings won't beryllium what galore talk astir this off-season, but they consciousness arsenic important, fixed nan consistency they bring to nan team.

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