Lavender Shines, Center Battle Shifts | UCLA Bruins Football News

Freshman CJ Lavender is dominating UCLA’s preseason scrimmage with explosive play and maturity beyond his years, already earning first-team reps despite a loaded secondary. Meanwhile, center duties are shifting unexpectedly—with Derek Osman getting top reps over Sam Yoon, who’s now likely third-string. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava is turning things around, showing sharper decision-making and improved command of the offense, thanks in part to Derek Carr’s presence. San Jose State transfer Leland Smith remains under the radar, with no clear role emerging yet. With the season opener against Cal just weeks away, these developments could reshape the roster—and the outcome is far from certain. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/59b7f8e1ad7a64f1