Sports
WATCH: UCLA Launches Game One Man Down to Honor Nick Pasquale
The offense goes into a "missing-man" formation for its first play.
UCLA started its 59-13 blowout against New Mexico State Saturday one man down.
And it wasn't a mistake.
According to several media outlets, the missing-man formation was yet another tribute to freshman player Nick Pasquale, whose death remains fresh and raw with the team.
“That was the players’ idea and Noel (Mazzone)’s idea,” coach Jim Mora told the student newspaper, the UCLA Daily Bruin. “Our 11th guy out there was ‘Pacman,’ and the players were fired up about doing that. I’m glad we did it.”
Pasquale, a former standout football player at San Clemente High School and a walk-on for the UCLA Bruins, died two weeks ago, struck by a car as he walked to his San Clemente home from a party.
UCLA had a bye that week and Pasquale, a graduate of the Class of 2012, was in town to visit family, watch a Tritons game and reconnect with friends
USA Today reported that for their first offensive play Saturday, the Bruins broke the huddle with 11 players to avoid a penalty. But then wide receiver Shaquelle Evans headed to the sidelines
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