UC Berkeley Sports Information Cal quarterback
Kyle Boller will miss Saturday’s matchup against
UCLA because of a chronic spine injury which causes numbness in his
legs.
By Scott Bair
Daily Bruin Reporter
The 2001 California football team has a nickname that stems from
their baseball counterparts. Their name: “The Bad News
Bears.”
The 0-6 cellar-dwellers lost one of the year’s few bright
spots for Cal. Junior quarterback Kyle Boller will not play on
Saturday against UCLA.
Boller has been battling a spine injury since the beginning of
the season. He has been experiencing numbness in his legs and had
an MRI Tuesday.
“I made the decision right away. We’re getting him
healthy,” Cal head coach Tom Holmoe said. “He’s
out of this game. Even if the MRI comes back clean, I want those
symptoms gone.”
Boller has given the Bruins fits over the last two years. The
Los Angeles native led the Bears to a 46-38 triple-overtime
comeback victory last season.
“For me it’s disappointing that he’s not
playing,” UCLA linebacker Ryan Nece said. “Kyle Boller
beat us twice. As a senior, this is my last opportunity to play him
and I would have loved the opportunity to get after him a little
bit.”
The Cal athletic department refused to speculate on the date of
his return.
It is certain that Boller will not play in Pasadena on Saturday,
which may be good for his health.
The UCLA defense has been getting after quarterbacks all season.
Last week, in the game against Washington, the Bruin defense put
quarterback Taylor Barton on the ground on almost every passing
play.
“He probably sat down, watched our film (from the
Washington game) and said “No, no I can’t take another
beating,” UCLA safety Marques Anderson said.