Bruins Senior LB Preps For Final Collegiate Game

The UCLA Bruins are unfortunately ineligible for a bowl game this year, making this Saturday's matchup with Fresno State, their final game of the year. For a large group of seniors, it will be the last in a Bruins uniform, including linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo.

Oct 21, 2023; Stanford, California, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo (2) after defeating the Stanford Cardinal at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (4-7) are preparing for their final game of the season after falling short last weekend against USC to have a chance to become bowl-eligible. For senior linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo and many others, it will be the final game of their career in a Bruins jersey.

Oladejo is finishing his second season with the Bruins after transferring from Cal before the 2023 season. He has totaled 111 tackles, five sacks, and an interception in his time with the Bruins and has been an integral part of the Bruins defensive unit.

Prior to the team's practice on Tuesday, Oladejo spoke to the media and was asked what it means to be a Bruin and how he has developed throughout the course of his career. He will be suiting up for the final time this Saturday and understands the gravity of the situation for him and the rest of the seniors.

"Incredibly grateful for the Bruin program, UCLA program," Oladejo said. "[I] came in here at the age of 19, I'm now 21, so I've grown here a lot. Grown as a man, matured not just on the field, but off the field as well. So this means a lot to me."

Oladejo has been coached for the past few years by first-year defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, who was the outside linebackers coach since 2021. He and Oladejo have worked alongside each other the past several seasons, and there is an exceptional bond between them.

Malloe was nominated earlier this week for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in all of college football. Oladejo commented on what Malloe has done to help him throughout his career and gave him praise for the award nomination.

"Coach Malloe is a great guy, great passion, great energy, true love [for the game]," Oladejo said. "He's a football coach, also a life coach. Takes a lot of passion and just embraces everything. So he's just a great guy, I didn't know that, so that's awesome for him, excited for him."

For Oledajo and the other seniors, this will be an emotional game. The final time you wear your team colors gives you a flashback to the first time you put them on and took the field. This will surely be a game to remember for the entire senior group, which will give it their all against Fresno State (6-5).

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