UCLA Football: Returning Bruin Reflects On Transfer's Instant Impact

He was quite the help!

Your UCLA Bruins rang in their 2023 football season with an emphatic 27-13 win over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday.

Though the story postgame was probably the emergence of 18-year-old true freshman Dante Moore as a real threat to take junior Ethan Garbers' job as the team's starting quarterback, transfer wide receiver J. Michael Sturdivant was UCLA's official player of the game.

The 6'3" redshirt sophomore, formerly hailing from the University of California at Berkley, caught five receptions for a total of 136 yards (averaging 27.2 per) and ran in one touchdown during the winning effort.

Mike Regadalo of Bruin Report Online (247Sports) reveals that Sturdivant's play impressed sophomore running back Carsen Ryan, who chipped in another of the team's touchdowns on the night.

"J-Mike's a great player, super explosive, super fast, great hands, great route-runner," Ryan said. "It's great to have him here. We've got tons of other great guys who can do that as well. I think this team's going to be special. We've got a lot of potential here. We've just got to put it all together."

Ryan, meanwhile, recorded one 21-yard touchdown off his lone reception. He's already well-versed in diplomatic postgame pressers it would appear, as he made sure to quickly pivot the conversation to a more inclusive framing that incorporated the club's other wide receivers.