Greg Rogers felt the burn and found it exhilarating. It meant he was playing in a college football game.
UCLA coaches had hoped to redshirt the freshman defensive lineman this season but put him on notice that he might lose that extra year out of necessity if there was a rash of injuries. That moment came Saturday when defensive linemen Matt Dickerson and Jacob Tuioti-Mariner were hurt against Oregon.
Goodbye, redshirt. Hello, opportunity.
Rogers made the most of it when he helped the Bruins get the penetration they needed on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter, helping fellow defensive lineman Osa Odighizuwa force a fumble.