UCLA offensive tackle Conor McDermott versus Texas A&M defensive end Myles Garrett could be the most intriguing individual matchup of the Bruins’ Sept. 3 season opener.
It probably won’t be entirely a one-on-one battle.
Tight end Nate Iese will try to help McDermott keep Garrett out of the Bruins’ backfield, one of the benefits of UCLA switching to an offense that features tight ends and fullbacks.
“It always helps when you can put different bodies on a person,” UCLA offensive coordinator Kennedy Polamalu said Friday.
Preventing Garrett, projected as one of the top picks in the 2017 NFL draft, from getting a hand on quarterback Josh Rosen and the Bruins’ running backs is only part of Iese’s challenge.