LOS ANGELES (AP) -Redshirt junior Kevin Craft will start at quarterback for UCLA in its season opener against No. 18 Tennessee.
``He's earned it with his consistent play and he has the best mastery of the offense at this point,'' first-year UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel said after practice on Monday.
Craft was competing with redshirt freshman Chris Forcier for the job.
UCLA plays Tennessee on Sept. 1 at the Rose Bowl.
The Bruins lost Patrick Cowan, who was scheduled to be their starter, to a knee injury in spring practice that will sideline him for the season. Ben Olson moved back into the starting role, but he broke his foot at practice on Sept. 9 and is expected to miss at least eight weeks.
Craft transferred from Mt. San Antonio Junior College last spring.
In 2006, Craft played nine games, including five starts, as a redshirt freshman at San Diego State. He was 69-of-121 for 737 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions that season.
He left for Mt. SAC, and was 313-of-511 for 4,231 yards, 44 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last season as the Mounties went 10-3 and won the Southern California Junior College championship.
