UCLA football: Bruins land American River lineman Casey Griffiths

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UCLA picked up immediate help on the offensive line, as American River College guard Casey Griffiths has committed to the Bruins.

The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Griffiths will join the Bruins in August and will have three years of eligibility remaining. He played his freshman season at American River.

Griffiths is the second lineman the Bruins have acquired this week, as Jacob Brendel, who will be a senior at Plano East High School this fall, said he has committed to UCLA.

Griffiths, though, is immediate help. The Bruins offensive line has lost tackle Xavier Su’a-Filo, who is on a two-year Mormon mission. Center Kai Maiava was academically ineligible for the EagleBank Bowl, and his status is in question. Stanley Hasiak, who will be a sophomore, has been twice suspended for disciplinary reasons. Griffiths’ presence could allow coaches to move guard Jeff Baca to tackle.

Griffiths said the opportunity to play immediately lured him away from American River, where he had one more year of eligibility.

“It was such a good opportunity to play,” Griffiths said. “UCLA has had some misfortune [on the offensive line] and with the position I play, I can do something right now instead of sitting around. I’m going down there to be a player.”
Griffiths said that UCLA was the only school trying to get him immediately. Others schools, “were calling and were going to come watch me play this season and evaluate me more,” Griffiths said.

-- Chris Foster