The budding bromance between UCLA coach Bob Chesney and Oregon’s Dan Lanning continues to build momentum.
Chesney said on Tuesday that not only did Lanning check in on injured Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava – reciprocating a gesture that Chesney had made a few weeks earlier when he inquired about Ducks quarterback Dante Moore’s well-being – but also offered to help UCLA out of another bind.
“He also called when we were in the hotel when our plane was delayed [heading home] and was like, ‘Is there anything we could help with? Do you need a place to go?’” Chesney said.
“I think he’s as stand-up a person as exists in this profession.”
Lanning had lavished similar comments on Chesney late last month after Chesney texted Lanning to ask if there was anything he could do to assist Moore. At the time, the Oregon quarterback had been sent to the hospital after sustaining a concussion from a nasty hit by USC linebacker Desman Stephens II at the Coliseum.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for him and his program,” Lanning told Jim Rome in late September.
Moore remained out for the Ducks’ 17-15 loss to UCLA last weekend, though he’s expected to return this season.
The same cannot be said for Iamaleava after he suffered a serious knee injury late in the second quarter against the Ducks. He’s expected to miss the rest of the season, forcing his team to turn to backups Ty Dieffenbach and Madden Iamaleava.
Chesney said Dieffenbach would start for the No. 12 Bruins (5-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) on Saturday at the Rose Bowl against Wisconsin (4-1, 2-0).
Chesney did not appear to hold any grudges over what Lanning said Monday about Oregon defensive tackle Bear Alexander’s punch to the helmet of Iamaleava, which Chesney called “egregious.”
Lanning told reporters in Oregon on Monday that he believed Alexander was trying to punch the ball out of Iamaleava’s grasp.
“I think Bear was trying to take a ball shot,” Lanning said. “We’re pretty aggressive about when the quarterback’s running, there’s opportunities that the ball is loose. Obviously, it’s late, right? And it’s not it’s not the way it needs to be done, wasn’t executed the right way. Bear knows that. I think he feels bad about that. It’s one of the first things he said to me. He goes, ‘I didn’t want to, I wasn’t trying to hurt the guy.’ ”
