LOS ANGELES – Matt Mengel reached a low point three weeks ago at Stanford.
UCLA’s senior punter looked shaky during the 21-point loss.
Five of his six punts traveled less than 40 yards and none of them pinned the Cardinal inside its 20-yard line, a chief reason Stanford’s average starting field position that night was on its 41-yard line. At the time, Mengel ranked last in the Pac-12 in yards per punt.
The Bruins had reached a punting conundrum.
Mengel was struggling. His backup, Adam Searl, had been suspended indefinitely following an arrest for an alleged sexual assault.