UCLA safety Stephan Blaylock will try to make his final game something special
EL PASO, Texas — Playing in every game of the Chip Kelly era means that Stephan Blaylock can tell you some things about perseverance.
The veteran safety has pushed through three losing seasons. Several rosters' worth of turnover among teammates. Trash-talking from fans that cut deeper than anything said by an opponent. A bowl game canceled only hours before kickoff, leading to a flood of tears.
Unlike scores of others who bolted amid the frustration and disappointment, Blaylock remained, a UCLA fixture as steady as the bear statue in Bruin Plaza, as reliable as an eight-clap in boosting spirits.
"One thing I wanted to do while coming into this program was just change the culture," Blaylock said, "and with change you've got to go through some difficult times."
On Friday, he'll put on his jersey one last time
