UCLA QB Josh Rosen has 'nerve issue' in throwing shoulder

UCLA coach Jim Mora has been mum about the shoulder injury that has kept star sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen out of action.

After Saturday’s 52-45 loss at Utah, in which Rosen sat out for a second straight week, Mora said he was “not worried” about Rosen. Monday, Mora offered some specifics about Rosen’s injury, saying Rosen is dealing with a nerve issue in his throwing shoulder. Mora didn’t offer a timetable for his return, but said once the nerve “starts firing again, he should be fine.”

Anybody who saw Rosen leave the Bruins’ Oct. 8 loss at Arizona State after a hard fall knew he was dealing with a shoulder issue, but nerve injuries can be tricky. Rosen had already been dealing with a leg injury during that game, and came out in the second half. He tested the shoulder out on the sideline and did not return.

Rosen then missed the game at Washington State the following week and his status was up in the air throughout the week to play Saturday against the Utes. Per the Los Angeles Times, Rosen was only able to throw “some short left-handed passes,” “pat receivers on the back” and “pantomime a throwing motion” for backup Mike Fafaul during pregame warmups.

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That doesn’t sound too promising for Rosen, who is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the country, and could be disastrous for UCLA, which is having an incredibly disappointing season. The Bruins, a preseason Pac-12 favorite, have lost three straight to drop to 3-5 on the year.

Fafaul, a former walk-on, has been up-and-down starting in Rosen’s place the past two weeks. UCLA’s run game has been dreadful all year, so Mora opened things up and went to the air the past two weeks – against the Utes, especially. Fafaul was 40-of-70 for 464 yards and five touchdowns in the 52-45 loss, but also tossed four costly interceptions.

UCLA has a bye before traveling to Colorado for its next game on Nov. 3. At this point, it seems like a stretch for the Bruins to even reach a bowl game.

For more UCLA news, visit BruinSportsReport.com.

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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!

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