LOS ANGELES — It was every kid kicker’s dream and millionaire coach’s queasy scenario, a fateful flash of seconds defining their team’s narrative for at least the next week.
As the last blocker crouched into place for the game’s final play Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl, UCLA kicker Nicholas Barr-Mira lined up behind his holder. He measured off two wide steps to his left. He waited for the snap with his team trailing South Alabama by two points and just three seconds left.
A back-and-forth game filled with bizarre plays and Bruins blunders needed resolution. Would Barr-Mira, a former walk-on who had been perfect on the day after a shaky start to the season, fully redeem himself? Or would he falter under the pressure of his first game-deciding kick at any level of football, reviving doubts about UCLA under coach Chip Kelly?
