Former Sailors’ standout Theriot to start for UCLA

Newport Harbor High product Trevor Theriot, the Newport-Mesa Player of the Year as a senior in 2004, is scheduled to start at fullback in the UCLA football team’s season opener Saturday at Pac-10 rival Stanford.

The 6-foot, 229-pound Theriot, a redshirt sophomore who began his career in Westwood as a walk-on, played in four games in 2006, two on offense and two on special teams.

Theriot did not carry the ball or catch a pass last season, but that figures to change. He will also play on the kickoff return and punt units for the Bruins.

Theriot rushed for 1,328 yards and seven touchdowns on 222 carries as a senior for the Sailors, for whom he was a three-year starter at linebacker. Theriot helped Newport Harbor reach the CIF Southern Section Division VI title game in 2004.

He was named Newport-Mesa Player of the Year, Sea View League Most Valuable Player and CIF Division VI Co-Offensive Player of the Year that season and was later named MVP of the Shrine All-Star Game.

— Barry Faulkner