Ryan Nece Class: Senior Hometown: San Bernardino, CA High School: Pacific Height / Weight: 6-3 / 224 Position: Outside Linebacker Birthdate: 02/24/1979

UCLA — Ryan, who will be a four-year starter for the Bruins, has established himself as an outstanding linebacker … He possesses good all-around physical tools necessary to be one of the top linebackers in the Pac-10 … He has great vision on the field … A dedicated student of the game, his leadership and experience will be critical for the Bruins … He had off-season surgery on both shoulders that should enable him to be even more physical this season … Enters his senior year with 228 tackles and needs just 20 to break into UCLA’s career Top 20.

2000 — Nece, who played the entire year with a shoulder that required post-season surgery, was selected to the 2000 pre-season Watch List for the Butkus Award, which honors the nation’s top linebacker … On the year, Nece ranked second on the squad with 78 tackles and forced two fumbles … He started all 12 games and played at least 40 snaps in every one, including 82 at Oregon, 71 versus Stanford, 67 at Washington and 62 at California … In the season-opening win against Alabama, he tied for the team lead with six tackles. … At Oregon, he made 13 tackles, tying Tony White for the team lead … In the win over Arizona State, he was credited with three tackles and forced a fumble … At California, he ranked second with six tackles, including his first sack of the year, and also forced a fumble … That fumble led to a Bruin touchdown just before halftime … In the victory at Arizona, Nece registered six tackles and added six more stops in the win over Stanford … Against Washington, he led the team with a career-high 14 tackles, the most by a Bruin since Robert Thomas made 14 versus Fresno State in 1999, and added four against USC in the regular-season finale … In the Sun Bowl against Wisconsin, he led the Bruins with 11 tackles, including one for loss.

1999 — Saw action in nine games, all as a starter … Finished third on the team with 65 stops … Also had three stops behind the line, two sacks and the first interception of his career versus Arizona State … Had 10 tackles in his first start vs. Fresno State after serving a two-game suspension for an off-field situation … Blocked a punt vs. Oregon … Had 10 tackles in the Oregon State game, including his first sack of the season … Had 10 more stops vs. Arizona, with seven primary hits … Recovered a fumble and had nine tackles against Washington … Led the Bruins with 10 stops in the USC game, with two tackles for loss … Played at least 50 snaps in six games, including 66 at USC, 61 versus Fresno State and 60 at Oregon State.

1998 — As a redshirt freshman inside linebacker, Nece earned first-team Freshman All-American honors and All-Pac-10 honorable mention in his first year in the lineup … Nece was the team’s No. 2 tackler behind All-American Larry Atkins with 85 and ranked second with six sacks and 10 tackles for losses … He also recovered two fumbles and forced one while defensing five passes … Started the final nine games of the year, moving into the lineup against Arizona, and made at least seven tackles eight times, including each of the last seven games … Played at least 66 defensive snaps in seven games, including 80 at Oregon State, 78 at Washington, 75 versus Oregon and 69 against USC and Stanford … Played at least 50 snaps in nine of 12 contests … He was also a regular on the field goal block unit … In the regular-season finale at Miami, he made a season-high and team-best 12 tackles … Had an outstanding day versus WSU with eight stops and two tackles for loss, including a sack … At Arizona, he added six stops, including a 13-yard sack … In the Oregon game, he made five stops, including a tackle for loss … At California, he made nine tackles, including one sack and a second for a loss … Versus Stanford, he shared team-best honors with eight stops … He had eight stops at Oregon State in addition to a pass breakup and forced fumble … He added seven stops in the win at Washington … In the win over USC, Nece made seven tackles, tied for second on the squad, recovered a fumble and recorded one quarterback sack … In the Rose Bowl, he made eight tackles, including his sixth sack of the season.

1997 — Did not see action in his first year at UCLA … Practiced at safety and shifted to inside linebacker the following Spring.

HIGH SCHOOL — PrepStar All-American and All-West selection … Earned All-League honors as a senior as both a safety and a quarterback at Pacific High School in San Bernardino, CA … Earned All-City honors … Named team MVP as a senior … Served as team captain as both a senior and junior … Named Athlete of the Year at his school as a junior … As a senior, recorded 45 solo tackles, 32 assists, five sacks, five interceptions, six fumble recoveries and 15 pass breakups … On offense, he rushed for 747 yards and eight touchdowns and passed for 957 yards and 17 more touchdowns … As a junior, he passed for 776 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushed for 461 yards and five scores … Credited with 68 tackles, seven sacks, four interceptions, five fumble recoveries and 13 pass breakups … He was named all-league as a safety as a junior … Also earned all-league honors in basketball and track.

PERSONAL — Full Name: Ryan Clint Nece … Born: February 24, 1979 in San Bernardino, CA … Father is Ronnie Lott and stepmother is Karen Lott … Mother is Cathy Thomas … Has one brother, Isahia and five sisters, Chloe, Lauren, Katlyn, Kirsten and Hailey … Lists Jerry Rice as the athlete he admires the most … Father is now a studio host for Fox Sports following an outstanding football career as one of the top safeties in NFL history … Lott was an All-American at USC, where his assistant coach his first two years (1977 and 1978) was Bob Toledo … Ryan lists his hobbies as basketball and surfing the internet … Earned spot on Director’s Honor Roll in Fall 1997 with his 3.43 GPA, Winter 1999 (3.00), Spring 1999 (3.23), Fall 2000 (3.23) and Winter 2001 (3.00) … Business Economics major.

Varsity Statistics - R. Nece
Tackles

Career Highs
Tackles: 14 vs. Washington, 2000; 13 vs. Oregon, 2000; 12 vs. Miami, 1998; 11 vs. Wisconsin, 2000