He's a captain for our team. He's not only a playmaker for our defense but he's a leader for our team. – Fred Warner

UCLA (1-1) at BYU (1-1)

Saturday, 8:15 p.m. MDT, LaVell Edwards Stadium

TV: ESPN2

Radio: 1160 AM, 102.7 FM

PROVO — When BYU takes on UCLA and its highly touted quarterback, Josh Rosen, Saturday night in its home-opener, it will be without star senior safety Kai Nacua — at least for the first half.

In the third quarter of BYU’s 20-19 loss at Utah last Saturday night, the Cougars lost two defensive backs on back-to-back plays due to targeting calls. Nacua, who recorded two interceptions against the Utes, and freshman cornerback Austin McChesney, were both ejected. According to NCAA rules, both will be forced to sit out in the first half against the Bruins this week.

BYU attempted to appeal the calls, but coach Kalani Sitake said Monday that he learned that “the appeal was basically Saturday night. The rule is that if there’s no replay available, then they would review it. In this one, there was a replay official available and they made that decision and it was set in concrete Saturday night. That’s just the way the protocol is.”

The call against Nacua was an especially controversial one, a decision coach Sitake vehemently disagreed with on the field Saturday, resulting in an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Monday, he said he still felt the same way about the play as he did after watching it over and over again on Utah’s “super big-screen” at Rice-Eccles Stadium.

Nacua has three interceptions this season and is tied for No. 1 in the country in that category.

So how does BYU fill that void in its secondary?

Matt Hadley, Eric Takenaka, Zayne Anderson and Tanner Jacobson are all vying for playing time at that safety spot, Sitake said.

“There’s a bunch of guys there. We’ll see how UCLA comes after us, knowing that we’ll be without No. 12 (Nacua) in the backfield,” Sitake added. “But they should probably test the new guy and see what happens.”

Though Nacua can’t play in the first half, his presence will still be felt.

“He’s practicing with us. He’ll be with us at the game. He just won’t be out there in the first half. He’ll still lead us from the sideline,” Sitake said. “So it’s not like he’s not present. He just can’t be out there making plays. Someone will fill in, like someone did in the second half (at Utah). We’re looking for someone to step up and take advantage of the opportunity.”

Linebacker Fred Warner said Nacua will be missed on the field in the first half but he’s confident that the defense will respond.

“He’s a captain for our team. He’s not only a playmaker for our defense but he’s a leader for our team,” Warner explained. “That will be tough having him out for the first half. But that also pulls us together as a defense knowing that we have to play for him and take care of business on our side of the ball.”

While McChesney is unavailable at cornerback for the first half against UCLA, the Cougars were without freshman starter Troy Warner against Utah.

Warner is nursing an injury suffered in the season-opening win over Arizona and it is not known if Warner will return this week. Dayan Lake, Isaiah Armstrong and Chris Wilcox could see playing time at corner against UCLA, Sitake said.

The secondary is expected to be tested by Rosen, who ranks No. 17 in the country in passing, averaging 305 yards per game.

“He has a arm. He can definitely throw the ball downfield,” said linebacker Francis Bernard. “He’s a great quarterback, probably one of the best we’ll play against.”

EMAIL: jeffc@deseretnews.com