Two games into Curt Onalfo’s first year as coach and the only certainty for the Galaxy has been the constant changes in the starting lineup.

Due to injuries and suspensions, Onalfo has yet to field his projected starting lineup this year as the Galaxy has dropped their first two games this season. Tonight’s game against Real Salt Lake will be more of the same with Jelle Van Damme suspended and Giovani dos Santos likely out with a hamstring issue.

One of those young players eager to grab the opportunity for playing time is defender Nathan Smith. Smith, 22, made his Galaxy debut Sunday against Portland.

He replaced Dave Romney on the backline and went 90 minutes.

“(Last) Sunday was a little nervous at first, but it was a great feeling making my debut,” Smith said. “At the end of the day, it wasn’t the best since we lost 1-0, but overall it was good. Practicing with these guys every day, made it feel like just another game.”

Smith left UCLA after his junior season. He said it wasn’t an easy decision to make. He signed with the Galaxy II and this year he was promoted to the first team.

“It was a little tough because I wanted to fulfill my goal of winning a national championship at UCLA,” Smith said. “We went the National Championship my sophomore year and lost. I wanted to go back and try and win it, but I felt like it was right at this stage of my development to come here and play every day. It was a pretty easy transition because I didn’t have to move.”

Smith is currently still in class at UCLA, taking two courses per quarter, in the afternoon following training.

His on-the-field course has been aided by being on the practice field next to veterans like Van Damme, Ashley Cole and Jermaine Jones.

“They’re teachers and great players,” Smith said. “They show you how it is done and it is easy to learn from them.”

The way the lineup has been rotating so far this season, Smith knows that he has to stay prepared at any time.

“I treat every day like it is my last day,” Smith said. “I’m trying to be my best every day as if I’m a starter.”

On the back line alone, Ashley Cole (calf) and Robbie Rogers (ankle) have yet to make their season debut. Dave Romney was suspended for last week’s game and Van Damme is out tonight.

“It has been the story of the season,” Onalfo said of early season absences. “What are you going to do? You can’t sit here and complain about it. You have to find solutions and keep moving forward, focus on the positive and go into the game with a good game plan.

“We’re focusing on improvement and early in the season you spend more time actually worrying about performance than necessarily results because the performances and how you build as a group will turn into results if it is done right.”

Having Jones back on the field tonight will certainly help the Galaxy. Jones was suspended for last week’s game following a foul he committed against FC Dallas in the season opener.

He watched last week’s game from one of the suites at the StubHub Center.

“The games I saw were not bad ones,” Jones said. “Portland (goal) was a counter break and then we played with 10 guys and we played really good and had some chances, but it is still at the beginning of the season. There’s enough time to turn around.”

The Galaxy hope that it starts tonight.

Galaxy at Real Salt Lake

Kickoff: 6:30 p.m. at Rio Tinto Stadium

TV/Radio: Spectrum Sports Net; KTMZ/1220

Update: RSL opened the season with a scoreless draw against Toronto FC and last week a 2-0 loss to the Chicago Fire. Last year, the Galaxy went undefeated against RSL, winning two of the three, including a 3-1 defeat in the MLS playoffs. There is some good news on the injury front, as both Gyasi Zardes (knee) and Cole are close to returning. The Galaxy is off next week and will not play again until April 1, so both could benefit from the extra time off.