Football Notes

Tuesday, November 11, 1997

Football Notes

Rain makes UCLA try arena football

Because of the rain Monday afternoon, the Bruins were forced to
open practice this week indoors – in the Men’s Gym, to be more
exact.

This should not have as much of an effect as it would in most
cases, since the Bruins are coming off of a bye week. They spent
all last week preparing for Saturday’s contest against
Washington.

"We are ahead of schedule because of last week," UCLA head coach
Bob Toledo said.

Huard to play as Shehee sits out

Husky star quarterback Brock Huard will return to the field
Saturday against UCLA after missing Washington’s loss to Oregon on
Nov. 8.

"He was 80 to 85 percent last week, and we wanted to hold him
out," Washington head coach Jim Lambright said. "He’ll be back and
at full speed for this game."

Tailback Rashaan Shehee, the Pac-10’s leading rusher with 107.75
yards-per-game, will not be back. He is out with a sprained knee –
a partial tear of his medial collateral ligament.

Scott, McElroy

to return punts

In the Bruins’ everlasting struggle to get some consistency at
the punt-return position, Toledo named Eric Scott the starting
returner, with Jim McElroy to play if needed.

"Scott gave us a little bit of a lift a couple games ago,"
Toledo said. "The one who makes the least amount of mistakes will
be there – you need to execute."

Keith Brown and Jermaine Lewis will be the kick returners
Saturday.

Bruins continue climbing the polls

Although UCLA didn’t play this past weekend, the Bruins jumped
up a spot in both the Associated Press (AP) and the USA Today/ESPN
coaches’ polls.

They are now ninth in the AP and 10th in the coaches’ poll,
leaping past Washington, who lost to Oregon on Saturday.

The last time UCLA ascended to such high rankings was after its
victory in the 1989 Cotton Bowl, which affected preseason rankings
the following season.

Unofficial field manager dies

Long time Bruin supporter Wojciechowlez S. Wojtkiewlez died
Friday at the UCLA Medical Center.

The man affectionately known as "Bow Wow" will be laid to rest
at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Westwood on Wednesday at 10
a.m.

He had served as UCLA’s unofficial field manager for the past
few decades. In honor of Wojtkiewlez, the Bruins will wear stickers
on the backs of their helmets for the remainder of the season.

"He was a big part of the Bruin family," Toledo said. "He is a
very good friend of mine, Terry Donahue, Dick Vermeil and all the
coaches and players of the past, and we’re going to miss him
dearly

Toledo named finalist for award

The honors just keep coming for Toledo.

A week after being named a semi-finalist for the Football News
Coach of the Year, he was named one of 12 finalists for the Eddie
Robinson/Football Writers Association of America Coach of the Year
award.

Notes compiled by Brent Boyd, Daily Bruin Staff.