Football Notebook

Leaders take charge

The UCLA football team concluded its spring practices Saturday
by showcasing the talent of its returning players in a scrimmage
held at Drake Stadium.

Two of those who stood out ““ Cory Paus and Brian
Poli-Dixon ““ are players who are expected to carry a large
bulk of the offensive duties on their shoulders next season.

Junior signal-caller Paus looked particularly impressive in the
drills, completing 10 of 18 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown
against the Bruin first-team defense.

It was an important showing for Paus, as it was the first spring
in which he wasn’t competing for a starting position. Last
season Paus beat out Ryan McCann for the starting job, and the
season before that, he didn’t win the starting job from Drew
Bennett until the third game of the season.

It looks more and more like senior Scott McEwan will back up
Paus next season, as he took the majority of reps for the second
and third team downs. McEwan finished the day 7 of 14 for 88 yards,
with one touchdown and two interceptions. Last year’s backup,
junior Ryan McCann, is still rehabilitating his throwing shoulder
from recent surgery.

Senior wideout Poli-Dixon also had a solid performance, grabbing
three receptions for a game-high 74 yards. There will be a lot of
pressure on Poli-Dixon next season to fill the shoes of former
teammate Freddie Mitchell. Mitchell, who was recently drafted by
the Eagles in the first round of the NFL draft, was Paus’ No.
1 option last season.

New talent makes impression

The players who made the biggest statements on Saturday were
youngsters fighting for playing time next season.

Redshirt freshman Manuel White had one of the strongest
showings. The running back rushed for a game-high 59 yards on 11
carries, and caught an additional three passes for 31 yards.

White’s spring performance has so impressed coaches that
they’re trying to find a place for the 240-pound bruiser in
the Bruin playbook.

Though senior DeShaun Foster, who sat out spring practices, will
be next year’s starter at running back, expect to see a lot
of White in backup duties or possibly even at the fullback
position.

Speedy redshirt freshman Craig Bragg looked like the player
coaches have been raving about all spring, hauling in a 25-yard
touchdown pass as well as another pass for 29 yards.

Sophomore Tab Perry, who was limited by a hamstring injury this
spring, is still expected to start opposite Poli-Dixon next season.
Perry had three receptions for 36 yards.

Others who impressed coaches were redshirt freshman Eyoseph
Efseaff, who officially won the left guard position, and redshirt
freshman Ben Emanuel, who intercepted a deflected McEwan pass.
Emanuel is the leading candidate to win next season’s strong
safety vacancy.

Donahue replaces Walsh

Former UCLA Head Coach Terry Donahue was officially promoted to
general manager of the San Francisco 49ers Wednesday.

Donahue served as the Niners’ director of player personnel
for the last two seasons and was being groomed as Bill
Walsh’s successor.

He is expected to name Chicago Bears director of scouting Bill
Rees, a former recruiting coordinator at UCLA, as his director of
player personnel.

Donahue, who was replaced by current Head Coach Bob Toledo at
UCLA, is the winningest coach in UCLA school history, compiling a
151-74-8 mark in 20 seasons. He guided the Bruins to the Rose Bowl
in 1994, a 21-16 loss to Wisconsin.

Notes compiled by Joshua Mason, Daily Bruin
Reporter.