UCLA focuses on defense

By Adam Karon
Daily Bruin Staff

Football players claim to have short memories, but some losses
are hard to forget. It’s difficult to put aside a 55-7
drubbing in 1999 in Corvallis. It’s not easy to forget a
44-38 home loss a year ago, and it’s nearly impossible to
ignore the fact that UCLA has given up an astounding 1,163 yards of
total offense in its last two meetings with Oregon State.

But the Bruins hope for a bit of amnesia when they head north to
Corvallis to take on the No. 19 Beavers on Saturday.

Unlike the past couple of years, UCLA now features a defensive
unit that has given up just four touchdowns in its first three
games. The squad will have to be at its best to shut down a
powerful OSU attack.

“They have a couple of good backs,” Bruin linebacker
Robert Thomas said. “We just have to keep knocking them and
play as physical as possible.”

Thomas was referring to the Beavers’ one-two punch of
Heisman Trophy candidate Ken Simonton and his backup Patrick
McCall, who reeled off a 66-yard touchdown run late in the game
last year to give OSU the victory.

Simonton, who is third on the Pac-10 all-time rushing list, was
held to just 42 yards by Fresno State’s defense in a
heartbreaking loss to open the Beavers’ season. The Bruins
began watching tapes of the game this week to learn how to contain
the 5-foot-7 firecracker.

Many picked OSU to finish as national champions, and they were
shocked when the Beavers were blown out 44-24 by the Bulldogs.

The outcome of that contest was dictated by the running game,
where Oregon State struggled for 27 yards on 30 carries as a
team.

So far UCLA’s defense has been stingy, but they will need
to step up just a little bit more to shut down the Beavers.

“It’s probably the most balanced offensive team we
have faced to date,” UCLA head coach Bob Toledo said.

The teams UCLA has faced to date have found it very difficult to
move the ball. In the last two games against Kansas and Ohio State,
the Bruins have given up just 408 yards of total offense, its
lowest two-game total since 1991.

“We take a lot of pride in our defense,” linebacker
Ryan Nece said. “Especially as a senior, after all of the
criticism we faced the last couple of years.”

UCLA will need to improve its offensive performance if it hopes
to get a victory in front of a hostile Reser Stadium crowd.

Quarterback Cory Paus finally seemed ready to click in the Ohio
State game, but the Bruins fumbled seven times and were able to
tally just one touchdown and a pair of field goals. Oregon State is
susceptible to the air attack, having given up over 300 yards
passing to Fresno State, and the Bruins plan to exploit the
weakness.

In addition, fans can expect a much different performance from
Foster, who recalled the Ohio State game as one of the worst of his
career.

One factor that could affect the outcome of this weekend’s
contest is the three-week layoff Oregon State has had as a result
of a bye-week and last week’s tragedy. While this can
sometimes give a team rest, not all Bruins feel like it will help
the Beavers.

“In football, you need to play games each week to keep
your body calloused,” Nece said. “Sometimes a team will
get a slow start after a long time off.”

Whether or not OSU gets off to a slow start, the Bruins are in
for a long battle in hostile territory. The importance of the game
is not lost on the team.

“This would be a big win for us,” Paus said.
“It would be huge.”