Window of Opportunity

  DANIEL WONG/ Daily Bruin Senior Staff Ryan
Smith attempts to catch a deep pass during the fourth
quarter of UCLA’s loss to the Stanford Cardinal.

By Scott Bair
Daily Bruin Reporter

Ryan Smith felt like someone stabbed him. There was a sharp pain
behind his right shoulder. The pain occurred as a result of his arm
separating from his shoulder joint.

Down at halftime against Stanford last Saturday, Smith and his
Bruin teammates came out of the locker room in Palo Alto with a new
resolve.

UCLA was hot on the comeback trail when Smith caught a screen
pass during the second offensive series of the third quarter. Smith
reached forward for extra yards while he was getting tackled. As he
leaned forward, he landed on his shoulder in such a way that it
separated from the joint.

Smith was in pain and should have come off the field, but he had
to keep playing. His team needed him now more than ever.

The Bruins were down by 24 points, so a comeback would have to
come through the air.

Smith kept playing despite the injury. He had to.

The leader of the receiving core, senior wide receiver Brian
Poli-Dixon wasn’t even in Palo Alto.

Poli-Dixon dislocated his shoulder two weeks before in a game
against the Washington Huskies and did not make the trip.

“I had so much adrenaline going that I could hardly even
feel the pain,” Smith said. “After the game when the
emotion died down, I was really hurting.”

In fact, Smith went completely horizontal diving for the pass on
the crucial fourth down and six when UCLA was down by three with
four minutes to go. It was his hand that was so close to the
football on that play, so close to the Bruin hopes for an
undefeated season.

“It shows a lot of courage and a lot of heart that Ryan
kept playing with an injury like that,” said UCLA head coach
Bob Toledo. “I was very impressed with Ryan’s
intestinal fortitude on that day.”

The sophomore receiver has had to show his fortitude on more
than one occasion. He was one of the last players in his recruiting
class to receive a scholarship. With the plethora of quality
receivers that the Bruins had, including stars like Freddie
Mitchell and Poli-Dixon, Smith found himself near the bottom of the
depth chart.

UCLA wide receivers coach Ron Caragher started paying attention
during practice leading up to last year’s Sun Bowl
appearance. He got more repetitions during spring practice and
began moving up the receiving totem pole.

“He answered our call for a quality receiver this spring.
We called for him again against Ohio State and he made the only
touchdown catch of the game,” Caragher said. “With
Poli-Dixon hurt, the stakes have gotten higher and
higher.”

Poli-Dixon’s absence has been Smith’s window of
opportunity to show the coaches what he can do.

Smith, who became a starter alongside Tab Perry, has responded
with a team-leading 10 catches for 160 yards over the last two
games.

With every passing week, Poli-Dixon gets healthier and every
week he gets closer to taking back the starting role that he has
earned over the last four years.

Poli-Dixon’s reemergence in the rotation will
significantly decrease Smith’s time on the field.

That’s why he has to play hurt. That’s why he puts
his body on the line for every pass, no matter how insignificant it
may be.

“When guys are given an opportunity and they perform, it
gives me a lot of confidence in them not only for the rest of the
year, but also in the future,” Toledo said.

Unfortunately for Smith, new injuries are hindering the physical
capability to play the way that he wants to play.

Just as he was recovering from his shoulder separation, Smith
rolled his ankle in Wednesday’s practice.

“I work out year round, put in all this time for 11 games,
and you don’t want to miss a single one,” Smith said.
“For this injury to come when I have a chance to show people
what I can do, it’s really frustrating.”

If last week’s diving attempt at a ball with a separated
shoulder is any indicator, Smith will find a way to play and help
his team, with complete disregard to his health.