Football Notebook
By Daily Bruin Staff
Nov. 13, 2001 9:00 p.m.
  NICOLE MILLER/Daily Bruin Bryce
Bohlanderattempts to squelch the Oregon offense in the
Bruins’ 21-20 loss.
Off with his head
UCLA head coach Bob Toledo made some play-calling against the
Ducks that drew jeers from critics, and in hindsight, potentially
cost the Bruins a shot at a Pac-10 title. The most talked about
calls were his decision to go for one instead of two when a
conversion would have given the Bruins a touchdown lead and his
decision to run the ball instead of pass late on UCLA’s final
drive.
The result: The Bruins lost by one point and didn’t
position themselves well enough for place-kicker Chris Griffith to
kick the winning field goal.
“If I were making the decision as a Monday coach, I would
say those were the wrong calls as well,” Toledo said.
“Our coaching staff discussed both situations and we felt
those were our best options at the time. In hindsight, whatever you
do, if you don’t get it done, you always do it
wrong.”
Toledo also said that Akil Harris’ no gain rushing attempt
on third-and-five was a missed blocking assignment away from being
a first down running play.
Seeing weak spots
After tying Marvcus Patton’s UCLA season mark of tackles
for a loss with his 21st and 22nd against the Ducks on Saturday,
senior linebacker Robert Thomas has already set his sights on
breaking the impressive record against an inexperienced Trojan
line.
“I’ve been watching ‘SC film all
morning,” Thomas said. “I see a lot of weak spots in
their offense.”
Thomas, who has collected 28 tackles in UCLA’s last two
contests, is a semifinalist for both the Butkus award, given
annually to the nation’s top linebacker, and the Rotary
Lombardi award, given annually to the nation’s top
lineman/linebacker. A list of finalists for both awards will be
announced this week.
A sore issue?
UCLA quarterback Cory Paus expressed uncertainty as to why his
thumb didn’t hinder him in Saturday’s 14-of-22,
321-yard passing performance against Oregon.
“I can’t really explain why I felt different this
week,” Paus said. “The thumb feels a little better, but
I almost think it had to do with something mental.”
Which makes one ponder the question whether Paus’ thumb
had been bothering him the same all season, and if his troubled
outings at Stanford and Washington State were just the result of
mental lapses by the junior quarterback and not the result of Paus
actually suffering more pain in the thumb than he always had
been.
“Cory’s probably going to tell you what you want to
here right now,” Toledo said. “He’s hurt, but
he’s not going to tell you.”
Perry back in L.A.
Sophomore wide receiver Tab Perry was released from the hospital
and returned to Los Angeles on Friday, six days after breaking four
ribs against WSU at Pullman. Perry began coughing up blood after
being hit and was taken from the field by ambulance. His condition
deteriorated Sunday when his lung partially collapsed and doctors
had to insert a tube in his chest to drain the blood until the lung
refilled with air.
“He was bummed that he fumbled the ball. Isn’t that
something?” wide receivers coach Ron Caragher said.
Perry was missed by his fellow receivers who said they felt they
were playing for Perry going into the Oregon game. Perry watched
from the sidelines Saturday as redshirt freshman Craig Bragg
stepped in for him at flanker.
“It was kind of bittersweet,” Bragg said.
But Perry was nothing but pleased.
“I was happy for him,” he said. “I just wish
they had thrown him the ball more. He had the Tab Perry game going:
one ball thrown to you, one catch.”
Bragg actually had three receptions including a miraculous
54-yarder between two defenders.
Perry was the Bruins’ leading receiver on the season going
into the Oregon game with 416 yards. The loss of the clutch
receiver hurts the Bruins where they are already thin at
receiver.
“We need playmakers. Tab is a talented, talented
guy,” Toledo said.
With the ribs and open wound still healing from the tube that
was put in his chest, Perry will not even be able to practice until
after the regular season. He hopes to be back for a bowl game.
Stephens will play
Though coaches have listed strong safety Jason Stephens as
questionable for Saturday’s contest, Stephens himself is
certain that he’ll be ready for the rivalry game.
Notes compiled by Hannah Gordon and Joshua Mason, Daily Bruin
Staff.
