Hickman’s Big Plans Include the Trojans

Justin Hickman’s father, Donnie, starred as an offensive lineman for USC in the mid-1970s and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams. So when it came time for Justin to pick a school after spending his freshman year at Glendale (Ariz.) Community College, he narrowed his choices to ... Oregon and UCLA?

“They weren’t as hotly pursuing me,” Justin said of USC, “but you know what, it’s OK because we’re going to get them this year.”

That might sound like empty bravado from a member of a fledgling UCLA line that was part of a defense that last season yielded 477 yards to the Trojans during a 29-24 defeat.

But that performance was an aberration by a defensive line that experienced considerable growth after opening the season without a single returning starter; the Bruins held opponents to 145 yards rushing or fewer in four of their final six games.

“It’s probably like going from colt to a stallion,” said first-year defensive line coach Thurmond Moore.

The line hopes to hit its stride in 2005 behind an experienced core led by ends Hickman and Kyle Morgan and tackles Kevin Brown and Brigham Harwell. Morgan, the only senior in the group, is expected to practice today for the first time after attending his brother’s funeral in San Francisco.

Also in the mix are ends William Snead and Nikola Dragovic and tackles Nathaniel Skaggs, Chris Johnson, Kenneth Lombard and Chase Moline.

“We’re going to be more confident, first of all, because a lot of guys have played,” said Brown, a junior who started 11 games last season and finished with a team-high five sacks.

Hickman, a 6-foot-1, 261-pound junior, started eight games and made 22 tackles, four for loss, proving he was good enough to play at any Los Angeles school.

“I believe I could have played there too,” Hickman said of USC, “but here I had a better chance to play. UCLA was graduating four defensive ends.”

Does his father give him any grief about his college choice?

“There’s not much bad blood; he roots for us,” Hickman said. “Every now and then there are some USC-UCLA jokes about how they’re on top.”

*

Junior linebacker Danny Nelson is scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on his right knee today after hyperextending it in practice Wednesday. Nelson did not think the injury was serious until he woke up Thursday and had trouble moving his knee, Coach Karl Dorrell said.

With senior linebacker Wesley Walker already lost for at least three weeks because of torn cartilage in his right knee, freshmen Reggie Carter and John Hale and Kyle and Korey Bosworth will compete for increased playing time.

Hale has already impressed Dorrell while working with the second team.

*

Reserve junior cornerback Jebiaus Brown has left the team because of personal reasons but will remain in school on scholarship. ... Safety Chris Horton (foot) has resumed running and participating in light drills but is still “a ways away” from full-contact competition, Dorrell said. Linebacker Bruce Davis (knee) is expected back by the weekend and running back Chris Markey (hamstring) by early next week.