Boz Cries Uncle on UCLA Colors

When Brian Bosworth talked about UCLA in 1986, he labeled the Bruins “a doormat,” calling their brand of offense “girls’ football” and even disparaging the color of their uniforms.

“I know I wouldn’t wear pastel blue,” Bosworth said that September afternoon, the day his Oklahoma Sooners beat the Bruins, 38-3, in Norman. “I’d transfer.”

He had similar comments last year before the Sooners defeated UCLA, 59-24: “I mean, that shade of blue might be all right for basketball, track or tennis, but not football.”

That’s why it sounds so strange today to hear him praising the school and Coach Karl Dorrell, to the point that he has given his blessing for his nephews -- twin linebackers from Plano, Texas, named Korey and Kyle Miller -- to play for the Bruins next year.

“I look at life a little differently now,” Bosworth said.

He’s no longer the trash-talking, punk-haired linebacker who rampaged through college football in the mid-1980s. The days of feeling indestructible are long gone. That’s what happens when you have titanium workings where your shoulder joints used to be, a legacy of the injuries that cut short his NFL career after three disappointing seasons.

So if Korey and Kyle want to wear those light-blue uniforms, they can go right ahead.

“I look at it as an opportunity for my nephews, who have worked extremely hard,” Bosworth said. “I knew at some point in time if their hearts’ desire was to move on to the next level, they would make that transition on their own.

“From my perspective, I watched and observed and looked at an opportunity that would not only benefit them in the long run, past college football and into their careers, but also be an advantage for the university.”

After living in Los Angeles and doing what so many locals do -- pursue an acting career -- for the last 15 years, he’s a little more appreciative of what’s out here.

“I’m a big fan of Coach Dorrell,” Bosworth said. “I watched UCLA football for many, many years. I’ve grown accustomed to the Pac-10 style.”

What else has changed? Well, a couple of years ago, the Bruins went to a slightly darker shade, something the school likes to call “UCLA blue.”

“It’s not powder blue,” Bosworth said. “What we hope to do is add some bloodstains, some grass stains.

“I’ve enjoyed how classy the uniform is. But keep in mind, as a football player, you want to look as bad as you possibly can. I told the guys, ‘If you’ve got to pull a scab off and douse the blood on your uniform, do it.’ ”

The one element the Boz has tried to impress upon his nephews is toughness. Among the many quotes, back in the day, from Bosworth, whose words regularly wound up everywhere from opponents’ bulletin boards to Morning Briefing, was this philosophy: “I’d like to hurt someone on every play.”

They’ve always borne a little resemblance to him, more than other relatives -- although, Korey Miller says, “He doesn’t look quite as good as I do.”

Don’t expect the wild hair, which at times was shaved, spiked and/or dyed.

“I think our flamboyance is not going to be as crazy as he was,” Kyle Miller said. “But the love of the game, the way you play it, the intensity, the want to hurt somebody and be hurt, striving to do good and stuff, that runs through the bloodline a little bit. Just hard-nosed football.”

The recruiting website rivals.com gives the brothers three stars out of five. They also score a 5.5 on a scale of 6.1, joining a group that’s considered among a region’s top prospects and among the top 500 prospects in the country.

At Plano West High, Kyle wears No. 44 and Korey No. 55, Bosworth’s college and pro numbers, respectively. Those numbers are worn at UCLA by redshirt defensive end Bruce Davis and freshman linebacker Jamel Greer.

No matter the number, you’ll be seeing a familiar name on the jerseys, Bosworth. It’s their mother’s maiden name, one they plan to take on as their own when they turn 18 next month. Their father left before they were born, so they’ve never felt close to the Miller side of the family.

“I’m sure there will be a little more pressure with the Bosworth name,” Kyle Miller said.

They’re used to the comparisons, accustomed to Bosworth’s presence. He attended all of their games their junior season. This year he is busy filming a remake of “The Longest Yard,” so he has remained in Los Angeles. Next year, the nephews will be in proximity, one of the reasons they chose UCLA. Also, the Bruins offered scholarships to both brothers.

“The energy and adrenaline, we feed off each other,” Korey Miller said.

They’ve seen a couple of Bosworth’s old games on ESPN Classic, watched some old footage at their grandfather’s house. But they’re too young to remember all of those quotes. They were still in the womb when he said all those nasty things about UCLA.

“Did he really?” Korey Miller said when told of Bosworth’s insults. “Yeah, he used to dog UCLA, didn’t he? He’s going to have to have a change of heart.”

Bosworth did apologize in the days afterward.

“You’ve got to remember, I was a redneck,” Bosworth says, by way of explanation. “And still am.

“I had a tremendous amount of respect for their program. But at the same time, you’ve got to keep in mind that a redneck

has to do what a redneck has to do.”

And now this “redneck” is getting ready to root for the team in UCLA blue, and UCLA fans will be cheering when a Bosworth makes a tackle.

“Maybe the Boz is back, in a different form,” Kyle Miller said.

Certainly in a different color.

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J.A. Adande can be reached at j.a.adande@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Adande, go to latimes.com/adande.