UCLA to Start Stevens Against Tennessee

Matt Stevens, the junior who came off the bench in the second half to direct UCLA’s comeback in the victory at BYU, will be the starting quarterback when the Bruins play Saturday at Tennessee.

UCLA Coach Terry Donahue has been saying since the start of fall practice that he intended to use both Stevens and senior David Norrie at quarterback the way a baseball manager uses a starter and a reliever, and he said that he would continue with that plan.

“Against Tennessee we will reverse the order, giving Matt the more difficult task of starting the game and letting David come in in relief,” Donahue said.

“Both quarterbacks will be absolutely essential in the 10 hard games that we have left. We’ll stay with the relief system until we see the right chemistry, which may be two or three games into the season.

“I wasn’t disappointed in either quarterback. I thought that David had a more difficult task in starting the game. The coaches, the players, everybody was a little bit tight. Matt was impressive when he came in. He did exactly what we envisioned, standing on the sideline watching the flow of the game and then going in and getting something started.”

Norrie, who said calmly after the game that he was anticipating a change in the starting lineup, is taking the change well, just as Stevens took the original naming of Norrie as the starter.

The personalities involved are keeping this situation from turning into a quarterback controversy. As for any diversity on the team, Donahue said, “These two quarterbacks won’t let it happen. They’re too good of guys.”

As Donahue put it: “Neither one of them likes what is going on, I know they don’t, but they could be making the situation a great deal more difficult than it is. They both realize that we need both of them to be successful.

“They are both mature about it. Norrie is a fifth-year senior, and Stevens is a fourth-year junior. They’ve been in the program and they’ve been through the trials and tribulations of big-college athletics. They are both good, intelligent people who realize that the team is not settled right now.

“I was overwhelmed by Matt Stevens in the first half and I was flabbergasted by David Norrie’s acceptance of the change in the second half.

“In the locker room before the game and then on the sideline, Matt Stevens was showing the kind of attitude and leadership you would expect if he were starting the game. He wasn’t acting like his ego was bruised at all.

“When we made the change, David responded like any athlete. He was disappointed; he wanted to keep playing. But then he stood right beside me, making suggestions and helping out.

“Any lesser man would have been back on the bench letting the TV cameras get the shot of him with his head hanging.”

Bruin Notes

UCLA’s game at Tennessee will be televised by ABC (Channel 7) as a part of ABC’s contract with the College Football Assn. Game time has been moved to 12:30 p.m. PDT. . . . Kicker John Lee adds to his NCAA record every time he kicks four or more field goals in one game, as he did at BYU. Lee has made his last 36 of 40 field goal attempts. . . . Senior Ted Henderson, who is replacing all-conference punter Kevin Buenafe, averaged 42.3 yards on six kicks in his debut. BYU had just nine return yards in five attempts. . . . Senior kicker Jim Bray, who was also making his debut with the Bruins, put all seven kickoffs in the end zone. . . . . Junior fullback Marcus Greenwood gained 71 yards against BYU, his career best, and sophomore fullback Mel Farr added 17 yards on just two carries. . . . . Sophomore cornerback Chuckie Miller, making the second start of his career, blocked a punt, caused a fumble, broke up two passes and made eight tackles. . . . . Marcus Turner, the redshirt freshman who made the final interception against BYU, was playing in his first game. Afterward he said, “It feels good to know that we put it all together. I’m just glad that the coaches had enough confidence in me and some of the other freshmen, like Darryl Henley, to let us have a chance.”

Senior guard Mike Hartmeier, who had not been projected to play because of a broken bone under his eye, decided at the last second to make the trip and he did play, wearing a protective visor that caused him to look something like Darth Vader. UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said that his staff had called the San Francisco 49ers to ask how they might find a shield similar to the one used by 49er offensive tackle Keith Fahnhorst and “they were kind enough to send us one.” Donahue said that it was Hartmeier’s decision to play, after getting permission from the doctors, and that it was important to the morale of the team as well as to the strength of the offensive line. . . . . Starting nose guard Terry Tumey went out of the BYU game with a hyper-extended elbow.