What’s This, a Wishbone at UCLA? : Donahue Says It’s Only to Get Team Ready for Oklahoma

Football Coach Terry Donahue of UCLA was willing to talk about his team’s learning the wishbone offense this spring, but he insisted that his disclaimer be included.

He has spent 10 years trying to shake his early reputation as a boring, conservative coach, and he cringes at what he fears will be the reaction to news that the Bruins are going back to a run-oriented offense.

Stressing every word and exaggerating a pleading tone, Donahue announced: “We are not changing our offense. . . . I do not think the wishbone is appropriate for Los Angeles.”

Congratulating himself that that was not a bad line for a guy who, besides having that reputation for being boring and conservative, is also largely unquotable, he added, “I also do not wish to heap undue, unnecessary brutality upon myself.”

So what’s with the wishbone?

Well, first of all, UCLA is opening its 1986 season Sept. 6 with a game at Oklahoma. It promises to be one of the top games of the season. Oklahoma is the defending national champion and UCLA, after a fourth straight New Year’s Day victory and after finishing seventh in the final poll in January, is sure to be among the nation’s top-ranked teams going into the new season.

Donahue wanted to give his defense a chance to see the wishbone coming at it full speed, full force with his best offensive players instead of waiting until he can assemble a scout team this August.

And the Bruin offense certainly can come at you full speed and full force.

The offense that gained more than 400 yards in six of its last eight games--it gained 488 yards in the Rose Bowl victory--has six starters coming back. Not included in that count are Matt Stevens, who made his second start last season when he replaced injured Steve Bono in the Rose Bowl game; split end Willie (Flipper) Anderson, who started five games in relief of first-round draft pick Mike Sherrard; fullback Marcus Greenwood, who averaged 5.2 yards a carry, getting the ball almost as much as starter Mel Farr, who is also back; tailback James Primus, who started five games in relief of Gaston Green, who is also back, or tailback Eric Ball, who scored four touchdowns and gained 227 yards in the Rose Bowl game.

Maybe it would be appropriate to use a wishbone offense and get more of those running backs on the field at the same time. Donahue shook his head, saying, “We do have good backs and it’s an ideal offense for us to try to add, but you have to think of this--if we get an extra running back in, we’re taking out a (flanker) Karl Dorrell or a Flipper Anderson.

“We are not going to deviate from throwing the ball or from being an I-formation, pro-style offense. Whether we keep the wishbone in our offense at all will be decided during two-a-days (in August) but we might use it like a basketball coach uses a four-corners offense, just use it every once in a while when the situation calls for it. Maybe in a short-yardage situation.”

Just what every coach on the Bruin schedule wanted to hear.

And the defense, which finished No. 1 in the nation against the rush and seventh in total defense last season, has eight full-time starters back along with several others who played key roles.

Donahue did much of his fretting this spring over the kicking game. Not only did he lose placekicker John Lee who spent four years setting school, conference and national records for the Bruins, he also lost punter Ted Henderson, kickoff specialist James Bray and both long snappers. The holder, David Clinton, is back.

Donahue is not sure who either his placekicker or punter will be, but he said that things are looking better now than they did a few weeks ago.

There are a couple of other big either-ors on the depth chart, but at those positions, Donahue is in a no-lose situation.

Farr or Greenwood at fullback? Green or Ball at tailback?

Donahue said that he may not name a starter for the season. Some of those starters may change from game to game. All of the top running backs are going to share the work.

That wouldn’t work at the quarterback spot, but this year, with Stevens, that position is set.

There have been some injuries. Defensive tackle Frank Batchkoff, safety Craig Rutledge, cornerback Darryl Henley and linebacker Billy Ray all suffered knee injuries this spring, and Dorrell was held out of practice to let his dislocated shoulder heal. But Donahue expects all of them to be ready to play in the fall.

All in all, prospects look good for the Bruins.

Already there is talk of a national championship as the result of the Bruins’ recent bowl game success, the number of players coming back and the outstanding freshmen coming in.

Asked for his personal feelings about the team, Donahue gave his usual cautious predictions of “a chance to have a good, competitive football team and be in the conference race if we stay healthy.”

He never has liked being ranked too high in the preseason polls.

“I expect to be picked to win the Pac-10,” Donahue said. “I can’t deny it.

“I’ve always said that I thought the defending champion should be picked to repeat unless, 1) they lost an inordinate number of players; 2) they have an unrealistic schedule, or 3) it’s me.”