UCLA’s Arbuckle Probably Will Miss Washington Game

Tight end Charles Arbuckle, who strained ligaments in his left knee last Saturday night in UCLA’s 56-3 rout of Cal State Long Beach, probably will not be available to play in the Bruins’ Pacific 10 Conference opener against Washington Oct. 1 at Seattle, Coach Terry Donahue said Monday.

However, Donahue said that doctors have told him that Arbuckle, the Bruins’ No. 3 receiver, probably will not need surgery.

“They’re estimating that he’ll be out for 2 to 4 weeks,” Donahue said. “What happens is that the ligaments have to strengthen back up and tighten back up so the knee doesn’t have the laxity that it does right now. In time and with exercise, it will do that. It’s just a matter of how much time.”

Arbuckle, who twice in the last year had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, has 6 receptions for 116 yards, including 5 for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns in UCLA’s 41-28 win over Nebraska 2 weeks ago.

Arbuckle, hit by defensive back Keith Washington and linebacker Tom Caines, was injured while catching a 16-yard pass from Troy Aikman in the second quarter.

Aikman understood why he was pulled at halftime against Cal State Long Beach.

UCLA led at the time, 42-0.

“When you’re beating a team like that, things can get ugly in the second half,” Aikman said.

Still . . .

“I would have loved to have continued to play to see what kind of game I could have ended up with,” said Aikman, who completed 17 of 25 for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Although he played only 1 series in the second half against San Diego State, mostly sat on the ball in the second half against Nebraska and played only the first half against Long Beach, Aikman has completed 67.7% of his passes for 640 yards and 9 touchdowns.

His passing efficiency rating of 193.0 ranks second in the nation.

Jim McMahon, formerly of BYU, established a National Collegiate Athletic Assn. record with a rating of 176.9 in 1980. Aikman’s rating of 163.6 last season was the 10th highest in NCAA history.

“I was asked about that a lot last year,” Aikman said. “I still don’t know what it involves. It’s good, I know that. But don’t ask me to figure it out.”

Bruin Notes

UCLA, which is 3-0, has a bye this week. . . . UCLA’s game against Washington Oct. 1 at Seattle, originally scheduled for 1 p.m., has been moved to 12:30 p.m. to accommodate ABC, which will televise the game to about 80% of the nation. . . . As part of the agreement to move its game against UCLA, originally scheduled for Saturday but played instead on Sept. 3, San Diego State got an extra $75,000 from the Bruins, increasing its guarantee to $175,000, and also got UCLA to agree to a 2-game home-and-home basketball series that will start in the 1990-91 season with a game at Pauley Pavilion.

Coach Denny Stolz of San Diego State, whose team was beaten by UCLA, 59-6, told reporters last week that UCLA’s football program has reached a new plateau. “And I don’t think that is going to change,” Stolz said. “Quite frankly, in recent years there has been a little turnover at SC and that has helped the Bruins in recruiting Los Angeles. And, secondly, they and Notre Dame are the best national recruiters in the country.” . . . Tailback Eric Ball, with 378 yards in 63 carries, has already rushed for more yards in 3 games than he did all last season.

Reserve cornerback Randy Beverly hyperextended a knee against Long Beach. . . . The last time UCLA made it through its nonconference schedule unbeaten and untied was 1982, when it beat Long Beach, Wisconsin, Michigan and Colorado and wound up 10-1-1, beating Michigan again in the Rose Bowl, 24-14. . . . Troy Aikman will be featured today on ESPN’s “Sports Look.” . . . UCLA, averaging 546 yards and 52 points a game, ranks second in the nation in total offense and is tied for second in scoring. The Bruins also are averaging 300 rushing yards a game, which ranks ninth. “I thought we would score points with Troy, but I didn’t know we’d be as explosive as we’ve been in the first 3 games,” said UCLA Coach Terry Donahue.

UCLA is deep at tight end, where Corwin Anthony and converted linebacker Randy Austin back up Charles Arbuckle. “It’s a real good position for us,” Donahue said. “Charles is a very integral part of our throwing game, but I think Corwin Anthony is a good player and Randy Austin is a good, tough, physical tight end.” And Aikman, referring to Arbuckle’s injury, said: “This will certainly take a little fire out of our offense, but we still have some weapons.”

Cornerback Darryl Henley leads the nation in punt-return yardage with an average of 33.5 yards a return. . . . Kevin Williams, UCLA’s much-heralded freshman tailback from Spring, Tex., has been hampered by a hamstring injury and probably will be red-shirted. “Unless we have a catastrophe at tailback, it looks like he won’t play this year,” Donahue said.