Bruins Seek End to Depression : UCLA: Donahue doesn’t know exactly what went wrong in 1989, but he doesn’t want it to happen again.

The 1980s were like the Roaring ‘20s for Terry Donahue and his UCLA football program.

The Bruins set an NCAA record with seven consecutive bowl victories in the last decade. Moreover, the school’s winning percentage of .720 ranked first in the Pacific 10 Conference.

Then, at the end of the ‘80s, like the stock market crash at the end of the ‘20s, the bottom inexplicably fell out of Donahue’s previously efficient program. UCLA stumbled to 3-7-1, its first losing season since 1979 and worst record since 1971.

As UCLA prepares for another season with practice opening Monday, Donahue tried to sort out the reasons for his team’s puzzling collapse.

“I think all of us, either consciously or subconsciously, began to believe that you can inherit winning,” Donahue said. “We had so much success in the decade of the 1980s and accomplished so many good things that you forget how you got there.

“You have to work to get there. Sometimes you think you’re working, but you’re not working as hard as you used to.”

There has been a significant turnover in Donahue’s coaching staff since last season. He has five new assistant coaches, if Homer Smith, the offensive coordinator, can be included in this category. Smith had previous tours of duty with UCLA in 1972-73 and 1980-86.

“I had people doing jobs for me who were in the wrong positions,” Donahue said, reflecting on last year’s staff. “They were good, competent people, but I didn’t feel I did a good enough job with the right people doing the right jobs on the staff. That was a factor.”

Donahue cited other factors for the Bruins’ decline into the second division of the conference standings.

There were players--including Willie Crawford, Roman Phifer and Damion Lyons--who were suspended from school for off-the-field altercations that became police matters. A total of six players were involved in incidents that were embarrassing to the university and, possibly, affected the morale of the team.

“Certainly, the players who got into trouble off the field upset the chemistry of the football team,” Donahue said. “They were a distraction to our football team. We lost some kids, which undermined the depth of our team.”

Phifer, a first-team linebacker candidate, and Lyons, a cornerback, have been reinstated.

“I also think we had some attitude problems on our team where players were more concerned with their own individual accomplishments and futures, as opposed to the team’s accomplishments and future,” Donahue said.

Even though one recruiting service rated UCLA’s incoming freshmen in recent years as on a par with Notre Dame, Donahue says some of these players were over-evaluated.

“Some of our recruiting classes weren’t what they were publicized to be,” he said, “particularly in the area of overall team speed. We didn’t run as a football team anywhere near the way we had traditionally run.

“I think I failed to take into account the departure of players like Carnell Lake, Ken Norton and Chance Johnson, who can really run.”

As there is momentum in winning, the same could be said of losing. After being beaten by Michigan, 24-23, early last season in a game UCLA probably should have won, the team didn’t go downhill immediately, but its confidence was eroding, according to Donahue.

“We lost three games by one point and one game by three points,” he said. “We could have won those games as easily as we lost them. Just as winning can become contagious, so can losing.”

Donahue, who is beginning his 15th season as UCLA’s coach and is ranked sixth among the active winningest Division I-A coaches, is not passing the buck for the Bruins’ dismal 1989 season.

“I’m not blaming anybody,” he said. “I’m at the core of things. It’s my program and I’m responsible for it.”

As the 1990s begin, Donahue seems fairly optimistic while aware of the pitfalls that lurk for any program, however successful in the past.

In spring practice, he said, the team showed resolve to redeem itself from last year.

“There was a lot of genuine enthusiasm and excitement, and I think the injection of some coaches has been a positive factor,” Donahue said. “Although the continuity factor of the staff isn’t there, the quality is.”

Donahue said his players enjoyed a productive summer in terms of physical conditioning, something that wasn’t evident among some players he depended upon last year.

Despite UCLA’s losing record in 1989, the Bruins have been ranked from first to fourth in the Pac-10 in preseason magazines.

Aware that winning isn’t inherited, Donahue said: “I’m more cognizant of what our limitations are. I was more blinded by our success and didn’t see some of the problems coming at us.”

Donahue called UCLA’s schedule “murderous,” with a Sept. 8 opener against Oklahoma at the Rose Bowl, followed by Stanford and Michigan (at Ann Arbor). The last three games are against Oregon and Washington, both on the road, and USC.

A capsule look at the Bruins:

DEFENSE--UCLA’s secondary is intact, led by safeties Eric Turner and Matt Darby. The linebacking corps should be strengthened by the return of Phifer, who will join Roceen Keaton, Stacy Argo, Meech Shaw and Arnold Ale, a former starter at Notre Dame now eligible to play.

Donahue is concerned about his linemen, saying UCLA hasn’t recruited well in that area in recent years. Brian Kelly is the only returnee who has started more than three games. Mike Chalenski, a transfer from Pittsburgh, could upgrade this inexperienced area.

OFFENSE--Donahue said he will name a starting quarterback fairly early into the practice sessions, choosing from among Bret Johnson, who started 11 games in 1989; Jim Bonds; redshirt freshman Tommy Maddox, and Bert Emanuel.

Tailbacks Kevin Williams, Brian Brown and Shawn Wills shared the position in 1989, and Donahue would prefer that one player emerges as the established starter. “The position has to produce and it hasn’t,” Donahue said. “Perhaps they haven’t gotten proper blocking, or the offensive design didn’t utilize their talents, or maybe they’re not as good as they were heralded to be, or haven’t shown the durability or toughness to be consistent in the league. Those are all possible reasons, and I’m darned to find the answer.”

The fullback prospects are Maury Toy, Kevin Smith and Kaleaph Carter.

The Bruins had four returning starters in the offensive line last year and, as a group, they did not perform to expectations. Now Donahue has only one returnee, center Lance Zeno, who was a full-time starter as a guard in 1989. “It’s a concern, but I think (the line) will jell,” Donahue said.

The Bruins are seemingly set at wide receiver with the return of Reggie Moore and Scott Miller. Donahue conceded that he needs to develop depth at the position. UCLA is solid at tight end with Corwin Anthony and Randy Austin, making up for the departure of oft-injured Charles Arbuckle.

KICKING GAME--Donahue has to replace kicker Alfredo Velasco and punter Kirk Maggio.