UCLA Begins Amid Bad Memories of a Season Ago : Football: An opening-game loss to ‘average’ Tennessee was a harbinger of a 3-7-1 year. This time, the battered Bruins open against Oklahoma at home.

A year ago, UCLA opened its season against Tennessee, a team that was considered average at best because it was coming off a 5-6 record in 1988.

“Yes, Tennessee turned out to be an average 11-1 team,” UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said. It was a shocking opener for the Bruins. The Volunteers won, 24-6, a result that was a harbinger of UCLA’s 3-7-1 season.

“It’s difficult to believe that we were beaten as soundly as we were or fell as far as we did,” Donahue said.

So it’s understandable that he is particularly wary of Oklahoma in the Bruins’ opening game today at the Rose Bowl.

Although Donahue believes his team will be better this year, he added that he doesn’t have a clue as to how it will play today. “It’s really difficult to assess where you are until you start playing,” he said.

The same could be said for the Sooners, who had a 7-4 record in 1989 and are in the second year of a three-year NCAA probation, allowing them to be on television but not to play in a bowl game.

Of concern to Donahue are the injured veterans who won’t play or can be used only sparingly. UCLA has lost outside linebacker Roceen Keeton, wide receiver Scott Miller and tight end Corwin Anthony for several weeks.

Moreover, cornerback Al Jordan is out for the season after knee surgery; tailback Kevin Williams and wide receiver Paul Richardson may not play because of ankle injuries and free safety Eric Turner has missed a week of practice because of an injured toe.

“I don’t believe we’ve ever gone into an opener with injuries to players of this caliber,” Donahue said.

He said that Keeton is the fastest player on his front defensive seven, that Miller is probably the best offensive player he has and that Jordan is valued as a nickel back in the secondary and as a special teams player.

“Our team has showed a good work ethic during two-a-day practices,” Donahue said. “It’s unfortunate and perhaps a bit of bad luck that we have lost some quality players.”

Donahue also conceded that there is some self-inflicted pressure of trying to rebuild a team that won seven bowl games in the 1980s before faltering last year. “I feel any time you’ve had a season that was a failure, you have a sense of pressure to get it rectified as soon as you can,” he said. “I certainly didn’t anticipate I’d be in this position.”

On the positive side, UCLA should benefit from the expertise of offensive coordinator Homer Smith, the architect of the Bruins’ effective offense during most the ‘80s.

Smith became available when he lost his job at Alabama because of a head coaching change.

Donahue also is satisfied with the performance of quarterback Jim Bonds in practice. Bonds, a junior, backed up Bret Johnson last year and is making his first start since he was at Hart High. Johnson left school when he learned of Bonds’ promotion and is now at Michigan State.

The opening loss to Tennessee last season revealed UCLA’s overall lack of speed. Donahue isn’t sure the Bruins will be any faster this year but said they should be quicker.

Oklahoma had traditionally fast teams with its run-oriented wishbone offense. But Coach Gary Gibbs installed an option I attack last year.

He also has brought in a new offensive coordinator, Larry Coker, who developed a prolific passing offense while at Oklahoma State.

However, if last season’s statistics are any indication--the Sooners attempted only 104 passes, completing 37--Oklahoma will pass only as a diversion to its steeped-in-tradition running game.

Steve Collins, recruited as a wishbone quarterback, completed 36.7% of his passes last year. If Collins can’t improve his accuracy, Gibbs may turn the team over to freshman Cale Gundy of Midwest City, Okla. A proven passer in high school, Gundy threw for 2,347 yards and 20 touchdowns as a senior.

The Sooner should be stronger defensively, but the offense seems to be in a transition period.

As for UCLA, Donahue said: “There’s no question we’ll be a better team. How much better? It’s hard to say.”