Bruins Ground One Out Against Beavers

In other years, a game against against Oregon State was like a walk in the park for UCLA.

For example, the Beavers offered little resistance for most of the last decade, losing by such scores as 52-17, 49-0 and 41-0.

However, UCLA Coach Terry Donahue watched his team struggle Saturday to beat Oregon State, 26-17, before a homecoming crowd of 42,427 at the Rose Bowl.

Donahue is not discrediting any victory this season. His Bruins are 4-4 overall and 3-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

A winning or losing season hangs in the balance in the next three games--Oregon next Saturday at Eugene, then Washington at Seattle and, finally, against USC at the Rose Bowl.

Asked if his team needs to step up to another level to win the next three, Donahue said: “Considerably.”

Donahue isn’t down on his team, though.

“We’ve played hard in every game with the exception of the first half against California,” he said.

He didn’t want to look at the entire three-game package ahead for his team, saying: “We have to focus on Oregon. We have to get better this week. I made a pact with myself not to be critical (with a victory). I want to enjoy this.”

Donahue was, of course, mindful that Oregon State upset UCLA, 18-17, last year in Corvallis.

UCLA led, 16-14, at halftime Saturday. Then the Bruins drove 70 yards to a touchdown at the outset of the third quarter. They added a field goal before the quarter ended, which was matched by Oregon State.

The teams didn’t score in the final quarter.

Oregon State is 1-7 overall, beating only Arizona, which in turn defeated UCLA. The Beavers are 1-3 in conference play.

Nonetheless, they extended the Bruins for a while behind quarterback Matt Booher, who had been listed as doubtful after recovering from a broken bone in his left foot.

Booher relieved starting quarterback Fred Schweer late in the first quarter after the Bruins led, 9-0, as the result of an impressive 89-yard touchdown drive on their first possession and a safety--when linebacker Roman Phifer tackled fullback James Jones in the end zone with an assist from linebacker Stacy Argo.

UCLA was threatening to increase the lead at the Oregon State 18-yard line, where Tommy Maddox was sacked by Esera Tuaolo, the Beavers’ outstanding nose tackle. Tuaolo punched the ball loose and the Beavers recovered, leading to their first touchdown.

Trailing, 9-0, the Beavers scored on Schweer’s one-yard sneak. The touchdown was set up when wide receiver Maurice Wilson fooled the Bruin defense on 57-yard run on a reverse that carried to the one-yard line.

The Beavers went ahead, 14-9, in the second quarter when Booher kept a 77-yard scoring drive alive by escaping from four Bruin defenders for a 17-yard run on third-and-four from the UCLA 49-yard line.

A few plays later, he threw a 19-yard pass to tailback Dwayne Owens that carried to the five, and tailback Reggie Pitchford got the touchdown from there.

But UCLA went back in front on a drive that started when a shanked 15-yard punt by Oregon State went out of bounds at the Oregon State 44. Fullback Kevin Smith scored from the one late in the second quarter.

Tailback Kevin Williams, who has been virtually inactive previously with ankle and back injuries, set up the touchdown with a 27-yard run on a pitchout to the one.

Williams hasn’t carried the ball since the second game of the season against Stanford. And he didn’t even play in three previous games.

The 70-yard drive at the outset of the third quarter ended with Maddox throwing a six-yard scoring pass to tight end Rick Daly.

UCLA might have had a more comfortable winning margin, but Daluiso missed field goals from 42 and 35 yards.

It was a productive game for tailback Brian Brown and Williams. Brown gained 106 yards in 17 carries and has rushed for 100 or more yards in four of the past five games.

Williams, coming back from injuries, got most of his playing time in the second half in relief of Brown. He gained 78 yards in 14 carries as the Bruins rushed for 233 yards.

Maddox completed just seven of 18 passes for 98 yards, and only four of nine for 50 yards in the first half.

He had a good excuse.

Maddox was used a lot on option plays and took a lot of punishment. But he ran 53 yards on an option play, showing good speed for a 6-4 quarterback, to set up UCLA’s first touchdown.

“I never ran that far in my life,” Maddox said, smiling.

UCLA’s players said that a team meeting was held Friday night--without coaches. “We wanted to re-evaluate ourselves and play at a higher level of intensity,” Phifer said.

Bruin Notes

How Times Have Changed Dept.: UCLA Coach Terry Donahue said that Oregon State was more physical in both lines than his team, adding that the Bruins had more overall speed. . . . Oregon State hasn’t beaten UCLA in Los Angeles since 1971. . . . The 54-yard run by Tommy Maddox was the longest run by a Bruin since Brian Brown ran 68 yards to a touchdown against Oregon in 1988. . . . The Bruins missed an opportunity for a possible touchdown in the first quarter when Maddox overthrew wide receiver Scott Miller, who was open at the OSU 10-yard line. Brad Daluiso then missed a 42-yard field goal try.