Aztec Star Upstaged by Three Bruins : UCLA: Williams, Washington and Shah gain 278 yards and score three touchdowns. Faulk held to 118 yards.

Team Heisman took the field Saturday without a brochure and without warning. Unlike Marshall Faulk, it had six legs and three sets of lungs.

In UCLA’s 35-7 victory over San Diego State at the Rose Bowl, Team Heisman rushed for 278 yards and scored three touchdowns. It averaged 6.5 yards per carry.

It carried the Bruins through the 95-degree heat and the Aztecs’ secondary. Team Heisman will not win the coveted award because they don’t divide the trophy into three parts.

But the UCLA backfield proved that three backs are sometimes better than one. Even a great one.

In an upset, Faulk was upstaged by senior Kevin Williams, who rushed 19 times for 96 yards; sophomore Daron Washington, who gained 114 yards in 14 carries; and freshman Sharmon Shah, who gained 68 yards in 10 carries.

Faulk was not his usual self, rushing for only 118 yards in 23 carries.

Faulk had averaged 259 rushing yards in his first two games. But the UCLA defense shadowed and hawked him, while Bruin backs took turn inflicting damage on the San Diego State defense.

“All they were talking about was Marshall Faulk,” said Washington, who scored on runs of 32 and 22 yards. “We wanted to show the country that we could get the job done just as well as Marshall Faulk. That’s motivation in itself.”

Faulk could argue that it took three backs to match a normal rushing output for him. But it seemed the Bruins employed the right strategy on a day when oxygen was at a premium.

There was talk that Shah, a freshman from Dorsey High, might be redshirted this week. But this time temperature dictated the game plan. Anticipating the heat, the Bruins decided to rotate their three backs, with much success.

“The defense tries to get used to one running back and a new one comes in with a totally different style,” Shah said.

Shah, however, almost didn’t make it to the huddle for his turn.

“Someone said ‘Shah, it’s your turn,” he recalled of his summons.

“I grabbed my helmet and almost tripped on the field when I ran out there.”

The jitters soon passed. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry.

Williams could have been the most offended over all the Faulk flap.

It’s always been that way with Williams. Last year he led the Pacific 10 in rushing but always seemed an afterthought in conversations about great conference running backs.

Last year, one publication named Williams to its “Almost All-America” team.

Well, almost isn’t good enough this year.

Williams might put up better numbers in a system that featured him exclusively, but he said he doesn’t mind sharing the load.

“Me and Shawn (Wills) did it last year and it was no problem for me,” said Williams, who scored on a 25-yard run in the first quarter to put UCLA ahead, 14-0. “I think it’s good. They’re young and they’re good. You’ve got to get them on the field. That’s great. Matter of fact, I enjoy it, because I’m fresh going into the fourth quarter.”

Williams doesn’t mind sending his messages by committee.

“It was like all the people wanted to come to see Marshall, and they didn’t know that UCLA has a great group of backs,” he said.

But even the Bruin tailbacks acknowledged that, they too, came to see Faulk.

“He’s definitely a great running back,” Shah said. “He has great vision and good speed. I definitely admire him.

Faulk’s stamina most impressed Shah.

“During the game, I was kind of laughing,” he said. “I felt like I was in pretty good shape, but after I got the ball a few times I was kind of tired. And I was thinking about Marshall, how he runs the ball 30 times. I guess he’s just in great shape, and very durable.”

Even Williams gives Faulk his due, remarking of his 46-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“It was nice,” Williams said. “He’s a great player. You can’t take that away.”