UCLA, Bledsoe Didn’t Think It Would Turn Out Like This

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe of Washington State dreamed of attending UCLA when he was growing up.

But UCLA Coach Terry Donahue didn’t recruit Bledsoe in 1990 because the Bruins had quarterback Tommy Maddox, now with the Denver Broncos, and four others.

These days, though, Donahue could sure use Bledsoe, who leads the Pacific 10 in total offense.

Since losing quarterback Wayne Cook, who replaced Maddox, to a season-ending knee injury in the season opener against Cal State Fullerton, the Bruins have also lost redshirt freshman quarterback Rob Walker, Cook’s replacement, for two weeks because of a sprained left ankle.

Ryan Fien, a true freshman who has never taken a snap in a college game, or senior John Barnes, a transfer from UC Santa Barbara, will start in place of Walker when the Bruins play No. 22-ranked Washington State today at noon at Martin Stadium.

Donahue said that both Fien and Barnes probably will play and that he will select the starter after watching them warm up.

Fien, 6 feet 4 and 197 pounds, passed for 1,710 yards and 23 touchdowns last season at Royal High in Simi Valley.

Barnes, 6-3 and 210, transferred to UCLA last spring after UC Santa Barbara dropped football. He passed for 2,100 yards and 23 touchdowns and ran for six touchdowns last season. He replaced Walker for one play in the Bruins’ 19-7 loss to Stanford last week and fumbled the snap.

“We both got a fair shot and we’ll see how it’s going to go,” Fien said. “We both did a good job. We both know the offense and we both will probably play.”

Fien has impressed wide receiver Sean LaChapelle.

“He reminds me a lot of (Denver Bronco quarterback John) Elway,” LaChapelle said. “His release is extremely quick and receivers like a quick release.”

Is Donahue confident that Fien and Barnes can run the team?

“Confidence in players who’ve never played is hard to describe,” Donahue said. “I have a lot of confidence that they’re going to go up and give it a great effort and a great shot. But realistically, until you’ve seen a quarterback in a game you don’t have any opinion as to what may or may not happen.”

Donahue said earlier this week that Barnes would start if Walker couldn’t play because Fien doesn’t know the UCLA offense. But since then Donahue has simplified the Bruin attack.

“If we played our regular offense now, Ryan would have no chance to play,” Donahue said. “I don’t know what percentage of the offense John knows, but it isn’t substantial. There’s no way we can run our normal offensive attack.”

The Bruins have 11 starters that are either sidelined or playing with injuries. They have scored only 10 points in losing their last two games and dropped out of the polls.

“This has been the most difficult time I’ve had since I’ve been at UCLA,” Donahue said.

Off to its best start since 1981, Washington State hasn’t won its first six games since 1930, when the Cougars last played in the Rose Bowl. But UCLA will be Washington State’s first opponent with a winning record, and the Cougars play USC next week.

“The feeling on the team is that the preseason is over now,” Bledsoe said after passing for 248 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 35-10 victory over Oregon State. “Going into the season, there were five games we felt we should win. Now, we’re ready for the meat of the schedule to determine just how good we are.”

Averaging 492 yards per game in total offense, Washington State leads the Pac-10 in total offense, passing offense, 330.8 yards per game, and scoring, 34.6 points per game. Wide receivers Phillip Bobo and C.J. Davis lead the conference in receiving and running back Shaumbe Wright-Fair is the conference’s second-leading rusher behind Russell White of Cal.

Bruin Notes

Sean LaChapelle, who sat out the second half of last week’s game because of a cracked rib, did not make the trip. He will be replaced by J.J. Stokes. Defensive end Mike Chalenski, recovering from surgery to repair a tendon in his left thumb, and linebacker Jamir Miller, sidelined because of a sprained ankle, also remained in Westwood. Redshirt sophomore London Woodfin will start in place of Chalenski and Miller will be replaced by Rod Smalley or Andrew McClave, each a redshirt sophomore.

Defensive tackle Matt Werner, who broke a toe on his left foot last week, did not practice this week but hopes to play today. And tailback Kevin Williams, sidelined by a hamstring injury last week, probably will play sparingly as a pass blocker.

Coach Terry Donahue closed practice Thursday, saying he wanted to “be alone with my football team” and eliminate outside distractions. The Bruins, who normally practice in shorts on Thursday, wore pads during the 2 1/2-hour session to give quarterbacks Ryan Fien and John Barnes more preparation. Static was played over the loudspeakers to prepare them for the crowd noise at 40,000-seat Martin Stadium, which has been sold out for two weeks. Although Donahue put the quarterbacks off limits to reporters, Fien spoke briefly Thursday before a UCLA publicist informed him of the gag order. . . . Scott Fitterer, a freshman quarterback from Kennedy High in Seattle, will play if Fien and Barnes are injured.