KEEPING TABS

Like many of his UCLA teammates, guard Ron Nielsen has had good games mixed with struggles.

The former St. Genevieve High and Moorpark College standout won a game ball after the Bruins’ 17-10 victory over Brigham Young on Sept. 19 and received high marks for his play in a 35-7 victory over San Diego State a week later. But the 6-foot-3 1/2, 267-pound senior also says he has had “some troubles at times.”

“Some games, I didn’t play as well as I should,” Nielsen said.

UCLA is currently mired in a dreadful stretch: The Bruins’ are 0-5 in the Pacific 10 Conference, their worst start in conference play since 1943. California’s 48 points Saturday were the most the Bears have scored against UCLA, and the 36-point margin of defeat was the Bruins’ greatest in conference play since Terry Donahue became coach in 1976.

“It’s tough to deal with (the losing),” Nielsen said. “It’s hard to feel totally bad because you know you’re giving your all out there. . . . We have to deal with it. It’s one of those things that happen in life.”

The absence of quarterback Tommy Maddox, who bypassed his final two years to make himself available for the NFL draft, has made the situation more difficult for the remaining players, Nielsen said.

“This year, there’s more pressure on the offensive line to get things done where we’re second and short and third and short. The receivers have more pressure. They have to be more consistent catching the balls. The running backs have to fight a little harder. It’s just a tough situation.”

UCLA (3-5, 0-5) will play host to Oregon State (1-6-1, 0-4-1) on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

“There is a lot of pride on the line these last three games,” Nielsen said. “We’d like to go out winners. Our main goal is to beat USC. That’s our bowl game this year.”

Add UCLA-California: While the game proved to be another millstone for the Bruins, it was a milestone for Russell White.

The former Crespi running back rushed for 148 yards to give him 3,065 for his career, surpassing Chuck Muncie’s school record.

The Pac-10 named White one of its players of the week, along with Curtis Conway of USC and Jeff Cummins of Oregon.

Brown for Heisman?: Although it deserves an asterisk, Leonice Brown can brag that he outrushed Heisman Trophy candidate Marshall Faulk when Colorado State faced San Diego State.

The former San Fernando standout had a game-high 111 yards in 19 carries as the Rams lost to the Aztecs, 20-13.

Faulk had 60 yards in 18 carries but did not carry the ball after straining a quadriceps muscle late in the first half.

Catching on: Sean Burwell had 55 rushing yards, not nearly up to his average of 79.8 entering play, but the former Cleveland High running back still made a major contribution to Oregon’s 34-17 upset of then-19th-ranked Washington State on Saturday.

Burwell caught touchdown passes of three and five yards from Danny O’Neil as the Ducks improved their record to 4-4, 2-3.