UCLA’s Cook: Don’t Forget Me for 1993

UCLA quarterback Wayne Cook worked all year to prepare for this season.

Thrust into the starting lineup after Tommy Maddox renounced his final two seasons of eligibility for the NFL, Cook, who was in academic difficulty, raised his grades to ensure his eligibility. He also lifted weights and threw every day to wide receiver Sean LaChapelle.

“I was in the best shape of my life,” Cook said. “My strength went up and I also worked hard to learn the offense.”

But Cook’s season lasted less than one half.

After completing eight of 13 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown as UCLA scored two touchdowns and two field goals on its first four possessions in its 37-14 season-opening victory over Cal State Fullerton, Cook tore ligaments in his right knee when he was sacked by Titan defensive end Randy Strickland with 3:51 to play in the first half.

“To this day, and to my dying day, I would say that the blow that he took to his knee to suffer the injury he had (wasn’t that severe),” Coach Terry Donahue said. “It looked like the guy just kind of pulled the ligaments right off the knee.

“I thought it was a real tragedy. I’m not sure we’ve ever had anybody who’s worked any harder academically or athletically to get a chance to play and then, boom, it’s over. I think that was a major, major catastrophe for Wayne. It was very traumatic for everybody because we had spent a great deal of time with Wayne in trying to get him ready to be the starting quarterback.”

Cook underwent reconstructive surgery to repair the anterior cruciate and the medial collateral ligaments. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in the same knee in a high school all-star game in 1989.

He has been undergoing two hours of physical therapy five days a week. Cook, who was never in a cast, wears a large knee brace as he walks around campus.

Michael Bang, UCLA’s physical therapist, said Cook is progressing well.

“He’s right on schedule at this point. . . ,” Bang said. “He’s really very motivated because he has his sights set on starting next year. His first six weeks, he was well ahead of schedule. He worked really hard because he knew how important the first few weeks of therapy are. If you make your gains early on, then you can kind of coast.”

Cook, who began riding a stationary bicycle last week, hopes to begin jogging in six weeks. Although he has lost 20 pounds, down to 185, Cook has lifted weights to maintain his arm strength.

Cook fears he’s been forgotten by Bruin fans and coaches.

“I’m not going to lie to you,” Cook said. “I don’t stay up nights worrying about it, but I just want to make sure people around here don’t (forget) me, because I plan on coming out in the spring and getting my job back.”

Although quarterback Rob Walker led the Bruins to victories over Brigham Young and San Diego State after Cook’s injury, UCLA’s offense has struggled, averaging only 7.8 points in losing five Pacific 10 games before beating Oregon State last week.

The Bruins have used three quarterbacks since Cook’s injury.

Walker started four games before spraining his left ankle in a 19-7 defeat by Stanford last month. Senior John Barnes, who transferred to UCLA last spring after UC Santa Barbara dropped football, started against Washington State, but he was replaced by freshman Ryan Fien, who started the next game against Arizona State. With Fien sidelined with a hip injury, Barnes has started the Bruins’ last two games and will probably start this week against Oregon.

“It’s been horrible,” Cook said. “It’s so hard to watch when you know you could be out there helping the team. It’s just frustrating. I go to all the home games, but I get too frustrated listening to games on the radio.

“You feel bad for the team because we’ve had so many injury problems. And me being the first makes me feel especially bad.”

Cook says he wouldn’t have made a difference because the Bruins have been devastated by injuries, losing 10 other players who began the season as starters.

“I think I would have known more . . . but people have been dropping like flies and when you get to a certain point what can you do?” Cook said. “The caliber of players we’ve lost is amazing. You know it’s a bad season when everybody on the cover of your media guide isn’t playing.”