COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Status of Several Bruins in Doubt

Coach Terry Donahue sounded a little like Lawrence Welk when he talked about who will be available to play at Stanford on Saturday.

“Brian Allen is on the bubble,” Donahue said. “Daron Washington is on the bubble. Sharmon Shah is on the bubble. Carrick O’Quinn is on the bubble. Avery Anderson is on the bubble.”

He added that defensive back and kick returner Paul Guidry was unlikely to play against the Cardinal.

Allen, a tight end, has practiced for the past two days and has looked impressive in passing drills. UCLA has not completed a pass to a tight end in its two games.

Shah talked with Donahue and UCLA’s medical staff on Wednesday night and had a test that revealed tendinitis in his right knee.

“I think it’s because I overcompensated in coming back from surgery on my left knee,” Shah said, adding that he was somewhat relieved to find the source of his problems after spending a discouraging evening in the process. He has found that the problem with his legs is traced to a congenital disorder.

Shah said he wanted to play against Stanford. “It’s not so much that I have a decision (about redshirting, which he is still considering). It’s that I can go, and if I can go, I’m going to continue to go,” he said. “I pray that I don’t get so mentally caught up in having a physical defect that I confuse pain and injury. I have to stay mentally positive.”

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After games at guard and tackle, Craig Novitsky will probably make his 37th consecutive start for UCLA at center. He makes the move from left guard to replace James Christensen, who suffered a partial ligament tear in his left knee in the Nebraska game. Derek Stevens moves from right guard to left guard, with Matt Soenksen playing right guard.

Mike Flanagan, who replaced Christensen in the Nebraska game, will share time with Novitsky and has taken a few plays at tight end.