COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Washington Just Happy to Play

He’s not in love with the idea, because he’s a tailback at heart, but when UCLA needed a fullback to protect quarterback Wayne Cook in its victory over Arizona on Saturday, Daron Washington was ready.

“Really, I was enthused about playing fullback,” said Washington, who started the season’s first game at tailback, injured his ankle and hasn’t been the same since. “I’ve been missing all the fun, all the victories and I just wanted to be in there some way, some how.”

Washington leads all UCLA backs in touchdowns, with four, but has missed three games because of injuries and has been used sparingly in two others.

He has 214 yards in 53 carries, but had only five carries for 19 yards last Saturday, running the fullback’s up-the-middle plays and spending much of his time blocking for Cook and tailback Ricky Davis.

The running style of a fullback, he said, might help because it doesn’t require cutting on an ankle that is still healing.

With James Milliner still nursing a calf injury, Washington will get another chance this week at Washington State, sharing time with freshman Jeff Ruckman.

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For the second time in eight days the Bruins practiced amid falling ashes from Southern California fires. . . . Strong safety Marvin Goodwin leads the Bruins with 54 tackles and four interceptions and is tied for the lead in passes defensed (five) and fumble recoveries (three).