COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Passers Look Good, Defensive Backs Don’t

A lack of available backs notwithstanding, Coach Terry Donahue decided UCLA would scrimmage Thursday, and all three quarterbacks on the depth chart threw touchdown passes.

“I still think that we got something from it, and if we can do this every day, we can be ready for Tennessee,” Donahue said. “We have to. They aren’t going to change the opener from Sept. 3, and Tennessee doesn’t give two hoots whether we are scrimmaging or not.”

Donahue then changed Saturday’s practice schedule, which was to be a light workout and autograph session at the Rose Bowl to a scrimmage.

Ryan Fien, the No. 2 quarterback who started the scrimmage with the first-string line and second-string receivers, completed a 40-yard pass to Avery Anderson.

Rob Walker, No. 2 in the lineup and No. 3 in the depth chart, continued to look good, combining with Jim McElroy on a nine-yard touchdown pass and going four for four after completing seven of eight passes in last Saturday’s scrimmage.

The starter, Wayne Cook, was No. 3 in the scrimmage and completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Jordan.

With the main running backs--Sharmon Shah, Derek Ayers, Daron Washington and Shaun Williams--on the sideline because of injuries, Akil Davis handled most of the running, struggling against the No. 1 defense.

That defense concerned Donahue.

“We got, what, 21 or 23 points without backs?” he said.

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UCLA walk-on freshman Greg Ford, suddenly in the running for playing time in the backfield because of injuries to others, got a scare when newly developed interest in his status found no paper work to confirm he had graduated from high school.

To forestall his participation, his uniform and pads were taken up and, for a few hours, he became something of a non-person at UCLA.

Midway through practice, he got a call that all was well, that he had indeed graduated from Whittier High in June and No. 44 was waiting for him.

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The son of defensive coordinator Bob Field, Brian, is a quarterback candidate at El Camino College after spending last season as the scout-team quarterback at Field’s alma mater, Arkansas, and spring practice at UCLA. . . . Anthony Jones, a transfer from Notre Dame, is pushing Phillip Ward for the No. 1 spot at pass-rushing outside linebacker, and Ward is spending time at the other outside spot, spelling Donnie Edwards.