COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : UCLA : This Season Hardly a Kick for Merten

What do you expect of an All-American kicker? How about perfection?

Bjorn Merten is feeling the pressure of great expectations at UCLA, where he has been successful on five of eight field-goal tries.

Six of the eight have come from 40 yards or more, and the three misses were from 42, 42 and 44. Last season, when he became only the fourth freshman All-American in history, he was successful on 21 of 26 tries, but only four of those attempts were from 40 or more yards.

Part of the difference is the offense, which has generated yards between the Bruin 20 and opposition 25, but few touchdowns, a point of concern to the coaching staff.

Merten has an answer to the questions about his misses. It’s technical, involving geometry. Basically, he is lining up less than 90 degrees to the intended line of flight and pushing the ball a bit. All three of his misses have been to the right.

“It’s a lot like golf,” he said. “If you’re a good golfer, you can learn the mechanics of kicking.”

A bad golfer is certainly familiar with pushing the ball to the right.

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J.J. Stokes says he doesn’t know if he can play Saturday against Washington State in the Rose Bowl, but Coach Terry Donahue is putting him on the Bruins’ 60-player list for Friday night’s hotel stay in Pasadena. Stokes will be evaluated Saturday, but even if he plays, Donahue said, his time on the field will be limited. “If he’s healthy, we can probably get 20 or so plays,” the coach said.

Would 20 plays of J.J. Stokes make a difference?

“Yes,” Donahue said.

Stokes has not played since the first game against Tennessee, when he suffered a bruised thigh in the first half.

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An MRI on left guard James Christensen has revealed a small tear in a ligament in his left knee, which will prevent him from playing Saturday and puts his season in jeopardy. Christensen missed all but the first two games of last season, also because of his knee. Mike Rohme will take his place on a depleted offensive line. . . . Fullback Greg Ford will also be out, because of a back injury.