COLLEGE FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Linebacker Glad to Shed Redshirt

The idea was to groom Tim Waddleton to be a pass rusher, to fatten him up a little to deal with opposing tackles and make him into a Jamir Miller type.

It was going to take time. A redshirt year was planned, which would give Waddleton, a junior college transfer, two seasons to play outside linebacker.

The two have been marked down to 1 1/2, because Waddleton has been rushed into a UCLA defense bereft of a pass rush and told to grow into the job.

“That’s fine by me,” Waddleton said. “It was getting to me, watching games instead of playing in them.”

As it became increasingly apparent that, because of injuries or otherwise, Anthony Jones, a transfer from Notre Dame, was not playing up to his potential, defensive coordinator Bob Field decided to bring in Waddleton in the season’s sixth game and burn his redshirt season.

Waddleton was immediately made a starter on UCLA’s pass-situation defense, and on his first rush, he sacked California quarterback Dave Barr for a six-yard loss.

There won’t be many passing situations Saturday against Oregon State’s wishbone offense, but there will be plenty of opportunities to use Waddleton’s speed. It’s a role he relishes and one he is ready to grow into.

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With the offensive line torn up by injuries, Mike Christensen has been moving all over the place, returning to his accustomed left guard after suffering a partially torn knee ligament, and also playing on the right side, replacing Mike Rohme, who is replacing Matt Soenksen.

Christensen has also handled a few snaps at center, where he started in the first two games last season. He might not start on Saturday but is expected to play.

Sean Gully is also playing up and down the line, taking a turn at every position except center this week.

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Other Bruins returning include fullbacks Greg Ford and James Milliner, and just in time because starting fullback Daron Washington is nursing a bruise on his arm. Not playing will be wide receiver J.J. Stokes, for the third week in a row and fifth week in the last six, though he is expected to be ready for Arizona next week.