COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : After Bye, Ailing Defense May Get a Few Starters Back

If the Bruins had not had a bye last weekend, they would have been forced to play without five defensive starters.

Middle linebacker Donnie Edwards (vertebrae), defensive linemen Travis Kirschke (ankle), Phillip Ward (knee), Danjuan Magee (knee) and free safety Shaun Williams (thigh) would all have been on the sidelines.

The outlook is brighter for Saturday’s game against Arizona. Williams and Magee have been given an “outside chance” to return by Coach Terry Donahue. Edwards is even closer, but his availability depends on an NCAA investigation into allegations he accepted money from a sports agent. Kirschke has been labeled “extremely doubtful” by Donahue. Ward is expected to be sidelined several weeks.