COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Edwards Has Contact Again

Linebacker Donnie Edwards took part in contact drills Wednesday, the first time he has done so since suffering a compression fracture of the vertebrae in a Sept. 16 game against Oregon.

Edwards got only a limited amount of work because he had to leave practice early to attend the Wednesday night class that is part of his graduate studies.

Edwards might not start Saturday against Stanford but is expected to play.

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Cade McNown or Ryan Fien?

For this week, at least, Coach Terry Donahue has decided on starting McNown at quarterback over Fien, who was the starter at the beginning of the season.

But what about McNown and Fien? What about going to a two-quarterback system like the one that has worked so well across town for the USC Trojans?

Donahue says he has considered such a system but rejected it.

“They [USC] feel that both those quarterbacks are comparable to one another,” Donahue said. “And they are both accomplished.

“If you get a quarterback in good rhythm and moving the team, unless I had a situation like they probably have, I would generally be hesitant to upset that rhythm. You can’t be sure that, when the starter goes back in, he’s going to get it again.”

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The Bruins had not started two true freshmen in the same backfield since 1972. But they have done so in each of the last two games, with McNown being joined by fullback Cheyane Caldwell.