COLLEGE FOOTBALL DAILY REPORT : UCLA : Reverse Return Results in Safety
Defensive back Paul Guidry has become the Pacific 10 Conference’s best punt returner with a 16.8-yard average, third highest in the nation. He returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown Saturday against Arizona State, the first Bruin return for a touchdown in seven years.
Yet for all his heroics, Guidry also handed off to teammate Derek Ayers on a reverse after fielding a punt inside the 15-yard line Saturday. Ayers was tackled for a safety, a crucial play in a 37-33 loss.
But if there is any blame for that play, Coach Terry Donahue said he will accept it.
“Where we erred,” Donahue said, “is that we had not trained our punt returner well enough to know that when you back up to the 15-yard line to handle the ball, the reverse is off. Just forget it, get the ball back up field and live to fight another day.”
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Leading receiver Kevin Jordan, who has sat out the last two games because of a knee injury, is expected to play Saturday.
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