Surprise Scrimmage Held

It was off the schedule and off the wall Tuesday when coaches blew a whistle and summoned the first-string UCLA offense and defense to the 25-yard-line for a scrimmage in mid-practice.

The coaches wanted to bring a sense of urgency to the defense, which has had to gear up quickly in many Bruin games because of turnovers.

The scrimmage also was designed as a run-off between tailbacks Skip Hicks, Durell Price and Keith Brown.

In the “sudden change” drill, the offense picked up a first down, then stalled, with Tod McBride dropping a potential touchdown pass in the end zone, after which Coach Bob Toledo talked hard to the defense, which has held only one team--Michigan--to a field goal in six games.

In the scheduled period of first-string offense against defense later in the practice, Hicks ran five times for eight yards, Price five times for nine and Brown four times for 14.

“I don’t think there will be any change,” said Toledo of the depth-chart listing of Hicks, then Price, then Brown. “I just wanted to 1, see who held onto the ball, and 2, see them run hard, see if somebody could break one.”

Hicks has fumbled four times this season, Price once.

“If anyone had fumbled in that drill, they would have had a tough time seeing the field again,” Toledo said.

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Starting free safety Shawn Williams twisted his knee in a pass coverage drill. . . . Wide receiver Derek Ayers is the only Bruin to have caught a pass in all six games. He has 12 catches for 168 yards.