Checking the Chart

With the release of the season-opening depth chart Tuesday at UCLA, several things hinted at during two-a-day practices were affirmed:

* Eric Whitfield, a sophomore who played sparingly last season, has taken the starting roverback job from Wasswa Serwanga, who has limped through fall camp.

* Jeff Ruckman, last season’s starting nose guard, has been moved to defensive end, where he is listed No. 3, in part because he has spent much of camp nursing a hamstring strain.

* Redshirt freshman Oscar Cabrera, planned for a backup role at several positions on the offensive line, probably will not be ready for the Aug. 30 opener at Washington State because of ankle and knee injuries, which were thought slight when suffered Monday but found later to be more serious.

* Receiver Brad Melsby, who played often during his freshman season, sat out last year because of a knee injury, then came back in the spring to win a starting position, has lost it because of an illness believed to be stomach flu. More tests are planned because he has not yet recovered.

* Freshman tackle Brian Polak, whom UCLA had hoped to redshirt, may have to play to provide depth on the offensive line.

* Senior Jayson Brown, who had a strong career at Mesa Community College in Arizona, then suffered a kneecap injury that cost him his junior season at UCLA, has been rewarded for a good camp with second-string status at defensive end, behind Weldon Forde.

* All five starting offensive linemen return, but there is not much depth, with Dan Cotti backing up both tackles and Sean Gully backing up both guards.

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Coach Bob Toledo told the Bruins that, with the end of two-a-day practices, things will speed up and some players who have been held out of some drills while nursing injuries will have to speed up with them.

UCLA has been working against Washington State offensive and defensive formations since the beginning of fall practice.

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Freshman kicker Zak Haselmo, brought in to back up Chris Sailer, has struggled lately and has taken his right shoe off to try barefoot kicking. “I used to do it on the sidelines in high school [at Cabrillo in Lompoc],” he said, “but the rules wouldn’t let me do it in a game. I like it better--bone on ball.”