Special Teams Make Big Plays

Jim McElroy returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown and Shaun Williams returned a punt 25 yards Wednesday at the Rose Bowl.

It was a controlled scrimmage for UCLA, and the plays are significant largely because of the emphasis the Bruins are putting on special teams after a season in which they often were embarrassingly inept.

UCLA ranked last in the Pacific 10 Conference in punt returns and kickoff-return coverage and eighth in kickoff returns. Along the way special teams contributed mightily to losses at Tennessee, Washington and Arizona.