Forde Serves Fair Warning to Pounds

Weldon Forde’s war of words with USC has started.

“I called Phalen Pounds last night and told him I would have two sacks,” Forde, UCLA’s defensive end said Monday.

Forde was speaking to a friend and with some experience. He had two sacks against the Trojans last season, one of which knocked quarterback Brad Otton from the game.

Forde and Pounds go back to the Shrine All-Star game in which they were roommates coming out of high school.

“And I used to date a girl at USC who was roommates with Phalen’s girlfriend,” Forde said.

“For some reason, I play better when I’ve told the guy I’m in front of that I’m coming. Like in the Washington game, when I got that call for hitting the quarterback late--and it was a bad call--I told their tackle that I was coming back. And then I got another sack.”

Forde has 32 tackles for the Bruins, nine for losses and six sacks, most accomplished since he lost 10 pounds, down to 240. He had come into training camp at 243, and against all logic, actually gained seven pounds during two-a-day drills.

“I wasn’t as fast then,” says Forde, who lost some playing time to Danjuan Magee as a result.

“Now, I feel faster and I’m playing better.”

And talking more.

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Tackle Chad Overhauser has been called doubtful for the game by the Bruin training staff, but he says he will play.

Overhauser suffered an ankle sprain in the first half of UCLA’s 52-28 victory over Washington, then came back and played in the second half but was on crutches Monday. He will not practice this week.

He had a similar injury before last season’s game against the Trojans, but played the first half before it was decided he could go no further. Dan Cotti moved into the right tackle spot and played the second half. Cotti will also play Saturday.

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Three UCLA players have been selected for the District 8 (West Coast) All-Academic team: guard Andy Meyers, center Shawn Stuart and kicker-punter Chris Sailer. All will be on the Academic All-American ballot. . . . UCLA quarterback Cade McNown has gone back to the top in the NCAA’s passing efficiency statistics at 167.8. Washington State’s Ryan Leaf is third and Washington’s Brock Huard--the leader for most of the season--has dropped to fourth. . . . The Bruins’ Skip Hicks leads the nation’s scorers with 14.4 points a game. Hicks has 24 touchdowns.