Bell Prospers When Friend Falters

When cornerback Aaron Roques suffered a shoulder injury against Tennessee in the season’s second game, UCLA turned to freshman Marques Anderson to step into his spot.

Jason Bell watched with mixed feelings.

“He is my friend,” Bell said Tuesday of Anderson, who also is from Long Beach, “but he had my job.”

Anderson no longer does after being benched for diminishing results on special teams. The idea, secondary coach Marc Dove said, is to give him some defensive rest to better his special teams play. The real purpose was to send Anderson a message.

And Bell was the beneficiary. He has started at left cornerback in the last two games, with senior Javelin Guidry on the right. Anderson spells both.

“To me, it’s easier to prepare when you’re a starter,” Bell said. “When I’m watching film and I know I’m going to be starting, I picture myself out there. Before, I was paying attention, but it was different.”

Whoever plays gets plenty of attention from opposing quarterbacks, who concentrate on the sophomore Bell and freshman Anderson in the passing game. To try to compensate for their inexperience, UCLA has played them a bit farther from opposing receivers, usually about eight yards off the ball.

Bell would rather play closer, in bump-and-run coverage, but understands.

“I know that one bad play by me at cornerback can lose a game,” he said.

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UCLA’s Chris Sailer is among 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Collegiate Place-kicker Award. Sailer had made 15 field goals in a row until missing two from 42 yards Saturday against California.

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Stanford is 6-1 in November in two seasons under Coach Tyrone Willingham and is 20-6 during the final month of the season since 1989. . . . As UCLA does with Sailer, Stanford has one player, Kevin Miller, handling punting and kicking chores. Miller is averaging 43.6 yards a punt and has had 14 punts downed inside the opponents’ 10-yard-line, six inside the five.

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NEXT FOR UCLA

WHO: Stanford

WHERE: Stanford Stadium

WHEN: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Channel 9

RADIO: AM 1150