Sailer Puts His Best Foot Forward

It’s over, and it’s time to look forward. After making 15 kicks in a row, Chris Sailer missed two field-goal tries from 42 yards against California on Saturday, but that was just that . . . Saturday.

“I’ve put it behind me,” Sailer said Wednesday. “I figure I’ve kicked maybe 1,000 balls this season and I’ve missed two in a row.

“The next game, I’ll be more concerned with how I just did in practice than last week.”

In his mind, a kick is a kick, whether it counts three points against Stanford on Saturday or no points in practice today.

His first miss against Cal was a few inches wide to the left.

“I just missed on the aim,” he said.

The second was wider left.

“I think I looked up on that one,” he said. “I don’t know what happened, but I think I lost my concentration. It was late in the game and I didn’t think I’d be kicking again.”

Sailer is a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the player judged college football’s best kicker.

It’s one he would like to win, simply because it’s an award. “Everybody likes to win them,” he said.

But what of Groza?

“I don’t know who he was,” Sailer said. “I think he was a kicker though.”

Groza was a long-time kicker and tackle with the Cleveland Browns.

*

Skip Hicks returned two kickoffs in practice and Coach Bob Toledo said Hicks probably “would get a look” at Stanford on Saturday. . . . In eight second halves, UCLA has given up only seven touchdowns and four field goals. . . . In its last six games, the first-team defense has given up only seven touchdowns and 70 points. Two of those came on drives of 28 and 17 yards after Bruin fumbles. . . . Opposing quarterbacks have completed only 46.7% of 246 passes for 1,225 yards, five touchdowns and 11 interceptions against UCLA in its six-game winning streak.

* NEXT FOR UCLA

WHO: Stanford

WHERE: Stanford Stadium

TIME: Saturday, 3:30 p.m.

TV: Channel 9

RADIO: AM 1150