Freshman Griffith Wins Job at Kicker

Chris Griffith was given the honor and the pressure of being the No. 1 kicker, a move that one day could put the Bruins’ hopes for a last-second victory on a walk-on who wasn’t offered any Division I scholarships and hasn’t been in a game for nearly two years.

“Yeah, I’m nervous,” the redshirt freshman admitted moments after getting the news from Coach Bob Toledo at the end of Thursday’s practice. “I don’t think I’m normally a nervous type of person, but I know I’ll be nervous come next Saturday walking on the field. I don’t think it will affect me, though. At least I hope not.”

Griffith grew up in Tustin, but moved to Gardnerville, Nev., near Lake Tahoe, before ninth grade. He returned to Southern California a year ago to come to UCLA without a scholarship--Redlands and LaVerne were among the schools that offered a grant-in-aid--and spent a season watching Chris Sailer handle all the kicking chores.

With Sailer gone and freshman Nathan Fikse pushing him for the job, Griffith was, in the eyes of coaches, more consistent on field goals and extra points.

Fikse, a true freshman from Esperanza High in Anaheim, was named the starting punter and will also handle kickoffs.

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Fullback Durell Price said the first he heard that he had been given a second continuance in the handicapped-parking case was when a member of the UCLA sports information department told him after Wednesday’s scrimmage, several hours after his attorney had the arraignment delayed until Sept. 14. Price said he had no idea his attorney, Robert Shapiro, was going to do that.

“Yes and no,” Price said when asked if he was disappointed the case was continued. “Yes, because I want my teammates to be able to move on and not have to have everybody keep reading about it in the paper. But he’s my lawyer. He knows what’s best for me in that area.”

James Ghezzi, who had also said he wanted to put the case behind him and then got another continuance through Shapiro, said the delay occurred because he had been able to meet with the lawyer once in the last month to discuss options.

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The Bruins suffered another blow to the offensive line when they learned Thursday that Josh Webb probably will be out for the season because of a shoulder injury.