Injury Forces Bruins Back to Plan (B)ennett

UCLA was in its familiar state of quarterback uncertainty Monday, avoiding the debate of old but getting at least a discussion.

OK, so it’s more like a medical consultation. The issue of Cory Paus’ questionable health, in the wake of his being sidelined in the first half Saturday against Fresno State, had the Bruins considering a start for Drew Bennett.

Paus will need to be practicing by Wednesday to play Saturday afternoon at Stanford, Coach Bob Toledo said, wanting to make sure Paus has the proper conditioning and preparation. When he is healthy again, it’s his job again.

It’s just that later this week in Palo Alto doesn’t look like a good bet. Paus had trouble getting out of bed Sunday because of bruised chest muscles suffered against Fresno State and said Monday that it hurt to brush his teeth, hurt to drive a car, hurt to do anything that involved use of the upper body. Don’t even ask him to throw a football.

All of which has the Bruins listing him as doubtful for now, Toledo talking like even that is optimistic, and everyone putting the focus on Bennett. Speaking of longshot returns.

Bennett--named the No. 1 quarterback two weeks before the season opener against Boise State--was told last week he had lost the starting job to Paus. He was down.

“Monday and Tuesday, I was really disappointed,” Bennett said. “Kind of confused. Then I calmed down a little bit, I think. I just realized this is the way it’s going to be. I accepted it. Then right before the game, it was strange. I was a little upset not being in for the opening drive.”

He was relaxed, “but not like a nice relaxed. I don’t know how to explain it. I wasn’t as focused as I had been the last two weeks.”

Then came UCLA’s fifth play of the second quarter. Paus handed off to Jermaine Lewis, who lateraled to Paus. He was looking downfield for a long pass, but Fresno State’s Frank Battle got there first, sacking Paus for a 10-yard loss.

Paus was on his knees when the ball came free. But when momentum carried him forward, it resulted in landing on the ball, on the left side of his upper chest. Players diving on top after the possible fumble made it worse.

Paus came out with 11:01 remaining, and Bennett--who would have otherwise played only in a blowout, who days earlier volunteered for a move to receiver--was sent in.

Bennett went into the huddle and “told us to stay calm and not to worry about it,” flanker Freddie Mitchell said. “He was going to lead us through.”

Then he completed 13 of 24 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns, both in a span of 5:02 of the second half, to rally the Bruins from 21-20 down to a 35-21 victory.

“After the game, I was really happy,” he said. “Kind of in shock, actually. A lot of people kept telling me, ‘Hang in there. You’re one play away [from being needed]. For a while, it was, yeah, whatever. But my dad and coach Toledo and coach [Al] Borges [the offensive coordinator] kept grinding away.”

So now Bennett will be more confident and prepared for the likely event that he starts against surprising Stanford as the Bruins begin defense of their Pacific 10 Conference title. But he also will be the stand-in. He knows it.

There is no quarterback debate. There would not have been one even if Paus struggled mightily versus Fresno State because Toledo promised there would be no quick hook. There certainly wasn’t going to be one after Paus connected on his first eight passes and finished nine of 12 for 113 yards. The freshman in his third game, let alone his first start, was impressive.

“If he’s healthy, I’m prepared,” Bennett said.

For the inevitable.

At the same time, his first game as the backup did more for Bennett’s stock than anything in two weeks as the starter. He proved something.

“I did,” Bennett said. “Not just to my teammates, but to everybody around.”

So did Paus. He proved capable of the No. 1 job.

“It was like I had hoped it would be,” he said. “It wasn’t unnatural by any means. It was natural.”

Albeit short-lived. Paus barely made it into the second quarter, and now isn’t expected to make it into the second week as starter. In the meantime, Scott McEwan, although bothered because of a sprained knee, will practice as the backup.