Band Has a Lot About Parking

As expected, the always irreverent Stanford band didn’t let the UCLA handicapped-parking scandal go unnoticed Saturday.

In addition to the cheerleaders who usually precede the Cardinal players onto the field before games, two students made a circuit of the field carrying blue handicapped placards atop poles. And at halftime, the band did a special formation: It lined up in the shape of the wheelchair that appears on the placards.

Also, the Stanford Tree had a new means of transportation Saturday: It was pushed around the perimeter of the field in a wheelchair.

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Outside linebacker Tony White was told just as the Bruins were about to leave campus Friday afternoon that his father had died of a heart attack at age 42, but he decided to play. He then had five tackles, including one for a loss, against Stanford.

“At first, I didn’t know whether to come or not,” White said. “But then somebody told me to play, so that my dad could see me play. So I played.”

The two had not seen each other since White was in eighth grade, although they spoke as recently as two weeks ago.

“We weren’t as close as we could be,” White said. “But he was always there for me.”

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With about 100 family and friends in attendance, UCLA quarterback Drew Bennett, from the East Bay town of Orinda, struggled in place of the injured Cory Paus.

Bennett, the starter in the platoon system the first two games until Coach Bob Toledo made Paus full time, completed 19 of 31 passes for 207 yards. He did not have any touchdowns or interceptions, but he rushed for one score.

“We missed some balls we’ve got to complete,” Toledo said. “You’ve got to make those throws. Drew struggled at times.”

Said Bennett, whose lack of arm strength and accuracy cost him the No. 1 job: “I felt like it took me a long time to get into a rhythm. I had a hard time gripping the ball for some reason. It’s a minor deal, but it led to me floating the ball sometimes.

“I felt like I had good reads. But I felt like I wasn’t throwing the ball well, and 75% of being a quarterback is throwing the ball.”

Paus did not make the trip, and temporary backup Scott McEwan did not play. An update on Paus’ bruised chest muscles, suffered in the first half last week against Fresno State, is expected Monday.

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A positive sign for the running game: DeShaun Foster had 100 yards in 19 carries, a commendable average of 5.3 yards. It came after he had 55, 51 and 30 yards the first three games and marked his third time in triple digits, including his freshman season. . . . Danny Farmer returned, but he didn’t have any catches. “Until I see the tape, I can’t say unequivocally why,” offensive coordinator Al Borges said. “I’m sure he’s frustrated, and I can’t say I blame him.”