Anderson the Main Man in the Bruins’ Secondary

The loss of Lovell Houston and Julius Williams in the UCLA secondary is offset by the return of Marques Anderson after he missed all of last season because of disciplinary reasons.

When the Bruins opened practice Saturday at Spaulding Field, it marked Anderson’s first full-team participation in a little more than 20 months. He hasn’t played in a game since the Rose Bowl loss to Wisconsin. His junior season ended when the school, not Coach Bob Toledo, expelled him for the fall quarter because of his role in the handicapped-parking scam as well as other undisclosed transgressions.

Anderson was the only Bruin to receive more than a two-game suspension, two years probation, 200 hours of community service and a $1,485 fine for charges related to the parking scam. He took classes at Compton College in the fall, then returned to UCLA. He participated in spring practice, and is slated to start at strong safety in the Sept. 2 opener against Alabama.

His return to form, and beyond, is critical for the Bruins’ success. He is the most athletically gifted member of the secondary. But he is also one of the most frustrating for the coaches. Because of mental lapses in games, his ability only occasionally matched his potential.

Anderson is one of the most experienced defensive backs, having started five games as a true freshman in 1998 and six as a sophomore while playing at cornerback and safety.

Houston started three of the final four games in 1999, but now he is gone. He would have missed the season because of shoulder surgery, and he has announced he will transfer to a school closer to his family in Denver. Williams has been dismissed from school because of academic problems, although he could be readmitted for next year.

“I’m not really feeling any pressure, because I’m ready,” Anderson said. “I let my teammates down last year and it won’t happen again. I know the ramifications of me having a good year.

“I’ve never been more anxious for a season than this one. This is going to be something special for me. Last year was a humbling experience. This year, I appreciate everything I have so much more.”

Said Bob Field, the defensive coordinator and secondary coach: “Obviously we’re getting back a very good athlete. And I think we’re getting back a player who’s more mature than he was before.

“He stays more focused for longer periods of time, whether watching film or talking to coaches or whatever. He’s doing things like weight training with a better level of consistency.”

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Santi Hall, a versatile defensive player who was projected as a backup outside linebacker, quit the team after the first practice and told Toledo he was leaving school.

“He’s got some personal problems,” Toledo said. “That’s one of the reasons he was going to be suspended [for the first game]. And he’s got some family problems. He needs a new lease on life.”

The suspension for the Alabama game, for undisclosed violations of team rules, had already been announced. But until Saturday afternoon, Hall had been expected back the next week, versus Fresno State, behind starter Tony White. Asi Faoa gets the role instead, after he serves a one-game suspension for a fight with another UCLA student.

Hall started 11 times at linebacker as a redshirt freshman and played there the first two games of ‘99, once in the starting lineup, before being moved to defensive end. He was switched to linebacker for this season.