Returns Taxing for Toledo

The most obvious problem for UCLA through the first two mostly positive games has been the punt team, which has already been on the wrong end of three big plays, including one touchdown and another play that should have been a touchdown.

Coach Bob Toledo has targeted that for improvement today against Michigan. He has declined to name specific players, but made it clear that those who do not get better--quickly--will have their roles outside of the special teams impacted.

“A couple people have got to perform a little bit better on that team,” he said. “They’re not giving us a good enough effort sometimes because they want [to save for] offense or defense, and then they’re not doing a good job tackling when they get there. We’ve got to improve in that area.”

That became apparent in the first moments of the first game. The punt after the opening drive became a 71-yard touchdown return for Alabama in which Freddie Milons was barely touched as he went up the middle.

A week later, also as the conclusion to the first possession, the catchable snap at the shoulders and slightly off to the side went through the hands of punter Nate Fikse, resulting in a 23-yard loss and giving Fresno State first and goal at the UCLA six. The Bulldogs turned that into a touchdown.

They should have had another one later in the half. Charles Smith broke three tackles and had no Bruin defenders within striking distance when a teammate inexplicably cut in front of him, tripping Smith at the UCLA seven after a 75-yard return. Only a stand by the defense, including a stop on fourth and goal at the two, saved another score.

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Because the game is so close to a sellout, UCLA officials are encouraging fans to come to the Rose Bowl only if already they have tickets. . . . Robert Thomas and DeShaun Foster are game captains for the Bruins, joining season-long selections Kenyon Coleman and Oscar Cabrera.

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* Time: 12:30 p.m.

* Site: Rose Bowl

* TV: Channel 7.

* Radio: KXTA (1150).

* When UCLA has the ball: Junior DeShaun Foster had back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for the first time in his career, with 187 against Alabama and 140 versus Fresno State. No Bruin has done that since Skip Hicks in 1997. Also, Foster’s 49-yard touchdown run last week was his longest rush of any kind since the ’98 USC game. He needs only 49 yards to surpass the total from his injury-plagued sophomore season, despite having 40 fewer carries so far. The test now is to continue the great start against a Michigan defense that has given up 222 yards on the ground and only 14 points in the first two games. Larry Foote, on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, given to the top linebacker in the nation, leads the Wolverines in tackles. Split end Brian Poli-Dixon returns for UCLA after missing the second half of the Alabama game and the Fresno State game because of hamstring problems. His replacement, Jon Dubravac, started for the first time last week and had four catches, second most on the team.

* When Michigan has the ball: UCLA’s depth has improved at linebacker with the return of Asi Faoa after he served a one-game suspension for an off-campus fight, but Faoa is not being given his second-string job back immediately. True freshman Brandon Chillar will still play behind Tony White on the outside--at least for one more game. “But I’ll tell you what,” Coach Bob Toledo said. “Asi’s coming on strong.” Michigan has rolled through its first two opponents for 80 points--42 against Bowling Green, 38 versus Rice--and an average of 475 yards in total offense. It is balanced between the run (259.5) and the pass (215.5). The Wolverines are averaging 5.1 yards a carry.

* Key to the game: The quarterbacks. Do they feel the pressure of the moment, or the defensive pressure?

* Fast fact: UCLA didn’t play a team ranked in the top five in either of the previous two seasons and now, with then-No. 3 Alabama and current No. 3 Michigan, will have played two within three weeks. The Bruins last played two top-five teams in the same season in 1996, Bob Toledo’s first as coach. They lost to No. 2 Tennessee and No. 4 Arizona State--in addition to No. 6 Michigan.

* Line: Michigan by 4 1/2.

HOW THEY COMPARE

UCLA and Michigan

29.5 Scoring 40

22.5 Points allowed 7

180 Passing 215.5

153 Rushing 259.5

333 Total offense 475

184 Passing defense 160

86 Rushing defense 111

270 Total defense 271