Their Patience Is Wearing Thin

Coaches can be like children with new toys. Talented freshmen come in and veterans are shoved to the end of the bench, the equivalent of the bottom of the toy chest.

Joe Hunter and Keith Short know the feeling. Every day, it’s Matt Ware this, Matt Ware that.

Ware, a freshman cornerback from Loyola High, is unquestionably talented. He might very well earn a starting position. But Hunter and Short, who had considerable playing time at corner last year, sometimes feel like jumping up and down in secondary coach Todd Littlejohn’s face and screaming, “Hey! I’m here too!”

They also recognize Ware is extraordinary.

Said Hunter, a junior from Vacaville: “I’m glad we have talented guys come in, we need depth to compete. But honestly, it’s hard. I have to stay positive. I can’t get away with having selfish thoughts.”

Said Short, a sophomore from Irvine: “Matt Ware can play. If it’s his time, it’s his time. I think I’ll get a chance to contribute, and right now I’m trying to improve on the things the coaches are talking to me about.”

Hunter appeared in every game last season, intercepting a pass and making 20 tackles. Short played in every game too and performed well when he replaced injured Ricky Manning in the Sun Bowl.

“With the freshmen coming in, [Hunter and Short] have to compete,” Littlejohn said. “There is no question that if they keep getting better, they can help us.”

It took a while for Hunter to emerge from the doghouse. He skipped spring practice to run track, a decision that did not please Littlejohn and defensive coordinator Phil Snow, who are in their first season at UCLA.

“It definitely did affect my standing on the team,” Hunter said. “I see that now. All the coaches saw was that I wasn’t there.”

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Coach Bob Toledo has said repeatedly that the tight ends will have more passes thrown their way.

At first, senior Bryan Fletcher believed his coach on faith. After several days of practice, he knows it from experience.

“I’ve been getting more balls than in the last few years at camp,” said Fletcher, who had 10 catches last year. “And it’s not all dumping off short stuff on play-action, I’m getting down the field a lot.”

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Tailback Manuel White is making a case for Toledo to find ways to play him alongside DeShaun Foster in a split-back set.

White, 6 feet 3, 240 pounds, barreled over several defensive players during a scrimmage Thursday.

“He is fun to watch,” Toledo said. “Not fun to tackle, but fun to watch.”