Toledo Stays Cool as Bruins Warm to Task

Coaches are notorious for stating the obvious. But Bob Toledo might have established a new standard when he stood before a throng of reporters after UCLA’s demolition of Oregon State on Saturday, made certain everyone was listening and proclaimed, “I am not on the hot seat.”

He sounded for all the world like Richard Nixon saying, “I am not a crook,” or Bill Clinton saying, “I did not have relations with that woman.”

How odd. With his team having defeated three ranked opponents en route to a 4-0 start, Toledo enjoys the job security of a tenured professor.

Maybe he meant he was no longer on the hot seat.

Maybe he meant he was never on the hot seat.

Maybe he meant that Oregon State Coach Dennis Erickson ought to be.

After all, it is the Beavers, ranked No. 1 in more than one preseason poll, who are 1-2 after the 38-7 loss to UCLA. They are becoming the biggest flop in these parts since Dick Fosbury’s.

“We were embarrassed and totally outplayed,” Erickson said.

Toledo has been there. Entering the season, UCLA had won only 10 of its previous 25 games and set school records for points and yardage allowed the last two years.

Did that heat Toledo’s seat? It’s moot now. And he is the first to say so.

UCLA has the look of a championship team.

In tailback DeShaun Foster, --who has 512 rushing yards, a--and middle linebacker Robert Thomas, w--who has 13 tackles for loss, t--the Bruins have a dominant player on each side of the ball surrounded by a proven supporting cast.

UCLA starters have allowed only three touchdowns and none in 10 quarters. The defense boasts several intimidating hitters and has been equally stingy against the run and pass.

The offense, while not as flashy as in previous years, is balanced and possesses big-play capability. The punter is fabulous and the kicker is consistent.

If there is a weakness, Alabama, Kansas, Ohio State and Oregon State could not find it.

“This team could be as good as it wants to be,” Toledo said.

The Bruins moved up three spots to No. 9 in the Associated Press media poll and also are No. 9 in the coaches’ poll, and can enjoy the lofty perch for two weeks because they have an open date bye Saturday. And after three road wins victories, they will be home for their next two games, against Washington and California.

UCLA has had its fill of hostile crowds. Fans at Oregon State’s Reser Stadium are so close to the field players heard choice comments loud and clear.

“They were really getting on us early in the game,” quarterback Cory Paus said.

A radio personality went around the stands asking people to define “a Cory Paus.” One orange-clad fan said, “It’s a button on a VCR.”

Well, Paus hit the crowd’s mute button when he connected with Brian Poli-Dixon for a 38-yard touchdown on the last play of the first half to give UCLA a 17-0 lead.

“We didn’t hear them a whole lot in the second half,” Paus said. “That was kind of cool.”

It’s all cool for the Bruins at the moment. And for Toledo.