Don’t Think Blue Is Weak

Uh, oh, 3-0.

UCLA was on the same perch last season, beating Alabama first and a Big Ten Conference power third. Then came the injuries, there went the focus and the season slipped away like any one of the opposing ballcarriers UCLA made look like All-Americans.

But this has a different look. A healthy sheen. A resolute stare. A real defense.

Certainly, it was the defense that enabled the Bruins to withstand four lost fumbles, two missed field goals and a punt blocked for a touchdown in a 13-6 victory over Ohio State before a vocal, flag-waving 73,723 Saturday at the Rose Bowl.

“Last year we went 3-0 and were satisfied with that,” cornerback Ricky Manning said. “This year we want more.”

Coach Bob Toledo recognizes the desire in his senior-heavy team. And he pushes them accordingly. The Bruins practiced in full pads three days this week for the first time in memory.

“I think sometimes people look at us and see those baby-blue jerseys and don’t think we’re very physical,” Toledo said. “But after we play, I think they realize we do have some physical football players.”

Oh, baby, are the Buckeyes blue. Probably bruised too. They were held to 166 yards. Their longest drive was 39 yards. Their offense did not score, the first time a UCLA defense hasn’t given up a point since 1996.

As Ohio State tackle Tyson Walter walked to the locker room, he was asked whether UCLA players hit hard.

“Yes,” he said, staring ahead.

Were the Bruins soft?

“No.”

Case closed, for now anyway.

“We always get that stereotype, the surfer thing, the beach thing, the blue uniform thing,” center Troy Danoff said. “We take it as a personal challenge.”

Now it’s the offense that has some proving to do. All the points necessary Saturday came on the opening drive.

Quarterback Cory Paus recognized an impending safety blitz, changed the pass protection at the line of scrimmage and lofted a pass into the right corner of the end zone, where Ryan Smith left his feet and made the catch for a 24-yard touchdown.

The drive was a thing of beauty and gave no indication of the defensive struggle to follow. Taking over on the 20, the Bruins converted on four third downs, all with eight yards or more needed for a first.

Short passes over the middle to Tab Perry and Craig Bragg accounted for the first two and DeShaun Foster dashed around end for 16 yards on a third-and-12 trick play, taking a shovel snap from Paus before the Buckeye defense was set.

The touchdown also came on third down and was Smith’s first career score. The redshirt sophomore had four catches for 49 yards in his first significant contribution since nearly quitting last year after fall camp.

Smith received his release from Athletic Director Pete Dalis after telling his mother he “felt like the invisible man.” His parents urged him to reconsider and he went back to Dalis and tore up the paperwork.

Ohio State pulled to within 7-6 two minutes later when Mike Doss blocked a Nate Fikse punt and Ricky Bryant fell on the ball in the end zone. But the extra point by redshirt freshman Mike Nugent failed, the first of three missed kicks by the Buckeyes.

The second kept Ohio State (1-1) from capitalizing on another Bruin mistake, a fumble by tight end Bryan Fletcher at midfield after a 24-yard reception. Ohio State drove to the 11, but Nugent missed a 28-yard field-goal attempt.

The third came after a fumble by Foster gave Ohio State the ball on the UCLA 9 in the third quarter. Linebacker Ryan Nece broke up a pass in the end zone on third down and freshman Josh Huston missed from 32 yards.

UCLA kicker Chris Griffith also had problems. He missed a 40-yard attempt early in the second quarter and a 38-yard try in the third quarter.

Griffith made his best kick from 49 yards, nearly scraping paint from the top of the crossbar with 2:36 left in the first half to give UCLA a 10-6 lead. And Griffith finished the scoring with a 33-yarder with 4:08 left in the third quarter.

Thereafter it was Bruin defense and Bruin fumbles. Then Bruin fumbles and Bruin defense.

Foster, who rushed with 66 hard-fought yards in 29 carries, dropped the ball four times. He said neither the right hand he broke last year nor the finger on his left hand he had surgery on during the spring was a factor.

But after the fourth fumble, Toledo lost patience and replaced Foster with Akil Harris when the Bruins were trying to chew up the clock during two fourth-quarter drives.

“We told him to sit a little bit and think about it,” Toledo said.

Foster might well have kicked back and enjoyed watching the Bruin defense.

The effort was spearheaded by middle linebacker Robert Thomas, who made nine tackles, five behind the line of scrimmage. Thomas was one of three UCLA senior defenders who were suspended and missed the Bruins’ 42-20 loss to Ohio State in 1999 for their role in the handicapped-parking scandal. The other two, Nece and Marques Anderson, each made eight tackles.

But this was an all-around effort. Tackle Ken Kocher making five tackles and tackle Rodney Leisle made three as Ohio State was held to 121 rushing yards. Freshman cornerback Matt Ware had his first interception and reserve corner Joe Hunter batting down a long pass from befuddled quarterback Steve Bellisari.

Both quarterbacks came in with something to prove. Paus broke out, completing 16 of 25 for 262 yards. Bellisari broke down, limping on a sore ankle and completing five of 23 for 45 yards.

It was that kind of dominance that inspired UCLA fans to chant “Defense, defense,” as the team left the field. “I got chills all over my body,” Thomas said. “I hadn’t heard that before.”

Nobody chanted “3-0, 3-0,” which is where UCLA stood after beating Michigan last season. The Bruins were 3-6 thereafter.

Reminded of that fact, Toledo took a cue from his team: He got defensive.

“We’re a better football team than we were a year ago,” he said. “There is no comparison.”