Seniors’ Moment

Four years of hard work and running in place.

Four years of personal growth, forming friendships and forging futures.

It has been all of that for UCLA’s 14 seniors -- careers awash in contradiction. Yet an unambiguous concluding statement can ring from the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

The Bruins end the regular season against No. 7 Washington State, which needs a victory to return to Pasadena on Jan. 1 for the Rose Bowl.

“I will walk on that field with my head high, and I will walk off the same way,” senior cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. said. “I just want to win that game. That’s all any of us want.”

Don’t bother telling the seniors that UCLA can win by losing. In the convoluted bowl scenario, a loss could put the Bruins in the Holiday Bowl, rather than the less prestigious Insight Bowl.

A Bruin loss also would dash the Rose Bowl hopes of archrival USC and line the pockets of every Pacific 10 Conference school because Washington State and USC both would make bowl championship series games.

Knocking off the favored Cougars, in other words, would disappoint nearly everyone.

The Bruins, however, don’t share the view of BCS wonks.

“We aren’t even thinking about which bowl we play in,” senior linebacker Marcus Reese said. “There is a lot riding on this game for us.”

Especially for the seniors, who have shown modest but steady improvement, despite never having posted more than seven victories in a season They were on teams that went 4-7 in 1999, 6-6 in 2000 and 7-4 last year.

UCLA again is 7-4, so beating Washington State would continue the positive pattern. With no Pacific 10 Conference titles, BCS games or victories over USC to show for their careers, the seniors are breaking out the “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish” refrain.

“We can go from an all-right season to a great season,” Manning said.

Saturday is also the final game at the Rose Bowl for the seniors. The last three years, they watched as older teammates fought back tears and discovered untapped reservoirs of emotion.

Even last season’s seniors, roundly criticized for a late-season fade, rebounded to beat Arizona State at home in the finale.

“I’ll take a moment to look around and think about what the Rose Bowl has meant,” tackle Bryce Bohlander said. “This will be a special game for me and for all the other seniors. At the end, there will be some reflection. It will be a little sad.”

Many seniors can reflect on significant personal achievement. The four Bruins who earned All-Pacific 10 Conference honors are in their final seasons.

Tight end Mike Seidman’s hard blocks and soft hands boosted his NFL stock. He has 37 catches for 563 yards, only seven catches and 14 yards from season school records, and was selected all-conference.

Manning, a three-time all-conference cornerback, will leave the legacy of a pint-sized iron man. He has started 43 consecutive games, and, barring injury, will finish one start from the school record of 46 in a row.

Reese, a career-long reserve, became the starting middle linebacker and filled the sizable shoes of last year’s All-American, Robert Thomas, leading the team with 83 tackles.

Bohlander will graduate with honors this winter. He and all-conference tackle Mike Saffer are expected to become mid-to-low-round NFL picks.

Nate Fikse, a two-time all-conference punter, proved he is also a reliable kicker, making 10 consecutive field goals since taking the job from senior Chris Griffith, who ranks fourth on the all-time UCLA field-goal list with 42.

Before breaking an ankle five games ago, quarterback Cory Paus worked his way to No. 2 behind Cade McNown in passing yardage.

Linemen Rusty Williams, Sean Phillips and Steve Morgan have contributed to a defense revitalized the last two years under coordinator Phil Snow. And cornerback Joe Hunter, receiver Jon Dubravac and tight end-defensive tackle Saia Makakaufaki are steady contributors off the bench.

It’s not as flashy as last season’s class that sent seven players to the NFL. No one is as electrifying as DeShaun Foster or as charismatic as Marques Anderson.

But these seniors have proven to be excellent role models for the large, talented freshman and sophomore classes that represent UCLA’s football future.

“These seniors taught me how to practice the way I play,” freshman receiver Junior Taylor said. “Take Ricky Manning. He walks it and talks it. On Saturday he gives his all. And on Monday he gives his all. His impact will still be here years from now.”

Said Coach Bob Toledo: “I love this group of seniors. They’ve provided great leadership all season. They’ve done everything we’ve asked.”

They practice hard. They get along.

And unlike other recent Bruin senior classes, they’ve never been accused of quitting.

“There’s never been any finger-pointing among us,” Reese said. “We love the game. We all just come out every day and play hard and let the rest of it take care of itself.”

Insight Bowl vs. Holiday Bowl? Their insight doesn’t stretch far beyond the stockpile of turkey sandwiches they brought back after trips home for the last holiday.

Speculation that UCLA must win to save the jobs of Toledo and his staff is a more compelling source of motivation.

“I want to see the coaches come back,” Seidman said. “My position coach [Gary Bernardi] does a great job and I know everybody else feels the same way about their coach.”

Said Reese: “To think that one game against a team playing to get into the Rose Bowl could make or break them after we’ve had a good season doesn’t seem right. If we win, it should take care of that talk.”

Winning, however, has never been what these seniors do especially well. It’s entirely possible that UCLA could play hard Saturday and still lose.

“We should be remembered for playing with heart, day in and day out,” Bohlander said.

*

Jason Gesser tested his sore right leg in practice Tuesday, but Washington State Coach Mike Price said it is not known whether his star quarterback can play Saturday.

Price said the decision would be made probably just before the game.