Taylor Should Get Ball More

Explosive freshman receiver Junior Taylor is about to become more than a novelty act.

He took a pitchout on a swinging gate play last week against Washington and ran 38 yards. And he took a reverse 49 yards for a touchdown in the opener against Colorado State.

In four carries, he has 103 yards, an average of 25.8. But what Taylor longs for is to run routes and have passes thrown to him. He has only three catches for 45 yards.

“Last week I had a lot of snaps and the coaches have told me that will continue,” he said. “I just want to get the ball. I love to get the ball in my hands.”

It appears Taylor will get his wish. With reliable possession receiver Ryan Smith injured, he has become the first wideout off the bench behind Tab Perry and Craig Bragg.

“He’s really coming on as a receiver,” Coach Bob Toledo said. “He wasn’t a natural pass catcher, but his hard work has paid off.”

If Taylor could choose a time and place for a breakout game, it would be Saturday at Arizona. He grew up in Mesa, Ariz., and will have a large contingent of family and friends at the game.

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It’s a good thing for UCLA that Bobby Wade is Arizona’s only significant weapon. He deserves the Bruins’ full attention.

The senior receiver leads the Pacific 10 Conference with averages of 7.9 receptions and 108.2 yards a game. He has had more than 100 yards in eight of the last 12 games and has moved into fifth place on the conference career list with 208 catches.

In an era of tall receivers, the 5-foot-11 Wade is as potent as anyone.

“He’s big when he gets the ball in his hands,” Toledo said. “He’s great running after he makes the catch.”

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Preparing for Arizona’s offense has been relatively simple for UCLA. The Wildcats pass much better than they run, much the same as last week’s opponent, Washington.

Preparing for Arizona’s defense is a greater challenge, even though the Wildcats rank last in the Pac-10 in stopping the run.

Arizona employs an alignment that emphasizes gap control and blitzing pressure on the passer. UCLA has not seen a defense like it all season, although Bruin coaches are accustomed to it. The Wildcats have used the defense for about 10 years.

“They only use three defensive linemen and have linebackers coming at you from all different directions,” Toledo said. “It’s hard to run the football and you have to recognize what they are doing and call the right protections.”

Quarterback Drew Olson and center Mike McCloskey call the blocking schemes. Both are freshmen.

“That will be the hardest part,” Toledo said. “We’ve got young guys making the calls. It might be difficult.”