Three-Point Plan That Went Awry

UCLA makes a couple of kicks and maybe Bob Toledo can trade the hot seat that every pundit in America has him occupying for a recliner.

UCLA makes a couple of kicks and maybe the Bruin coach is puffing on a fat cigar with his feet up today, working the remote and reviewing a sweet victory over two-time defending Pacific 10 Conference champion Oregon.

UCLA makes a couple of kicks and maybe everyone is talking about Toledo’s clever trick play that resulted in a 53-yard touchdown pass, the emergence of big-play threats Craig Bragg, Tab Perry and Tyler Ebell, and the continued maturation of a roster full of freshmen and sophomores.

But an extra-point kick is blocked, a field-goal try is missed in the last two minutes, Oregon sneaks away with a 31-30 victory, and every play Toledo called is inspected, dissected and rejected as idiotic.

Forget that the Bruins were picked to finish sixth in the Pac-10 after losing 23 seniors.

Forget that starters Rodney Leisle, Manuel White and Ben Emanuel were sidelined because of injuries.

Forget that a 4-2 record is what any knowledgeable observer could have expected from this team at this point in a rigorous schedule.

The avalanche has begun.

New Athletic Director Dan Guerrero hasn’t been on the job long enough to find an ax, let alone sharpen it. But this week he will be deluged with calls for Toledo’s head.

Two UCLA boosters with enough clout to merit seats in the press-box area weighed in moments after Toledo had called a fake field goal on fourth and 15 in the third quarter, with Chris Griffith lined up for a 45-yard attempt that could have given UCLA a nine-point lead. The Bruins picked up only eight yards.

Booster No. 1: “Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.”

Booster No. 2: “Ab-so-lute-ly un-be-lieve-a-ble.”

Whether or not the move qualified as stupid is certainly debatable, but those who know Toledo know that this is one coach who doesn’t like field goals, even when his kicker is reliable.

Griffith, a senior, is inexplicably slumping after three solid seasons. But he tried only 13 field goals last season, 14 in 2000 and 18 in 1999.

He made 34 of the 45, including a respectable nine of 15 from more than 40 yards.

Given a choice, though, Toledo often goes for it on fourth down or will try a fake.

And when the kicker gives him reasonable doubt--Griffith was only six for 10 entering the game and had an extra-point kick blocked minutes earlier--the coach would rather put the outcome in the hands of his offense than the fickle foot of fate.

However, none of that addresses why Toledo’s play-calling became conservative during the last drive, the one that ended with Griffith missing from 46 yards with 1:54 to play.

By way of explanation, Toledo made three points.

The running game was finally clicking. Ebell had eclipsed 100 yards rushing and five runs early in the drive netted 35 yards.

Also, UCLA wanted to whittle down the clock so Oregon would have less time to retaliate after a score.

And when the Bruins finally reached field-goal range, the coach didn’t call a deep pass because he wanted to avoid the possibility of a sack.

So Ebell ran twice, losing three yards, and Cory Paus misfired on a pass to Brag that would have gained only five yards, bringing up fourth down.

Toledo’s worst nightmare, the one he’d relived since going through a nearly identical scenario a year ago in a one-point loss to the Ducks, was realized.

Those three points Toledo made to justify his strategy? He needed three more from Griffith to avoid them sounding hollow.