Multi-Talent Show

It was a simple swing pass to the left flat in the first quarter of the game at Oklahoma on Sept. 20, a 10-yard gain that was quickly lost amid the hail of Sooner punt returns for touchdowns that highlighted Oklahoma’s 59-24 victory over UCLA.

But on that one third-down play, Bruin running back Manuel White displayed almost all of the attributes that make him UCLA’s most versatile and valuable offensive player, a 6-foot-3, 236-pound junior who is agile and strong enough to switch from tailback to fullback on the same series.

Quarterback Drew Olson, under heavy pressure, had to throw sooner than he wanted, lofting a pass into space so that White could run under it.

The ball was low, but White, outrunning a Sooner linebacker who was draped all over him, reached to grab it before it hit the ground. As he juggled it, he eluded one tackler about three yards past the line of scrimmage.

He tucked the ball in his arm, gained a few more yards with a quick burst of speed, then, after he was hit, dragged an Oklahoma tackler about three more yards to pick up the first down, extending a drive that resulted in a UCLA field goal.

Quick, elusive, powerful, good hands ... had White found a way to block for himself after the catch -- he’s also the Bruins’ best blocking back -- he could have packaged a one-play highlight reel to send to NFL scouts.

“He carries the ball, he blocks for the tailback, he goes out on pass routes, he makes plays on special teams ... he’s a true football player,” said Eric Bieniemy, who coaches the running backs.

“You can’t have enough big, athletic guys like that on your team, and the NFL is always looking for guys like that, who can help in so many areas. He’s one of our unsung heroes.”

About all White lacks is blazing, breakaway speed, but as he showed during a 56-yard run near the end of Saturday’s 46-16 victory over Washington, you won’t see the word “lumbering” in any description of his running.

For now, White is a happy hybrid, a player who can do it all but prefers not to pigeon-hole his talents into any one position or classification.

“I just try to be aggressive, whether I need to outrun somebody, run through someone or make someone miss,” said White, a former Valencia High standout who once rushed for 305 yards and five touchdowns in a prep playoff game. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get it done.

“But once you put yourself in one of those categories, you limit yourself. You just have to play and react. You can’t think about it. If in your mind you’re a power back, you might limit yourself. You may try to run over a guy instead of avoid him. I’m learning that you can’t just run around hitting everybody, because it takes a toll on your body.”

White considers power to be his best asset, but he’s working on his speed and quickness. At the request of Bieniemy, he dropped almost 15 pounds from his sophomore season, “and that has helped a lot,” White said. “I feel lighter on my feet, and everything is more up-tempo.”

He’s not the type of back who will have scouts double-checking their stop-watches at the NFL combine, but speed, as White is learning, is not everything.

“There are a lot of guys who run fast 40-yard dash times, but when it’s time to play, they don’t play fast,” White said. “Some guys run slow 40s and play a lot faster than what appears on paper. It’s all about game speed. I could be faster. I’m not a breakaway back. There are faster guys out there, but that’s not one of my strengths.”

White is listed as the starting fullback on UCLA’s depth chart, but he’s actually the featured tailback, giving the Bruins a strong inside runner who seems to churn out yards even when a hole is plugged.

White is the Bruins’ leading rusher with 299 yards and two touchdowns in 72 carries for a 4.2-yard average, and he’s also caught six passes for 50 yards. But when asked to play fullback in front of Tyler Ebell, who began the season as the starting tailback, White has unselfishly blocked for the tailback and quarterback. Tailback is the more glamorous position, and it’s the spot White prefers, but fullback may be more challenging.

“Tailback is more reaction and instinct; you know your aiming point, and then you run with your eyes and feel,” White said. “At fullback, there are a thousand things you’ve got to think about before the ball is snapped. You’ve got to line up, read the defense, locate the guy you have to block, think about the scheme ...

“If the lineman is going to slant, what’s the best route to take to him? There’s so much more that you have to think about at fullback. It’s not that hard to block, but playing fullback is more of a mental challenge than tailback.”

White was so immersed in his role at fullback during the Sept. 6 opener at Colorado that he didn’t even realize until after UCLA’s 16-14 loss, when reporters began questioning him, that he’d never touched the ball -- no carries, no receptions.

Many Bruin fans voiced their objection -- how could a sure-handed back who gained 671 yards and scored eight touchdowns in his first two seasons at UCLA be dropped from the game plan? -- and Coach Karl Dorrell admitted to an “oversight,” vowing to incorporate White into the offense the next week, which he did.

But White, in typical unselfish fashion -- this is a low-key, unassuming guy who lists “reading the Bible and sleeping,” as his hobbies in the UCLA media guide -- didn’t give a hint of complaint.

“I was so in tune with playing fullback and taking care of my blocking assignments, it didn’t even cross my mind why I wasn’t carrying the ball,” White said. “I didn’t notice until after the game, when people started saying stuff, and then outsiders began talking about it.

“It wasn’t disappointing, because my role that day was to block. As long as I can help the team, whether it’s at tailback or fullback, I’ll do whatever it takes. It doesn’t matter how many touches I get.”

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Born to Rush

UCLA running back Manuel White leads the team with 299 yards rushing. A look at his other 2003 numbers through five games:

GP-GS...5-5

Attempts...72

Gain ...323

Loss...24

Net ...299

Average ...4.2

Touchdowns ...2

Long ...56

Average per game...59.8

Personal File

* Class: Redshirt junior.

* Hometown: Canyon Country.

* 2002 highlight: Appeared in nine games and finished second on the team in rushing with 381 yards in 85 carries and five touchdowns.

* 2001 highlight: Saw time in all 11 games as a redshirt freshman. Ranked third on the team in rushing with 290 yards and three touchdowns in 63 attempts.

* High school: Rushed for 305 yards and five touchdowns in a playoff game for Valencia.