Moore Wonders About His Role

Had UCLA quarterback Matt Moore known he would lose his starting job to injury, that he would be backing up Drew Olson despite being recovered from a bruised tibia suffered in the season opener at Colorado, he would have considered redshirting this season.

But when Moore took two meaningless snaps at the end of UCLA’s 46-16 victory over Washington on Oct. 4, the sophomore from Newhall Hart High forfeited any chance of passing up this season to gain another year of eligibility.

“If I knew I wasn’t going to ever play again, yeah, I would have [considered redshirting],” Moore said Tuesday. “I think anyone would have considered that. But I’ve got to be careful what I say.

“We talked about [redshirting] a while ago, but they must have the intention of playing me or they wouldn’t have played me in that Washington game. So, obviously, they must be intending to play me, right?”

Although Coach Karl Dorrell said a starter wouldn’t lose his job because of injury, it appears that’s exactly what has happened to Moore.

Olson, also a sophomore, has retained the job by completing 49 of 74 passes for 705 yards in victories over San Diego State, Washington and Arizona. Moore played only two series Saturday against Arizona.

Moore said Monday that he is “100%, ready to go,” and that his timing is “right where it’s supposed to be, right where I left off,” but he did seem to have one minor injury -- a swollen tongue, from biting it so much.

“I don’t know,” Moore said when asked if he’d like to respond to Dorrell’s original statement, that he wouldn’t lose his job to injury.

“He did say that. You’re right. But it’s not worth it to me now to bring up anything like that because we’re winning ballgames. There’s a lot of things I don’t understand.”

Is Moore worried he might be wasting a year of eligibility?

“A little bit,” he said. “It’s frustrating ... but that’s the only thing I want to say about it publicly. If there’s something to be said, it will be said after the season.”

Asked if he feels like he has lost his job, Moore paused for several moments before answering, “Yeah, I think I have. Not permanently, but for now, yes.”

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Monday, Dorrell said strong safety Jarrad Page, who missed the Arizona game because of a sprained right shoulder, was “doubtful” for Saturday’s game against California and that cornerback Matt Ware, who sprained his left ankle against Arizona, would probably play against California.

Tuesday, Dorrell ran a reverse -- Page was upgraded to probable for Saturday’s game, but Ware, one of the top pass defenders in the country, was doubtful. Ware’s ankle was tender, and all he did Tuesday was jog lightly around the practice field.

“There’s an outside chance Ware could play, but given the position he plays and the nature of what he does, I think he’s unlikely,” Dorrell said. “But he thinks he can play, and we’ll see what he does in practice, but I would say it’s questionable.”

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Running back Maurice Drew was kept out of contact drills because of a pinched nerve in his neck, but he’s expected to play Saturday.... Freshman defensive tackle Kevin Brown spent a portion of practice working at offensive guard “to prepare him in case of emergency,” Dorrell said.... Fullback Pat Norton, who has missed three games because of an ankle sprain, practiced and should return Saturday.