Freshman Kicker Has Faith in Foot

UCLA freshman Justin Med- lock, who will make his college debut Saturday at Colorado, has a little swagger, which Bruin Coach Karl Dorrell likes in a kicker.

“I told the coach, ‘Throw me in there anywhere inside 60 yards,’ ” said Medlock, whose career best at Mission San Jose High in Fremont, Calif., was 48 yards. “I’d like a shot at breaking the school record.”

Medlock was referring to Chris Sailer’s UCLA-record field goal of 56 yards, set against Oregon in 1997. Dorrell would prefer Med- lock focus on John Lee’s school record for highest field-goal percentage, an 85% success rate set from 1982 to ’85.

“You need accuracy to make field goals -- that’s of utmost importance,” Dorrell said. “I don’t like him outside of 50 yards. He thinks he can get up to 60-62 yards, but I’m comfortable with him 50 yards and in.”

Dorrell wasn’t very comfortable with Medlock on Wednesday. The left-footed kicker missed so many field-goal attempts during practice that the Bruins had to repeat a drill.

“After that, he made them all,” Dorrell said. “He just needs to come out here focused and get the job done, and he did that.”

Though Medlock has no college experience, Dorrell doesn’t consider the kicking game unsettled.

“He’s a very good kicker with a strong leg and skills,” Dorrell said. “And you’ve got to have confidence. You don’t want a kicker who doesn’t have confidence. He won’t be able to help us.”

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Senior defensive tackle Rodney Leisle, junior offensive guard Eyoseph Efseaff and senior defensive end Dave Ball have been put on the watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award, which is given to the top college lineman in the nation.

Dorrell awarded scholarships Wednesday to three walk-on players, fifth-year senior Tyson Clayton, a reserve offensive guard, fifth-year senior Nick Carey, a linebacker and special teams player, and sophomore Ben Lorier, a backup linebacker. “They’ve done everything we’ve asked and elevated themselves to second team or better on the two-deep,” Dorrell said.... Dorrell won’t decide on a starter between defensive tackles Ryan Boschetti and Asi Faoa until Saturday.