Clark Could Play Saturday

Cornerback Matt Clark, held out of Saturday’s 6-3 victory over Illinois because of an academic issue, practiced with the first-team defense Tuesday, and Coach Karl Dorrell said he is confident Clark will be reinstated soon, perhaps in time to play Saturday at Oklahoma.

“He’ll probably be back at some point; it’s just a matter of him getting some issues cleaned up,” Dorrell said. “It could be as soon as the end of this week. I don’t feel it will be season-ending.”

Clark played in the Bruins’ season-opening 16-14 loss to Colorado, but UCLA discovered Friday afternoon that Clark received an incomplete for a history class he took in the fall quarter of 2002, a mark that dropped his grade-point average below the NCAA minimum requirement of 1.8 for juniors.

Clark was believed to have met with the professor of the class Monday to determine what work needed to be made up to attain the required grade. Clark declined to speak with reporters, but Dorrell intimated the process is going smoothly, and he did not fear Clark would be ineligible for the entire season.

“We’re very optimistic everything will be worked out,” Dorrell said. “He’s going through a process that needs NCAA approval and university approval, and those things don’t happen in a few hours. But he’s going through the steps, and I’m optimistic that he’ll be ready to go for us this Saturday.”

*

If Clark can’t play Saturday, the Bruins still feel good about their cornerback situation. Keith Short, a senior from Irvine High who pushed Clark for the starting job in training camp, started against Illinois and filled in admirably.

Short had four tackles and broke up two passes, both on Illinois’ final fourth-quarter drive, the last of which may have prevented a game-winning touchdown.

On second-and-10 from the Bruin 29-yard line, Illinois quarterback Jon Beutjer scrambled and threw toward the back of the end zone, where receiver Lonnie Hurst had improvised enough to slip open. But Short leaped and tipped the pass away with 1:13 left, and UCLA held on for the victory.

“They challenged him toward the end of the game,” Dorrell said. “They challenged [cornerback] Matt Ware early, and he made a couple big breakups and an interception. Then they went to the other side, but Keith was able to do what we coached him to do. He performed well.”

*

Backup quarterback John Sciarra, suspended for the Illinois game because of an August arrest for disorderly conduct-public intoxication and giving false information to a police officer, was reinstated for Saturday’s game. Though he wouldn’t discuss his arrest, he did speak to reporters.

“I apologize to my family, to my coaches and to the players on my team, and I thank them for their support,” Sciarra said. “I just want to focus on football right now. I’d rather not talk about what happened.”

*

Offensive tackle Ed Blanton suffered a mild concussion in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game and was held out of contact drills Tuesday, but he has been cleared to resume practice today and will play Saturday against Oklahoma.... Quarterback Matt Moore, who suffered a knee injury in the opener against Colorado, did some light throwing Tuesday and hopes to return to practice “at 75%” next week. His goal is to return by the Sept. 27 game against San Diego State, but a more realistic date is Oct. 4 against Washington.