Focus Turns to Game Plan for Showdown With USC

After spending last week concentrating on fundamentals and individual competition, No. 11 UCLA will start preparing for USC today when the Bruins return to practice after taking two of the last three days off.

“We’ve worked hard to get to this position, and that’s an opportunity to play for a championship,” Coach Karl Dorrell said of UCLA’s Dec. 3 game against No. 1 USC at the Coliseum. A win over the Trojans would create a three-way tie for first in the Pacific 10 Conference for the Bruins with USC and Oregon.

“We had a good week of practice, and we’re starting to put our game plan in piece by piece in order for us to hopefully play our best game of the year.”

UCLA (9-1, 6-1 in the Pac-10) will practice today and Tuesday before taking four days off for Thanksgiving.

“The break has been good for us in a couple of ways,” Dorrell said. “Academically, we’ve been able to get caught up ... following midterms ... and health-wise, we get a chance to get a couple of guys back who’ve missed the last couple of games.”

Senior linebacker Justin London (ankle) and senior center Mike McCloskey (shoulder) sat out UCLA’s last two games because of injuries, and both are expected to be ready Dec. 3. The Bruins also will get back linebackers Aaron Whittington and Fred Holmes, who have been sidelined because of leg injuries.

But UCLA will still be without several injured starters: offensive tackle Chris Joseph (knee), receiver Junior Taylor (knee) and defensive linemen Kevin Brown (ankle) and Nikola Dragovic (knee).

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The Bruins like their matchup against USC’s defense, which gave up 427 yards and 42 points to Fresno State. UCLA ranks 17th nationally in total offense, gaining 444.4 yards a game, and sixth in the country in scoring at 40 points a game.

“It’s crazy how it happens, but with this offense, we can take defenses apart no matter what coverages they run,” junior running back Maurice Drew said. “They can run, zone, whatever.... This offense has a play for everything.”

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Defensive tackle Kenneth Lombard (3.56 grade-point average) and Joseph (4.0) were selected to the first team Pac-10 All-Academic team.

Offensive guard Robert Cleary and defensive back Michael Norris were second-team selections; receiver Andrew Baumgartner and linebacker Danny Nelson made honorable mention.