Backing It Up

So this is why Spencer Havner passed up the NFL draft in order to return to UCLA for his senior season.

Six games, six Bruin victories and a No. 9 BCS ranking for a program that for several seasons was mired in the shadow of cross-town rival USC, the two-time defending national champion.

“It’s been incredible to be a part of,” said Havner, a linebacker who leads UCLA with 53 tackles. “To be 6-0 and in the top 10 ... this is what Coach Karl Dorrell said he wanted when he first came here. To put the program back where it belongs.”

That’s not to say all is well, though.

The UCLA defense is giving up an average of 229.7 rushing yards a game, which ranks 115th out of the 119 teams in Division I-A. The unit’s performance was typically shaky in a 44-41 overtime victory against Washington State last Saturday, with Cougar running back Jerome Harrison gaining 260 yards -- his second consecutive 200-yard-plus effort against the Bruins.

Havner, who is 6 feet 4, 245 pounds, made a game-high 10 tackles, yet he is determined to get a stronger outing from himself and the UCLA defense Saturday in a Pacific 10 Conference game against Oregon State at the Rose Bowl.

“I just didn’t play well last weekend, I didn’t step up,” he said. “I know that I can play better.”

Havner might be finding it difficult to compete against his own standards.

A four-year starter, he has 356 career tackles and nine interceptions, including three returned for touchdowns. Last season, he was a second-team All-Pac-10 choice, averaging a conference-best 11.4 tackles, and was second in the nation in solo stops at 7.6 a game.

Still, the Bruins finished at 6-6, with much of their troubles tied to a defense that often played short-handed because of injuries to linebacker Justin London and several linemen.

Because of those struggles, Havner ended up doing a lot of freelancing, trying to make up for shortcomings elsewhere. And, he admitted, “I don’t know if that really helped with the type of season we had.”

Coming into that season, Havner said his goal had been to “get enough looks for the NFL. I wanted to play so well that teams really wanted me to [leave school early].”

And it worked -- mostly.

He was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award as college football’s top linebacker and after the season -- he missed UCLA’s loss in the Las Vegas Bowl because of a knee injury -- Havner filed to have his draft status evaluated by the NFL. Most teams had him as an early- to middle-round pick.

“He has excellent computer numbers,” NFL draft expert Tony Pauline said. “He has excellent size and speed numbers. Athletically, he rates very well. He’s a tough and aggressive guy who likes to fly around the football.

“But the problem is, he doesn’t always play to those size and speed numbers on the field. He doesn’t play that fast all of the time and he has some durability issues.”

Havner said he entered this season with “an attitude that I had to start off at zero again.” And while there have been times he has looked bad, missing an open-field tackle or over-running a play, his overall performance has been better than ever, according to Larry Kerr, the Bruins’ defensive coordinator.

“He’s really been solid,” Kerr said. “When we’re struggling, it’s just not one guy.

“People have to remember, he’s not the Lone Ranger. He can’t make every play.”

Sometimes it seems like it, though.

Havner’s 1.5 tackles for loss a game rank him second in the Pac-10 and his fumble return for a touchdown against Oklahoma gave him a school-record four defensive touchdowns in his career.

Against Washington State, Havner played an important role in the Bruins’ late defensive turnaround. After giving up 447 yards and 38 points in three quarters, UCLA held the Cougars to 52 yards and three points in the fourth quarter and overtime.

“He’s one of the better linebackers in the conference,” Washington State Coach Bill Doba said. “He can run from sideline to sideline and he uses his hands well to get off blocks.”

Havner not only gave the Cougars’ running game problems, he also “got back into pass coverage and a couple of times when we had plays there, he had the thing covered,” Doba said.

Which is what it’s all about for Havner, who said he’s ready to do anything to keep the Bruins undefeated.

“So far, this has no doubt been a special season,” said Havner, specifically noting UCLA’s three consecutive come-from-behind conference victories. “But ... we’re far from done.

“This is why I’m here.”

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On the defensive

Statistics for UCLA senior linebacker Spencer Havner:

Solo tackles 37

Assists 16

Tackles for loss 9

Total tackles 53

Sacks 2

Interceptions 1

Fumbles recovered 1

Passes broken up 4