Peterson Remains One to Be Watched

UCLA will face its toughest challenge of the young season Saturday at the Rose Bowl -- running back Adrian Peterson and 21st-ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

Although Sooner Coach Bob Stoops’ team has struggled and is off to a 1-1 start, Peterson, at 6 feet 2 and 218 pounds, remains a Heisman Trophy candidate.

In last week’s 31-15 victory over Tulsa, Peterson ran for 180 of his 220 yards in the second half, when the Sooners chose not to pass.

“We’re not saying that they can’t throw, but they do like to run the ball,” UCLA safety Jarrad Page said. “You know that they are going to give the ball to Adrian Peterson, 30 to 35 times.”

UCLA (2-0) has tightened its defense against the run since last season and is yielding 174 yards a game, down from 210. Getting more defenders around the ball will be the key to slowing down Peterson.

“Any time you have a good runner like him, you can’t let him get started,” Page said. “You have to gang-tackle him.”

*

UCLA’s defensive front, which is still without injured tackle Kevin Brown and does not have a player over 275 pounds, will hold the key Saturday.

Freshman tackle Chase Moline played well against Rice last week and probably will start again, with junior Justin Hickman and sophomores Brigham Harwell and Nikola Dragovic. Redshirt freshmen Kenneth Lombard and Nathaniel Skaggs, and sophomores William Snead and Bruce Davis also will play.

Oklahoma’s line, which has three starters weighing more than 305 pounds, will have a size advantage.

True freshmen Brandon Braxton and George Robinson get plenty of playing time at the tackle spots, and former Tustin High tight end Chris Chester is playing his first season at center.

Page says Oklahoma provides an opportunity for UCLA’s smaller but quicker linemen to excel.

“Being real tough is going to be the most important thing,” he said.

*

Coach Karl Dorrell said he expected running back Maurice Drew to play against Oklahoma. Drew’s grandfather suffered a heart attack in the Rose Bowl stands during UCLA’s victory over Rice, and later died.... In 1998, Texas’ Ricky Williams ran for 160 yards and scored three touchdowns the last time UCLA played host to a running back Heisman Trophy candidate from the Big 12 Conference. The Bruins won the game, however, 49-31, after jumping out to a 35-3 halftime lead.