Perez Is Waiting for Real Work

UCLA leads the Pacific 10 Conference in net punting with a 44.7-yard average, but the Bruins’ Aaron Perez can’t be found among the league’s top 10 punters.

Three punts in two games do not qualify.

“In reality, that’s a real good thing for the team but selfishly, personally, I wish I could’ve gone out there a couple of more times to get that experience,” said Perez, a redshirt freshman from Covina Charter Oak High. “Because, you know, it’s going to be a big game on Saturday.”

Coach Karl Dorrell says he’s in no hurry to have Perez tested under pressure even with his average.

“Why would we want him to punt more?” Dorrell said. “I’d like to keep his numbers to about two or three a game. If our offense is clicking, it’s great that he doesn’t have to punt very much. I’d like that for the rest of the season.”

But if they are forced to punt on Saturday, the Bruins can only hope for better results than they had the last time they played Oklahoma. In 2003, punter Chris Kluwe had a nightmare game when the Sooners’ Antonio Perkins set an NCAA record with 277 yards in punt returns.

In last week’s 63-21 victory over Rice, UCLA scored touchdowns on its first six drives.

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UCLA’s offense has been a model of efficiency over the first two games. The Bruins, who are scoring 53.5 points a game, average 241.5 yards passing and 222 rushing.

Quarterback Drew Olson has completed 70% of his passes -- 28 of 40 -- for 448 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. Running back Maurice Drew has rushed for 209 yards and is averaging 9.5 yards.

Dorrell said the offense was close to reaching its potential.

“It’s getting the personnel in all the different positions,” he said. “We have running ability, we have a great tight end, we have receivers that can make plays. That’s what makes it difficult to defend. That’s why we brought it here. That’s why we believed in it. It’s at the point where those things are starting to show the fruits of the labor we put into it the last two years.”

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Oklahoma’s passing game ranks 110th among Division I programs with quarterbacks Rhett Bomar and Paul Thompson having completed 18 of 44 passes for 170 yards, with three interceptions and no touchdowns.

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Oklahoma free safety Darien Williams on UCLA: “These are the games you play for and the ones you look forward to. They have averaged more than 50 points and these are the kinds of games that a defensive player like myself likes to go in and play and dominate.”