Never a Dull Moment for Team on the Upswing

Oklahoma Coach Bob Stupid could learn a few things from UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell.

That’s D-o-r-r-e-l-l.

The Sooners couldn’t get the quarterback snap right, the defense failed to cover the Bruins’ best receiver coming out of a timeout, and early in the fourth quarter Dorrell bamboozled the other guy -- going for it all on third and one -- and ringing up a game-clinching 19-yard touchdown.

And so I asked Coach Dorrell, delivering the best tongue-in-cheek compliment I could, if there was any advice he’d like to give Coach Stupid about turning a program around?

“How about those Bruins?” Dorrell shouted to start his postgame news conference. “T.J. is here; I’m glad T.J. is here.”

So was I, seriously doubting whether I’d ever witness such a thing, which right now has the feel of a legitimate UCLA turnaround.

The Bruins are 3-0 under Dorrell, and even though Oklahoma had no business being ranked No. 21 in the country, if it was billed as a big game before it was played, it’s still a big win now that the Bruins have prevailed.

And at least now we know who has the best shot at finishing No. 2 in the Pacific 10 behind USC.

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BACK ON Aug. 2, I made a deal with Maurice Drew, who was telling me there was no gap between UCLA and USC. I said I’d be waiting at his locker after the Oklahoma game for his first reality check.

I was wrong, of course, that coming a week ago when Maurice Jones, his grandfather, best friend, father-like mentor and driving inspiration to play football, suffered a heart attack in the Rose Bowl while watching the Bruins play Rice.

“He kept talking about Oklahoma and I kept telling him we had two other games to get through,” Drew said. “So this one was for him, the whole team wanting it for him.”

Coach Dorrell broke the news to Drew on the sideline a week ago, Drew rushing to the hospital to be with his grandfather just before he passed. It began a weeklong emotional ride that would leave him butting helmets with the Sooners, and seemingly going nowhere.

“I loved him so much; he was more than a grandparent,” Drew said. “My sister and I lived with our grandparents because my mother had to work, and my sister got close to my grandmother and I got close to my grandfather.

“I wanted to play hard for him, but I couldn’t do anything,” said Drew, who had 26 rushing yards at halftime.

UCLA assistant coach Eric Bieniemy, who has taken Drew under his wing -- which is tough to do because he’s even shorter than Drew -- said Drew “was trying to be a hero rather than just being Maurice Drew.”

They chatted, and, “When I came out for the third quarter,” Drew said, “I just decided to play and let the game come to me.”

Drew, who said his legal name has always been “Jones-Drew,” had it put on his jersey in tribute to his grandfather. Late in the game, he ran nine yards for the first “Jones-Drew” score in his UCLA career, pointing to the sky, then clapping his hands twice before being overwhelmed by hugs from teammates and coaches.

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I TOLD Drew, of course, there’s no disgrace in finishing runner-up to Reggie Bush for Heisman Trophy consideration, and if most professional athletes reacted with the good humor and grace of Drew after being teased, I’d be out of business.

“He should have won it last year,” Drew said.

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WHEN IT came to discussing the significance of the victory over Oklahoma, and what it meant to Dorrell, Drew said it meant “everything.”

He also said this was only “one small step to getting to the national championship,” which tells me he took a hard hit to the helmet during the game.

“We were 6-7 my freshman year, improved a little last year but went 6-6 losing to Wyoming, and came in this year with a little chip on our shoulder,” he said. “We’re not going to overlook anyone this season.”

Now that the Bruins have opened the season 3-0, no one is going to be overlooking them either. But then that’s talk for another day.

Right now, as Dorrell said, “I’m just happy.” And it’s nice to see.

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FORMER USC Coach John Robinson was behind the microphone providing UCLA-Oklahoma analysis for the Sports USA Radio Network.

Asked if he’d be favoring UCLA, Robinson said, “We of the media are objective,” but then added, “It’s good for both schools if the other one is good.”

The name of the “other” school is pretty obvious.

“I’d like to see [UCLA] be good,” he said, “As long as they’re not too good.”

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BUM GARNER, known to some as James Garner, was born in Norman, Okla., and it is his voice that is heard before every Oklahoma game. Highlights are shown on the Oklahoma scoreboard to rev up the crowd, and Garner is heard to say: “This is Oklahoma football.”

There was an Oklahoma report that Garner might attend Saturday’s game, but if he was here, he was hiding. I was hoping to catch up on old times.

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THE FIRST time I met Garner, he yelled at me, unhappy from what I can tell that I was ever born. I went on the Internet, discovered his real name was Baumgarner, and wrote a column about him only to hear from his people that his real last name is Bumgarner, which became Bum Garner on Page 2.

I thought it was kind of appropriate that UCLA’s first touchdown of the game was scored by “Baumgartner.” Close enough for me.

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T.J. Simers can be reached at t.j.simers@latimes.com. To read previous columns by Simers, go to latimes.com/simers.