Hickman shows the home folks

UCLA senior defensive end Justin Hickman grew up a short drive from the Arizona State campus in Glendale, but he was not recruited out of high school by the Sun Devils.

Despite being a starter on the offensive and defensive lines at St. Mary’s High and leading his team to a Desert Valley championship his senior season, Arizona State did not think much of Hickman.

“They were the same as everyone else during the recruiting process; it wasn’t a real big story,” Hickman said. “When I came out of high school, I didn’t have any real contact from anyone.

“I was really undersized and I wasn’t developed as I am now. I was a 6-foot, 203-pound defensive end. It is what it is.”

So, Hickman enrolled at Glendale (Ariz.) College where he played only one season and finished with a team-high 10 sacks. The next year, he signed with UCLA and has spent the last three seasons playing for the Bruins.

“UCLA really turned out to be the place for me,” said Hickman, who entered Saturday night’s game against Arizona State second in the nation with 10.5 sacks. “You’d think that schools in your state would be all over in-state talent. They eventually found out after I had to go to a JC.”

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UCLA junior wide receiver Brandon Breazell caught the longest pass of his career against Arizona State when quarterback Patrick Cowan connected with him for a 56-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Breazell’s previous long was 48 yards against Rice last season.

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Bruin players can finally focus on USC, their next opponent Dec. 2 at the Rose Bowl, and freshman receiver Terrence Austin can’t wait.

“We’re definitely going to have the rage in practice to beat them,” he said. “I can assure you that whole week is going to be intense, and I’ve never been through it.

“Once you get here, you develop a trend to try to beat down a Trojan any chance you can. I’ve already adapted.”

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While players will receive two days off for Thanksgiving, UCLA’s coaching staff will be attending high school playoff games to scout senior and junior prospects.

UCLA has seven commitments for nine scholarships, though the number of available scholarships could increase.

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Arizona State’s Jesse Ainsworth, a senior from Thousand Oaks High, made four first-half field goals -- from 45, 35 and two from 20 yards -- giving him 49 in his career, tying him for second place behind Luis Zendejas on the Sun Devils’ career list.

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UCLA wore black arm bands on their jerseys in memory of former cornerback Marcus Cassel, a four-year letterman who died in a single-car accident Friday.... UCLA offensive line coach Jim Colletto was offensive coordinator for Arizona State from 1985-1987.

lonnie.white@latimes.com

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com