Brown is confident notice will come

UCLA junior cornerback Trey Brown is a three-year starter who leads the Bruins with four interceptions, but he’s rarely mentioned among the top cornerbacks in the Pacific 10 Conference.

California’s Daymeion Hughes, Arizona’s Antoine Cason and USC’s Terrell Thomas get most of the attention, but Brown figures that those watching closely will eventually notice him.

“I go out there and play with confidence every time I step on the field,” Brown said. “Outsiders can say what they want to say, but I feel like I’m one of the best out there.

“Coaches and other players see it on tape. I figure I just have to continue to do what I do.”

Since Brown moved into the starting lineup midway through the 2004 season, he has been a fixture in the Bruins’ secondary. He has started 28 consecutive games and defended against the best receivers in the Pac-10.

“He doesn’t make many mistakes,” UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell said of Brown, whose father, Theotis, played running back for UCLA and in the NFL. “He’s been that way since he was a freshman. He just has a great football IQ. He understands the game and knows how to play it.... He’s had a good year so far. I hope he finishes strong.”

Brown was at his best in UCLA’s 24-12 victory over Arizona State last week. Two plays best sum up his performance:

Late in the first quarter, Brown intercepted a Rudy Carpenter pass intended for Brandon Smith and returned it to the Sun Devils’ one-yard line. The Bruins scored a touchdown on the next play.

On the other play, Brown was beaten when Carpenter connected with Kyle Williams for a 55-yard gain in the second quarter. But instead of giving up on the play, Brown caught Williams and tackled him at the UCLA 4. The Bruins responded with a game-changing goal-line stand, and the Sun Devils never scored.

“I’ve been out there for a couple of years now, and the one thing that I think separates me from a lot of other corners is being consistent,” Brown said. “We got caught in a blown coverage [on Williams’ catch], and that happens. They got me, but you have to keep fighting to make a play. Our defense then did a great job of getting us off the field. That’s what our whole team is all about.”

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Services for former Bruins cornerback Marcus Cassel will be held at Calvary Chapel South Bay in Gardena on Saturday at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Cypress. Cassel’s viewing will be held at Angelus Funeral Home in Los Angeles, from 4 to 9 p.m. today.

Cassel died last Friday morning from injuries he suffered in a single-car traffic accident in Santa Monica. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Marcus Cassel Scholarship Fund. Checks should be mailed to the UCLA Athletic Development Office, Morgan Center, 325 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1639.