Colletto is up front about run problems

If UCLA offensive line coach Jim Colletto were still working in the NFL and his team had the kind of problems running the ball that the Bruins have had, he would fix it the old-school way -- with more work.

But the NCAA limits personal contact between college coaches and players during the week and that has been somewhat frustrating for Colletto, who has coached in college and the NFL for 39 years.

There are plenty of reasons why UCLA’s ground game has struggled, Colletto said, “but there’s no point dwelling on it. We have to get it improved.”

The strength of the Bruins offensive line was expected to be run blocking, but that has not been the case.

The Bruins rank eighth in the Pacific 10 Conference, averaging 126.9 yards rushing and 3.7 yards a carry. And in last week’s 20-17 loss at Notre Dame, UCLA hit rock bottom with a season-low 26 yards rushing.

“The mechanics have to improve, our execution has to improve, the technique at the point of attack needs to improve,” said Colletto, rattling off UCLA’s offensive line to-do list. “At times we get things right and we look real good. Then there are times when we go to sleep.”

UCLA ran well against Rice (277 yards) and Stanford (175 and two touchdowns), and had good stretches against Washington and Oregon. But there have been way too many times when they haven’t, according to Colletto.

“We may have given them too many running plays, maybe too much information,” he said. “... I have to do a better job of not overloading them.”

Except for redshirt freshman tackle Aleksey Lanis, who has sat out because of an ankle injury, UCLA has played the same group of linemen all season. Tackle Noah Sutherland and guard Chris Joseph have started on the weakside with Robert Chai at center and guard Shannon Tevaga and Lanis on the strong side.

On Saturday at the Rose Bowl, UCLA will play Washington State, which has the fourth-best defense against the run in the conference but has struggled with injuries recently.

In the Cougars’ victory over Oregon last week, defensive tackles Ropati Pitoitua (knee) and Aaron Johnson (elbow) were injured in the first quarter and did not return. They joined Fevaea’i Ahmu (foot) on a crowded list of injured defensive linemen.

Colletto said the key for the Bruins is to not look for long touchdown runs on every carry.

“We have to be more efficient and get more three- or four-yard gains,” Colletto said. “We start worrying about getting 30- to 50-yard runs too often. In the NFL, you get a four-yard run and you’re jumping for joy. We need to understand that the idea is to get first downs and then the touchdowns will come.”

*

Lanis, who aggravated his right ankle injury in practice Wednesday, is expected to play Saturday, according to Coach Karl Dorrell. If Lanis is unable to play, Brian Abraham will start in his place. ... With backup tailback Kahlil Bell sidelined because of an ankle injury, freshman Chane Moline will get work at both fullback and tailback. Derrick Williams may also get time at tailback with Danny Nelson and Trevor Theriot moving into backup roles at fullback. Outside linebacker Aaron Whittington, who injured his right ankle at Notre Dame, is also expected to play.

lonnie.white@latimes.com