Bruins don’t want to wake up any echoes

This is, after all, Notre Dame.

The Fighting Irish have won eight Associated Press national titles, have had seven Heisman Trophy winners and conjure up ghosts named Rockne and Gipp.

Those are the images UCLA players have talked about this week while preparing to play Notre Dame at the Rose Bowl today.

“You’re talking about one of the most storied programs in NCAA history,” Bruins tailback Kahlil Bell said. “So, definitely, you prepare a little harder regardless of the record because there have been a lot of great players and a lot of national championships at that school. You have to respect the prestige that they bring.”

That said, the record Notre Dame Coach Charlie Weis brings with him today is 0-5.

The Irish rank last nationally among 119 Division I-A teams in rushing offense, 118th in total offense, 118th in scoring offense, 106th in passing offense and have given up more sacks than any other team.

Those are not the type of benchmarks to which Notre Dame is accustomed. And then there’s this: Already off to their worst start ever, the Irish, who lost their final two games last season, are one defeat from the second-longest losing streak in program history. The Irish lost eight straight games in 1960.

“That’s not foremost in my mind,” Weis said this week. “I don’t lose sleep over those stats. What I lose sleep over is what I’m going to be doing on a day-to-day basis. I’m just trying to get the team in the best position to beat UCLA; I promise you that’s all I think about.”

That has been on the Bruins’ mind as well, considering that they still have total recall of their 44-6 debacle in Utah three weeks ago. To avoid a repeat, the Bruins have focused on a Notre Dame team they insist is dangerous.

“They’re getting better,” safety Dennis Keyes said. “We watched films and we can see their improvement. They got a young team, with a young quarterback. You can’t let [their record] be a factor or we’ll have a replay of Utah.”

Two perspectives on Notre Dame’s last-minute rally to beat UCLA, 20-17, last season in South Bend, Ind.:

Notre Dame senior center John Sullivan: “That was one of the most satisfying wins I think we’ve had since we’ve been here.”

UCLA cornerback Trey Brown: “Last year was last year.”

Weis opened his weekly news conference Tuesday with a highly detailed, rambling assessment of UCLA’s football team.

How detailed?

”. . . [Christian] Yount is the long snapper,” were Weis’ final words.

The Bruins, apparently, can’t hide anything.

UCLA kicker Kai Forbath is tied for fourth in the nation in field goals, averaging 2.0 a game. After missing his first two attempts in the season opener at Stanford, Forbath has made 10 of 11 and is four for four from 40 yards or longer. . . . The Irish are 2-8 in California since 1996, going 1-5 at USC and 1-3 at Stanford. . . . UCLA is 0-3 against Notre Dame.

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chris.foster@latimes.com