UCLA’s Kevin Prince to start despite Richard Brehaut’s return

UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel is not pondering a quarterback switch.

Richard Brehaut, who returned last week from a broken leg but did not play, was upgraded from “questionable” to “probable” for this week’s game against Colorado.

Still, Neuheisel said no matter how good Brehaut may look in practice, Kevin Prince will start for the Bruins.

“There is no question about that,” Neuheisel said.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Prince will finish.

Prince led the Bruins to victories over California and Arizona State, but the win streak came to an end Saturday in Salt Lake City, where Utah beat the Bruins, 31-6.

Prince had 163 yards rushing against California. He finished with 10 yards rushing against Utah. After completing 11 of 17 passes for 196 yards against Arizona State, he was 12 for 24 for 146 yards, with two passes intercepted, against Utah.

“As I have told Kevin, the barometer for quarterback play is polarizing,” Neuheisel said. “You either play great or you play terrible. There really is no middle ground.

“Because our job — I say ‘our’ because it’s mine as quarterback coach and his as quarterback — is to play winning football. When you don’t, you receive an ‘F.’ ”

The Utes were able to neutralize ability to run and when Prince was forced to pass, the Utes blitzed.

“There were things that, unfortunately, were a regression,” Neuheisel said. “We can’t have those games.”

Neuheisel said that the interception Utah’s Conroy Black returned for a touchdown was “a poor decision” by Prince.

Tight end Joseph Fauria was running a route and Prince “anticipated Joe breaking outside and threw the ball where Joe wasn’t. That wasn’t part of the route.”

“Ultimately, the job is to accept it as his fault and accept the fact that we know how to fix it,” Neuheisel said.

Brehaut, who started three consecutive games before being injured, will get more time with the offense this week.

“Richard will continue to develop and so forth,” Neuheisel said. “But Kevin, as everybody understands, has to play better. When Kevin plays well, we’re a good football team.”

Injury report

Senior safety Tony Dye will probably get some contact during practice this week. He has been out seven weeks with a neck injury.

“We want to make sure contact doesn’t bring back the symptoms,” Neuheisel said. “He has been told a number of times to let it rest before having contact.”

If Dye plays, he will be unable to petition for a medical redshirt season.

“I have had conversations with his family and he wants to play if he is well,” Neuheisel said. “He wants to finish up with the guys he came in with.”

Safety Dietrich Riley (neck) is probably finished for the season, Neuheisel said. Running back Derrick Coleman (hip) and linebacker Jordan Zumwalt (hip) are expected to play against Colorado.

chris.foster@latimes.com

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