LOS ANGELES (AP) Despite Matt Moore's return to action, Drew
Olson will be UCLA's starting quarterback for Saturday's Pacific-10
Conference game at Arizona, coach Karl Dorrell said Monday.
Moore started the Bruins' opener at Colorado Sept. 6, but
sustained a severe bone bruise of the left tibia in the first
quarter. The sophomore did not play again until the final two
series of Saturday's 46-16 victory over Washington, when he handed
off twice and took a knee twice.
``We'll continue to evaluate Matt to see where he's at,''
Dorrell said in his weekly news conference. ``Drew's done a
tremendous job for us. He's been our starter for the last four
games as that's something we'll continue to evaluate as the week
goes on, but I don't think anything has changed from the standpoint
from what I said before.''
Olson, also a sophomore, threw for 258 yards against the
Huskies, equaling a career high set a week earlier against San
Diego State, completing 16 of 24 passes and throwing one
interception.
Moore was expected to be out four-to-six weeks at the time of
the injury.
``We want to make sure we feel in our mind that if and when he's
ready to play, we're doing the best thing not only for him, but for
our football team,'' Dorrell said. ``We want to make sure he's
fully healthy and has all his capabilities that are necessary for
him to perform.''
It is ``foreseeable'' for Moore to again be the starter later in
the season, Dorrell said.
While UCLA is not making a change at quarterback now, it has
been forced to change the player snapping the ball. Sophomore Mike
McCloskey, the starting center the past 18 games, fractured his
left ankle in the second quarter Saturday and will be sidelined the
rest of the season.
``It's a real big loss for us,'' Olson said. ``He's a great
o-lineman. With him, I felt real comfortable.''
Redshirt freshman Robert Chai replaced McCloskey Saturday and
will start against Arizona, Dorrell said.
``I thought Robert stepped in and did a very admirable job,''
Dorrell said. ``I didn't notice any difference in our line. As a
matter of fact, it might have gotten a little bit better.''
After being penalized nine times in a 20-10 victory over San
Diego State Sept. 27, the Bruins were penalized 13 times against
the Huskies.
``That's something we as coaches have to continue to harp on
about doing things that are within the framework of the rules,''
Dorrell said. ``I don't think most of those penalties were
malicious. They were just discretionary issues as to whether it was
a holding call, or what have you, or pass interference.
``But the thing I don't want to ever discourage is our effort is
playing hard. Sometimes that's part of the product when you play
hard, but something you can correct and continue to work on those
issues and stress the fundamentals of football. We just got to
continue working on playing hard, but playing smart, and I think
those issues will start to subside.''
The victory over then-No. 18 Washington, where UCLA (3-2, 1-0 in
conference play) outscored the Huskies, 39-0 in the second half,
was a ``building block'' for future success, Dorrell said.
``The foundation has been set for quite some time,'' Dorrell
said. ``Every Saturday, we've played hard and done some good
things, even though there were a couple games we came up short.
``Now we're getting the execution to go along with those things
that we've built. We ended up putting together a pretty good half
in last week's game. The light's starting to come on now as to why
we work on those little things over and over and over again. It's
finally starting to click in place.''
This is ``a particularly stressful week,'' for the Bruins,
facing an Arizona team that made a coaching change Sept. 28, with
defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz being named interim coach,
replacing the fired John Mackovic.
``They can make a wholesale change on either side or the ball
and you're not quite sure what's going to happen,'' Dorrell said.
``That's why we have to make sure we're doing our part in preparing
ourselves to go into whatever situation we go into in Tucson. We've
got to be ready to play. There could be some changes on what
they're doing on offense or defense and we got to be ready to
adjust to those things right away.''
The Wildcats (1-4, 0-2) lost to No. 14 Washington State, 30-7,
in Hankwitz's debut Saturday.
``We're not going to make major changes,'' Hankwitz said in a
conference call with reporters. ``We just feel like we have to
build on things we've done. We don't have the kind of depth that we
could do that if we wanted to. We're going to try to continue to
improve with the people we have.''
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)