Seattle Times: Notebook: Not as easy this time for Bruins

By Bob Condotta

Seattle Times staff reporter

PASADENA, Calif. — Early on, when Huskies linebacker Scott White stuffed Maurice Drew for no gain on his first carry, it looked like a far different UCLA-Washington game than the one in Seattle last year and different from what many might have expected. Drew, who rampaged for 322 yards and five touchdowns last year against the Huskies, managed only 33 yards last night at the Rose Bowl. UCLA's other major offensive weapon named Drew — quarterback Olson — suffered his, and the Bruins' first, turnovers of the season on two second-quarter interceptions.

Josh Okoebor made the first theft after Joe Lobendahn tipped the ball, and two series later Lobendahn got an interception of his own after pressure from Wilson Afoa caused Olson to throw hurriedly. But when the evening was done, Drew had scored the winning touchdown and Olson had thrown two second-half scoring passes to lead UCLA to a 21-17 victory that raised the Bruins' record to 4-0. "There were times tonight when this team could have folded its tent," UCLA coach Karl Dorrell said. "We're not as good as we think we are. I told them at halftime that it was gut-check time, that they needed to show what this team was all about. They finally stepped up and made big plays when they needed to. I was very pleased with their enthusiasm and effort at the end." Drew scored the winning TD from a yard out with 1 minute, 8 seconds left to complete a 73-yard drive. Olson narrowed a 10-0 UW halftime lead to three points when he hit tight end Marcedes Lewis with a 4-yard TD pass early in the third quarter and climaxed an 80-yard drive by connecting with Michael Pitre in the right flat for a 1-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter.

"This Washington team is going to win some games before this season is over," Dorrell said. "We feel lucky we won this one." UW finds running game Huskies coaches said before playing at UCLA last night that it was imperative they find a running game, and they spent much of the week's practice trying to discover it. Those efforts apparently included experimenting with the thought of playing freshman running back J.R. Hasty of Bellevue, who spent some time practicing with the regular offense this week. Hasty made the trip and there were rumblings in the press box before kickoff that he might play. The true freshman had not played previously.

Hasty didn't play during the first half, but the Huskies got their running game going anyway by bringing out a few new looks — specifically, using the shotgun more to get Isaiah Stanback more running opportunities — and blocking and running better than before. Another change early was more action for fullback Mark Palaita, a 5-foot-10, 240-pound senior walk-on who is the team's best blocking fullback. The Huskies rushed for 213 yards on 41 carries, nearly doubling their season average of 107 per game. UW rushed for just 41 yards on 22 carries last week against Notre Dame. Stanback had that number bettered by halftime, rushing for 42 yards on eight carries. He finished with 50 on 13 carries and a touchdown. Louis Rankin led the Huskies with 109 yards on 18 carries. He would have had more, but his 50-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was called back by a holding penalty.

Homecomings

The game was a homecoming for 17 UW players who hail from the Los Angeles area. One, sophomore linebacker Dan Howell, said he hadn't seen his family since last Christmas, having stayed in Seattle to go to school, work and work out. "Just being in the California air again will be quite enjoyable," Howell said earlier in the week. Howell, however, stays in touch with his family, particularly younger brother, Delano, a sophomore running back at Hart High School in Newhall, Calif., the same school Dan Howell attended. "He's the real athlete in the family," Howell said of Delano, whom he predicts will be heavily recruited. Dan Howell says he has all the film of Delano's games sent to Seattle so he can keep tabs. An older brother, Keith, is a senior cornerback at Harvard.

Brotherly love

Another reunion was due to take place on the field before the game between UW senior Andy Heater and UCLA freshman Adam Heater, each graduates of Snohomish High and sons of former UW assistant Chuck Heater, now at Florida. The two didn't meet during the game as Adam Heater, a tight end, is redshirting. Andy, a fifth-year senior, is seeing regular duty this year as UW's snapper for both field goals and punts after playing sparingly previously. Heater got the job somewhat by accident. During fall camp, the Huskies auditioned a number of players to take the place of Tim Galloway, who handled duties the past three years, and Heater wasn't initially in that group — he had never deep-snapped in a game before this season. But he told coaches he thought he could do it a few days into camp and got his chance. He was in line to do just short snaps with Joe Lobendahn handling punts. But Lobendahn, a starting linebacker, has had some injury problems and coaches wanted to take as much off his plate as they could, so Heater is doing all the snaps. In fact, last week coaches asked Heater if he would give up playing defensive end to concentrate full time on snapping and he complied.

NOTES

• Wilson Afoa started at defensive tackle in place of Mike Mapuolesega as the coaches were looking for more consistency. But Mapuolesega played and knocked down a pass and made a tackle on his first two plays.

• CB Matt Fountaine, considered questionable much of the week after suffering shoulder and sternum injuries against Notre Dame, didn't start but saw significant action.

• An interception by UW's Josh Okoebor in the second quarter was UCLA's first turnover of the season.

• A 55-yard field-goal attempt — which came up short — by UW's Evan Knudson was the longest attempt of his career.

• Shelton Sampson wore No. 9 as he was being readied for emergency use as a cornerback. He also wore No. 35 as a kick returner.