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Fast enough

With Cory Paus’ game winning fourth quarter 13-yard touchdown scramble against Arizona everybody wanted to know if the quarterback’s legs would become a bigger part of the offense in the future.

“He’s slow,” head coach Bob Toledo said. “But he’s good in the pocket, he’s real maneuverable inside. I’m sure he thinks he’s faster than he is.”

“I’d say I’m average,” Paus said. He admitted there was not a single play in the playbook which called for the quarterback to tuck it in. “You run the ball for yards, you pass for miles. A quarterback doesn’t need to run it,” he said.

Lining up

The defensive line was one of the keys of Saturday’s victory over Arizona, Toledo said. Coming into the game, defense was a big question mark. Injuries have hurt the depth of the line, forcing increased playing time for some players as well as the repositioning of others.

Steve Morgan moved from tackle to end, and Saia Makakaufaki saw his first action of the season at tackle. Stephen Sua and Kory Lombard, a walk-on who was awarded a scholarship before the season, both saw less than 30 snaps all season before getting action in the second team in Tucson.

Rusty Williams is suffering from an array of injuries, but has not missed a start at end. Ken Kocher missed last week due to an ankle sprain, and Anthony Fletcher, already suffering from a back injury, hurt his leg early in the game.

Toledo singled out tackle Rodney Leisle as a playmaker. “He’s becoming a dominant player in this conference. He’s real strong and splits double teams real well,” he said.

In the third game of the season the Bruins lost pre-season All-American Candidate Kenyon Coleman with an ankle injury. Coleman, a senior, may take a redshirt season and return next year. If he plays again this season his eligibility will run out at the end of the season. Coleman was pegged as a first-round draft choice before the injury.

Fighting spirit

After every game Toledo awards the “Gladiator” award to the one player who plays the hardest. No individual got it this week; the award instead went to the whole team.

“I looked at the tape and every player had at least one play that would earn them the award. I’m going to tell them at the team meeting that they all get the award,” Toledo said.

Aloha

If UCLA wins its remaining two home games the Bruins will most likely spend Christmas in Hawaii, where the Pac-10’s fourth and fifth place teams play their bowl games. Oregon is undefeated in Pac-10 play, and Washington and Oregon State are both 4-1. Arizona is 3-2, and UCLA, along with Arizona State, Cal and Stanford are all 2-3. NCAA regulations require at least six wins and an overall record of better than .500 to participate in a bowl.

In recognition of a possible business trip to Oahu, local beat writers wore Hawaiian shirts to Monday’s press conference.

Notes compiled by Greg Lewis, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.

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