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After UCLA's bowl game on Friday against Northwestern, junior running back Maurice Drew said he w

EL PASO, Texas — Still in obvious pain after dislocating his left shoulder earlier in UCLA's bowl victory and finding it difficult to smile, Maurice Drew fulfilled every single autograph request and posed for what seemed like an infinite amount of pictures after Friday's game.

And as he emerged from the locker room with a sling on his left arm, Drew slowly walked by more adoring fans and family, stepping onto the team bus just beneath the setting sun on the horizon.

That just may be the last image Bruin fans have of Drew in his time at UCLA.

Following UCLA's 50-38 win over Northwestern in the Sun Bowl, the junior running back admitted the possibility that he may forgo his senior season and declare for the NFL draft. Such a statement was a stark contrast from the sentiment Drew expressed several weeks ago, when he stated his intention to remain a Bruin for a fourth and final season.

"I don’t know about it right now," said Drew, who acknowledged he would discuss his future with his family in the coming days.

The 5-foot-8 junior from Antioch, Calif., has spoken to UCLA running backs coach Eric Bieniemy at least once regarding his future plans. According to Bieniemy, both he and Drew agreed not to bring up the issue until after the Bruins' bowl game to minimize any possible distraction.

"He's going to do what's right for him, what's right for UCLA, and more importantly, what's right for his family," said Bieniemy, who also serves as the team's recruiting coordinator.

"If (going pro) is something he decides to do, we'll sit down and discuss it and make sure it's the best decision for him.

"Ideally, I would love for him to come back. We're going to have a heart-to-heart (in the coming days), probably sit down with his family, and go from there."

Drew's potential importance on offense to a roster that loses quarterback Drew Olson and tight end Marcedes Lewis to graduation cannot be overstated.

In an offense that averaged an impressive 39.1 points per game this season, Drew was often its catalyst.

He did it on the ground, rushing for 914 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He did it as a receiver, hauling in 31 passes for 454 yards and four touchdowns.

And he did it on special teams, returning three punts for touchdowns and breaking the NCAA record for punt-return average in a season with a sizzling average of 28.5 yards per return.

No matter how the ball ended up in Drew's hands, he always found a way to make big plays. Drew followed a successful sophomore campaign with a junior year in which his name was briefly mentioned in Heisman Trophy conversations and ascended most of UCLA's all-time offensive lists.

After only three seasons, Drew is first in career all-purpose yards (4,686), first in all-purpose yards in a season (1,861), second in touchdowns in a season (20), fourth in touchdowns in a career (39), and ninth on UCLA's all-time scoring list (234 points). A fourth season would most likely further solidify his already lasting imprint on the Bruin record book, something Bieniemy hopes he gets to witness firsthand.

"That's my plan (to see him in a UCLA uniform)," Bieniemy said. "I know we still got some recruiting to do, but if this is becoming an issue, he's the biggest recruit we have to land for the 2006 season."

In Friday's bowl game, Drew suffered a hard hit to his left shoulder on a kick return midway through the first quarter, and was carted off the field nearly a minute later. Running backs Chris Markey and Kahlil Bell split the majority of the carries for the rest of the afternoon, finishing with a combined 294 yards and two touchdowns.

Drew returned in the second quarter, and finished the game with 96 all-purpose yards, though he admitted afterward he was still in pain.

"He was trying to do everything under the sun to get out there," Bieniemy said. "He's a special kid."