10 REASONS WHY... : UCLA IS BE BETTER THAN YOU THINK.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

1. Toledo's Attitude

As linebacker Abdul McCullough said, first-year coach Bob Toledo's enthusiasm is Neuheisel-esque. He is eager and excited, and subsequently, so are the players.

Toledo's feel-good ploys - the sumo wrestling, the barbecue in Malibu - helped kick-start training camp. But his energy will keep the Bruins mentally fresh in the second half of the season, the point at which injuries, fatigue and a few losses have conspired to overwhelm them in past years.

2. A Healthy Hicks

Toledo was asked recently if he'd take 150 carries up front for tailback Skip Hicks, or gamble he could get more from the oft-injured junior. ``I think he can do better,'' Toledo said. ``I think he can get 200 carries.''

Hicks is in the best shape of his life after focusing his offseason conditioning program on the once-fragile legs that have curtailed his career. He could be the best back in the Pacific-10 Conference, and worth a victory or two by himself.

3. Mediocre Michigan

On Sept. 28 the Bruins play the first of two potentially season-altering games, at No. 14 Michigan. It comes at a crucial time, after a bye week and before the Pacific-10 season begins.

This is a solid Wolverine team, not a great one. With their athletic ability, the Bruins will steal a victory in Ann Arbor and receive a major momentum boost.

4. Rocky's Road

With Rocky Long as its defensive coordinator, lowly Oregon State annually had the most difficult system in the conference to prepare for. At UCLA, he'll use a similar system - only with better players.

The key to the scheme is that there is no key. Safeties rush the passer. Nose guards drop into pass coverage. Linebackers dart in and out. And then there's the elusive roverback. The whole thing sounds like a gimmick, but everyone who knows Long raves about him.

5. Coach Yox

It may take several years for new strength coach Kevin Yoxall's system to take full effect, but the results of one offseason are impressive enough.

The Bruins are noticeably stronger and more flexible than in previous seasons. Yoxall, known to the players as ``Coach Yox,'' used Olympic weightlifting techniques to replicate the explosive movements used on the field. It had players in top shape when training camp began - so they didn't use camp to get in shape, as in past years.

The Bruins believe the real benefits will come in fourth quarters, when superior conditioning often means the difference between winning and losing.

6. ASU is just A-OK

The second of UCLA's pivotal games, Arizona State, on Oct. 12, comes at another vulnerable time: two weeks after Michigan, one week after a difficult trip to Oregon, and just before back-to-back road games at Washington and California.

The Sun Devils rallied from a 27-10 halftime deficit last year to stun the Bruins 37-33 in Tempe. They have a top quarterback (Jake Plummer) and a potent offense. But the defense is suspect.

A loss here could mean a five- or six-game losing streak. But the Bruins will prevail at home, against a top-25 team, and take that momentum to the madhouse in Seattle.

7. Warding off the Blockers

The Bruins have produced two of the Pac-10's best linebackers this decade in Jamir Miller and Donnie Edwards. Senior Phillip Ward has done nothing to date to merit inclusion in their class. But he has the potential - and the system - to become one of the league's best this season.

Returning to his natural spot after a year at defensive end, Ward is a primary blitzer in Long's scheme and will make full use of his speed and strength. The last time he played rush linebacker, against USC in 1994, he had three sacks.

Ward will be positioned behind end Travis Kirschke, giving the Bruins a solid tandem on the left side.

8. Very Special Teams

They are one-third of the game, and UCLA has talent in all areas.

Punter Chris Sailer is one of the Pac-10's best, as are kick returner Jim McElroy and punt returner Paul Guidry. Greg Andrasick is good on kickoffs, and he'll team with Bjorn Merten to form a solid field-goal unit.

9. Fine Freshmen

It was a hastily gathered but impressive freshman class, and in the first days of training camp the rookies did nothing to dissuade their supporters. Durell Price, Jason Bell and Gabe Crecion have been as good as advertised.

The best news for the Bruins is that the freshmen fill positions of need. Price will be a fine backup to Skip Hicks. Crecion is the team's best pass-catching tight end, and Bell, a cornerback, should thrive in a system that relies on man-to-man coverage.

10. A-plus Assistants

Toledo has assembled what some feel is the Bruins' best staff in years. His coordinators, Long and Al Borges, are well-regarded tacticians. And assistant head coach Bob Field, after 17 years at UCLA, is respected by everyone.

But it's the positions coaches that give the staff the depth it needs to succeed. Toledo did not rehire receivers coach Norm Andersen or linebackers coach Tim Hundley (neither was especially well-liked or effective). Instead, he hired coaches with good football minds who are liked by the players. It's easier to play hard for someone you like than for someone you don't.

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Photo: (1) Senior linebacker Philip Ward should flour ish in the attacking defensive schemes UCLA will use this season.

David Crane/Daily News

(2-color) No Caption (No. 10 Jerseys of USC, UCLA and CSUN)