A BATTLE IS BREWING TO LEAD THE BRUINS WITH DREW OLSON OUT, QB JOB UP FOR GRABS.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

UCLA's football program was not handed to Ben Olson, and coach Karl Dorrell never said the job belongs to the athletic, 6-foot-4 redhead with an infectious smile and a gifted left arm.

But try finding anyone outside of UCLA's football program not related to David Koral, nor extremely close to him, who believes Olson will not be the starting quarterback for the Sept. 3 opener at San Diego State.

As UCLA begins its 15-session spring practice Wednesday, it does so with a lot more intrigue than usual. Dorrell says Koral is UCLA's No. 1 quarterback, although there is no telling how long that will last.

Even Koral, whose only meaningful playing experience came in the humiliating Las Vegas Bowl loss to Wyoming, cannot say he will get a fair shake in the quarterback competition.

``Yeah, I definitely do (wonder),'' Koral said. ``Hopefully, I get the same amount of reps Drew (Olson) did last spring, and I can prove myself.''

Will Koral be able to do it while throwing pass-for-pass with strong- armed Ben Olson, who comes to UCLA with some rust but impressive credentials and a clear goal?

``I want to start this year,'' Olson said. ``I think every quarterback here wants to start, so I'm going out there with the intention to start and try to help my team.''

Olson's chances improved when two-year starter Drew Olson (no relation) sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the Las Vegas Bowl.

Drew Olson underwent reconstructive knee surgery last month, and his goal is to be ready for the August training camp - ambitious, since recovery time usually is seven to nine months.

With Drew Olson erased from the spring equation, Dorrell diplomatically lumps all the quarterbacks - Ben Olson, Koral, redshirt freshman Patrick Cowan and junior walk-on Brian Callahan - together, mostly because he has to.

Ben Olson hasn't played in a game in more than three years. He hasn't taken part in a practice in more than two years. And although he committed to UCLA days before the Las Vegas Bowl, began taking classes at UCLA in early January and has taken part in passing drills with teammates for a month, NCAA rules prohibited Bruins coaches from seeing him throw a football until spring practice.

``True, he had a great high school career and was the best quarterback coming out that year, and we're all excited about the things he accomplished up to this point,'' Dorrell said. ``The thing that I'm encouraged about Ben is he's worked extremely hard since he arrived here on campus, with really trying to learn and pick up the system as quickly as he can.

``He's made some great friends already within the program and (with) his teammates. We're pleased from that standpoint. We're kind of out there hoping that it is what everyone thinks it's going to be.''

Although Koral enters camp as the top quarterback, Dorrell said that does not mean he will get the majority of the practice reps, as Drew Olson did a year ago.

``We're going to give them all reps,'' Dorrell said. ``We're not going to publicize who gets two, who gets one, who gets three. All of them are going to get reps, and (the media) will have to see.''

Coming out of Thousand Oaks High after the 2001 season, Ben Olson was considered the type of player to build a program around. He was the nation's top high school recruit after he threw for 2,989 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior and was selected national Player of the Year by several organizations.

He chose Brigham Young and redshirted, then announced before his first college season ended that he would take his two-year Mormon mission. Upon returning home in November, with no interest in returning to BYU, he again became a player to build a program around was courted by big-time programs.

The moment Ben Olson chose UCLA, there was speculation he could win the starting job.

With Drew Olson out - and the possibility he wouldn't be ready for the 2005 season - Ben Olson's stature grew because it is widely viewed that he will have little competition for the job.

Koral, a journeyman junior college transfer who completed 7 of 12 passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns against Wyoming, believes differently.

``I think I've already proven myself to the team and the coaching staff,'' Koral said, ``with my little playing time in the Vegas Bowl.''

Ben Olson could be held back if he struggles to master the complex, timing-based offense. Each of UCLA's quarterbacks in Dorrell's two seasons spoke about the difficulties of mastering it in one year.

Olson said his maturity could help, especially given his conservative expectations of spring.

``I'm expecting just to improve, get more of the football (feeling) back,'' Olson said. ``I'm going out there to compete. I'm going out there to learn and just try to become a better football player.''

The coaching staff would like to name a starter, or at least a leader, coming out of spring. Although UCLA's coaches haven't seen Olson throw, they are impressed with his work ethic.

Among the 5:45 a.m. team workouts and weightlifting sessions, the classes, study halls, tutors, and afternoon workouts, Olson is making himself at home in the football offices. He stops by daily to watch tape with quarterbacks coach Jim Svoboda, studies the offense at home and has been reading his playbook for nearly two months.

Olson also has met regularly with his receivers, dined with running backs and offensive linemen, and spoken often with tight end Marcedes Lewis about an increased role in the offense.

``I pretty much have all the formations and everything down, but I'm sure there's going to be times when I probably won't know what is going on,'' Olson said. ``But there's nothing like going through it. There's probably going to be times where I'm going to look horrible, but it's going to be part of the process of getting better. It's been a while, but it's coming back fast.''

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

David Koral is UCLA's No. 1 quarterback entering spring practice.

Edna T. Simpson/Daily News

Box:

A NEW SPRING