BACK IN HIS SPOT, HE'S HAVING A BALL AGAIN.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

Phil Snow was sitting in his Seattle office this week, breaking down film of California's offense, when a play made by No. 49, the opposing defensive end, caught his attention.

Snow, Washington's defensive coordinator, saw UCLA senior defensive end Mat Ball drop back into coverage, fight off two blockers and tackle Bears wideout Geoff McArthur to stop a screen pass.

``I think it was because (Mat) had experience playing linebacker that he made that play,'' said Snow, UCLA's defensive coordinator in 2001 and 2002. ``He learned how to fight off blocks like that.''

After four years flip-flopping positions on a regular basis, Ball, back at defensive end, finally is being noticed for his play on the field and not because he's the identical twin of UCLA's all-time and single-season sack record-holder, Dave.

``It was kind of unfair to Mat,'' Snow said. ``We hurt his development in the end because I think he would be better if he was (at end) the whole time. After the (2001) season I told him, `That really wasn't fair to you,' but he helped us have the best defense in the Pac-10.''

Because of circumstance and choice, Mat's career path has been different than his brother's. Decisions by UCLA's coaching staff to, on a pair of occasions, move the 6-foot-6, 285-pounder from his natural left-defensive-end spot to linebacker curtailed his development.

But now, finally comfortable and familiar with technique, Ball is having his best season. He has established career highs for tackles (25), solo tackles (18) and sacks (three) despite being limited the past two games because of bulging discs in his back.

``I think he'd be the same as me,'' said Dave Ball, who has 13.5 sacks this season and 27.5 in his career. ``I've had five years of experience, five years of playing and all the drills and all prep and all the game experience and all the spring-ball experience, and he's had probably 2 1/2 years of that.

``If you think about it, I really didn't start succeeding that much until last year, and that was after my third year of playing.''

Mat Ball said he still feels slow recognizing plays and is battling to refine his pass-rushing skills. But he is past the hesitation and awkwardness he experienced in returning to defensive end last season.

``Playing time is the most important thing you have as far as coming into your own at one position,'' said Ball, who will make his final Rose Bowl appearance Saturday against Oregon. ``I was slightly crippled in that way. If I hadn't been there at linebacker, if I had done the whole thing at defensive end, would I have evened out to how Dave is right now?''

Snow wasn't the first to make Ball an oversized linebacker.

After Ball, who played at Dixon High, committed to UCLA, the coaching staff sent a recruiting tape to each of the incoming freshmen. In discussing the defense, Dave was penciled at his familiar right-end spot, but when it got to left end, Mat's name was omitted.

Instead, both he and current defensive lineman Asi Faoa began as linebackers.

``He came in weighing about 235 pounds, and the feeling was if Mat was mobile enough and skilled enough to play the linebacker position, having a linebacker that big and physical would be a real plus,'' said Bob Field, UCLA's defensive coordinator when Ball arrived in Westwood. ``I don't know why (it was Mat). It probably could have gone either way and been either (Mat or Dave).''

Mat spent his redshirt season as a scout-team linebacker before moving back to defensive end in 2000, starting four times.

Then, a couple of weeks before the 2001 season opener at Alabama, sophomore Brandon Chillar pulled a hamstring. With the Bruins in dire need of a linebacker, Mat, then 265 pounds and backing up Kenyon Coleman, was shifted back again. He started against the Crimson Tide, then didn't start again until the season finale against Arizona State.

Snow said Ball was tremendous against the run, often tossing aside tight ends to make plays and forcing changes in blocking schemes so offensive linemen could block him. But there were other times when offenses would create their own mismatch and force Ball into covering receivers in the slot.

``Big guys and space just doesn't mix,'' Dave Ball said. ``It's frustrating. We're athletic, but we're not linebackers. You could see the frustration on (Mat's) face. Sometimes he wouldn't play well, they'd put somebody else in and you could see him looking down and being depressed.''

Mat said he hit ``rock-bottom emotionally'' at Washington State, the eighth game of the 2001 season. With the Cougars spreading the field with the passing game, his only playing time came on special teams.

``It was brutal,'' Ball said. ``I internalized it.''

When the season ended, Bruins defensive line coach Don Johnson made a passionate plea to get Ball back on the defensive line.

``I saw him play and it was like, `Whoa, if he was over here, he could do so much more,' '' Johnson said. ``It's one thing to play where you see everything, and it's another to play with a hand on the ground. It's been a big adjustment for him.''

The repercussions, though, continue. With limited time on the defensive line and being behind on the learning curve, Mat's future as an NFL player is much more in question than that of Dave, a Lombardi Award finalist who should be a high draft pick.

``It's not totally the linebacker spot change that led to be not being as productive as Dave,'' Mat said. ``I have a lot to do with it too, like how I respond to coaching. My techniques and stuff. There's a lot of different stuff, and I didn't perfect it. But not for a lack of work or anything.

``Sometimes it's just how you see a guy and how well you see his hands coming out at you. Some people pick it up right away, and connect with the hands and run right by him.

``Some people, it takes awhile. I'm one of the guys that's taken awhile. I'm a lot better at it now.''

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com

UCLA vs. Oregon

Saturday, 12:30 p.m.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) MAT BALL

(2) UCLA's Mat Ball (49) is thriving in his return to defensive end this season after being switched several times to linebacker.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer