BORN-AGAIN BRUINS ON A CRUSADE : PUMMEL OPPONENTS, SERVE A HIGHER CAUSE.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

At first, UCLA offensive lineman Andy Meyers tried to cut a deal. ``Dear God,'' he'd say, ``if I quit drinking, will you let me start?''

Meyers, 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, considered himself the toughest guy around, but he never could withstand the sins of the flesh and liver. Soon enough, he'd start drinking. He'd start partying. He'd pick fights and watch adult movies and curse. Oh, could he curse. Then one day Andy Meyers decided enough was enough, and he closed the deal.

Meyers was born on Sept. 3, 1975, in La Mirada.

He was born again on May 16, 1994, over lunch in UCLA's Ackerman Union, thanks to a pastor named Ken Dew, whom he'd met in the weight room.

``At that moment, right there over lunch, I decided to take Christ into my life,'' Meyers said. ``My dad was shocked.''

So was his roommate.

``Andy always was a wild man,'' UCLA center Shawn Stuart said. ``He was a partyer, with a real aggressive attitude, almost hatred. He was dirty. He'd say things around women that would make your mouth open.

``But the craziest thing I ever saw him do was the day he was born again, and he came right home and opened his drawer and ripped up the adult videos.''

Meyers' conversion rippled through UCLA's young offensive linemen. Soon Stuart was born again, then tackle Gene Waters, then tackle Chad Overhauser. Now the Bruins have three starting linemen - 300-pound guys who delight in crushing their foes into the turf - who spend their time in Bible study and preaching to teammates about the virtues of accepting Christ into their lives.

``I tell those guys they should come to Bible study, and they say, `Oh, Meyers, shut up.' But they're a lot more receptive when others aren't around,'' Meyers said.

There are several stories within the story that is UCLA football this year. One is the sense of unity created by new coach Bob Toledo. Another is the impact of new strength coach Kevin Yoxall, who has made the Bruins stronger and tougher, physically, than they've been. A third is UCLA's ever-expanding core of Christianity.

Meyers and Stuart estimate there are at least nine born-agains on the team, most with prominent roles, all on the two-deep chart: Overhauser, Waters, linebacker Brian Willmer, nose guard Jeff Ruckman, cornerback Javelin Guidry, holder Justin Sogoian, quarterback Cade McNown, and themselves.

``It's like this,'' Stuart said, ``when you're a high school football player and you're recruited by top schools, you get this false ego. You think the world is your oyster, and then you come to a UCLA and face the veteran players and you get the snot beaten out of you for a year or two. It's an internal struggle, and you have to take that frustration out somehow. So you do it off the field.

``Andy used bad language. He got in fights. He was into pornography. But he was no different than the rest of us. We were stereotypical college guys, until we accepted Christ into our lives.''

If they made a movie about it, Ruckman would be the biblical Paul.

There was a time, a few seasons ago, when he was ``the only light in the locker room,'' Meyers said. ``I thought he was on a crusade. I kept saying, `Who is that freak?' ''

But Ruckman earned respect with his solid lifestyle and tough play. Then McNown and Sogoian arrived, spirituality already in hand, and the offensive linemen jumped on board. Now the Christians have carved a niche in the Bruins' collective psyche.

``I don't encourage it, and I don't discourage it, as long as there's nothing wrong with it,'' coach Bob Toledo said. ``And there isn't. This isn't a cult. Besides, my daughter (Alissa) is into it.''

Stuart says the Bruins are more spiritual than most teams he's seen, although the postgame prayer sessions they have with opponents is proof that they don't walk alone.

``I was laughing that (Washington defensive tackle) David Ritchie had crosses drawn on his wrist,'' Stuart said, ``and Andy took that to mean he should beat him up more.''

Pounding a defender into the dirt and following the word of Christ seem an inherent contradiction - especially when Waters comes charging into the huddle at Oregon singing prayer songs, or when Ruckman helps an injured Overhauser to his feet by saying, ``Remember who you're playing for.''

Is the mentality necessary to play winning football compromised by Meyers' devotion? Does his essence defeat his goal? Or, to put it bluntly, does the spirituality make him soft?

``God did not put us on the team to be wimps,'' Stuart said. ``He put us here to whip some butts.''

``I'm as aggressive as they come,'' Meyers said, ``and I think this has made me more aggressive because Christ wants me to succeed. On the field, the only thing I've lost is my mouth.''

Meyers says that in the 2-1/2 years since he was born again, his life has improved in every manner. He stopped cursing immediately, and, for that, teammates have ribbed him endlessly. A pre-biology major, he suddenly switched to political science because, ``I felt called into law and politics.''

He claims to handle adversity better, as well. After breaking his left ankle during his senior year at Fontana High School and again a month before UCLA's training camp, Meyers took a year off and ballooned from 295 pounds to 350. He began attending church that December, became a failure at divine deal-making and ``wallowed in myself.''

Then he met Dew. He dropped 35 pounds in three months and was ready for his first training camp. A third-year junior, he's the starting right guard and reveling in his sense of purpose - pummeling opponents and serving a higher cause.

``People say the lifestyle is unappealing, with no sex or partying, but the spirit of God is exciting,'' he said. ``When you party, you're sick for a day and a half. It's like bondage: You think people won't accept you unless you do it. I just decided to take a stand.''

And close a deal.

ANDY MEYERS FILE

Age: 21.

Hometown: Fontana.

Class: Sophomore.

Position: Right guard.

Major: Political science.

Off the field: Four-time member of director's honor roll.

On switching from tackle: ``Guard is more suited to my attitude. I'm an aggressive player and I'd rather have the more aggressive run blocks at guard. It's also easier to pass block at guard, because you don't have the angles and the upfield rushes you do at tackle.''

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (color) UCLA's Andy Meyers (78), pictured here with Skip Hicks, has given up liquor, cursing and adult videos for the Lord.

Tina Gerson / Daily News

Box: ANDY MEYERS FILE (see text)