BRUINS' VAN LEFT GRASPING FOR AIR MISSED TACKLES BY CORNERBACK COSTLY FOR UCLA IN DEFEAT.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN Staff Writer

SEATTLE -- On the day in January that DeWayne Walker took the job as UCLA's defensive coordinator, he spoke about his disdain and lack of patience for missed tackles. Bruins cornerback Rodney Van is about to find out just how much Walker dislikes them.

Van had a pair of key misses -- one that kept a drive alive and another that resulted in a touchdown -- in UCLA's 29-19 defeat at Washington on Saturday at Husky Stadium, and he might pay for it with his starting job.

Following the loss, Walker said freshman Alterraun Verner and Van would vie for the starting spot for next week's game against Stanford. The competition begins Tuesday at practice.

``We're going to have to go back and evaluate tape and do what we've gotta do,'' Walker said. ``The competition is on.''

Van, a junior, is a talented cover man, but his tackling has been an issue since his arrival in Westwood. Last week, Van talked about his tackling woes, and how he needed to improve in that area.

``I've got to keep coaching (Van) up, but you also want to create competition where you see it's needed,'' Walker said. ``I love the kid, but I'm going to make him compete if that's going to make him better. We need him, so whatever I've got to do to light a fire (under Van). That's one of my boys.''

Verner, who electrified UCLA with an interception return for a touchdown in his college debut three weeks ago, finished with a team-high nine tackles against the Huskies. Van had four tackles, but the misses stood out.

The first one jump-started a dormant Washington offense. Backed up on his own 7-yard line and facing a third-and-11, quarterback Isaiah Stanback hit Quintin Daniels in the left flat for what should have been a short gain and another punt. But Van missed the tackle and Daniels scurried for a 17-yard gain. It was Washington's second first down (the other came via a penalty), and it came with under four minutes left in the half.

Six straight pass plays later, Stanback connected with Sonny Shackelford for a 23-yard touchdown with 1:05 left in the half as Washington pulled within 16-7, and gained some life.

``He missed the tackle,'' UCLA head coach Karl Dorrell said. ``It extended the drive. I would say that was a big play.''

Verner started the second half, but Van saw plenty of action as Walker employed a nickel (five defensive backs) coverage much of the second half. And it wasn't long before Van was involved in another missed tackle. Shackelford caught a short pass in the left flat, broke a Van tackle and raced into the end zone for a 28-yard score as the Huskies cut UCLA's lead to 16-14 two minutes into the second half.

``I know he's a guy that you have to stay on him during the week, make sure he understands everything,'' Walker said. ``But (the missed tackles) are really the only thing that is really sticking out in his play. But it's unacceptable. You can't miss tackles.''

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(1) VERNER

(2) VAN