BRUINS PUT THE `D' IN DOMINANT.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN Staff Writer

PASADENA -- UCLA fullback Michael Pitre sported a gash across his nose and the glassy look in his eyes suggested the hit he took late in the fourth quarter gave him a concussion.

Still, Pitre said there was no way he would wake up today and forget what transpired Saturday, though it would be understandable if Pitre did a double take about how the Bruins ended a seven-year losing streak to USC.

The victory came because of a dominant defensive effort, a heavy-blitzing attack orchestrated by a defensive coordinator, UCLA's DeWayne Walker, who was advised by USC coach Pete Carroll to turn down the job offer last winter because the Bruins were lacking in size, talent and, worst of all, heart.

So it was extra sweet for UCLA's defense to end No. 2 USC's hope of playing in the national title game with a suffocating effort in the stunning 13-9 win at the Rose Bowl.

``The first week coach Walker got here, he told us about his relationship with Pete,'' UCLA linebacker Eric McNeal said. ``He said he took that as an insult that he told him not to take the job, and (Carroll) said we were too soft and we couldn't do it.

But we came out here and shut them down.

We didn't beat them. We shut them down.''

Before the season, Walker and the players downplayed Carroll's suggestion. After beating the Trojans for the first time since 1998, the Bruins had much more to say.

``(For) as much as we love coach Walker and trust him, this was as much for him as anybody else,'' UCLA cornerback Rodney Van said. ``Any time you're disrespected by an opposing coach, like he was, by telling him not to take the job, that he would never get it done and we're all soft, it hurt him personally.''

The Bruins blitzed from the middle and used their quickness on the defensive line to control play. UCLA forced one turnover, McNeal's interception in the closing minutes, and held the Trojans to their lowest point total since a 10-6 loss to Utah in the 2001 Las Vegas Bowl, snapping an NCAA-record 63straight games in which USC scored at least 20 points. It is also the fewest points USC scored against UCLA since a 7-7 tie in 1971.

``In my mind, I knew this could happen,'' USC coach Pete Carroll said. ``I knew they could play good defense on us. I thought we'd still find a way out.''

It was the overall way in which the Bruins defense, which was battered for more than 600 yards and 66 points in last year's massacre at the Coliseum, handled USC's offense.

Walker, in his first season leading UCLA's defense, put together a game plan that relied heavily on pressuring Trojans quarterback John David Booty, who was hit early by a blitzing Reggie Carter to set the tone.

``(Booty) was the key,'' Walker said. ``We talked about it with our staff, talked about it with our players. I just felt we had to confuse him as much as possible.''

Booty was sacked twice and finished having completed 23 of 39 passes for 274 yards. He was repeatedly chased from the pocket and was forced to throw on the run or deliver passes before a receiver finished a route.

USC receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith combined for 10 catches, but none were game-breakers.

``They don't want to run the ball anyway. They wanted to throw the ball to Jarrett and Smith,'' Bruins defensive end Justin Hickman said. ``We wanted to hit (Booty) early and often. No quarterback wants to get hit, and we hit him and he got rattled.''

The Trojans managed a season-low 55 yards rushing on 29carries, and had a season-low 15 first downs as the Bruins showed their dominance on several key plays.

On USC's first series, Chauncey Washington was stopped by linebacker Christian Taylor on a fourth-and-1 at UCLA's 31-yard line.

Early in the second quarter, Carter stopped Washington on a third-and-1 to force a punt.

``I don't think they knew how fast we are,'' UCLA defensive end Bruce Davis said. ``I got down in my stance, I looked in (USC tackle) Sam Baker's eyes .. his eyes were this big. I said `you better be ready because I'm coming after you.'''

One of the game-deciding plays came from cornerback Alterraun Verner and Taylor on the first play of the fourth quarter. USC had a fourth-and-2 on UCLA's 36. The Bruins duo hit C.J. Gable and dropped him four yards behind the line of scrimmage.

The Bruins then went on a 13-play, 47-yard drive that ended with Justin Medlock's 31-yard field with 8:49 to play, giving UCLA a 13-9 lead.

``A lot of people made a lot of really great plays, and I couldn't be prouder of this team,'' said Taylor, who had a game-high 11 tackles. ``My head is throbbing, I lost my voice and I don't even care.''

The Trojans did not have a carry for more than nine yards and only had one pass play of more than 20 yards.

``Like I've been saying all week. Enough's enough and it was time to put an end to this,'' UCLA cornerback Trey Brown said. ``This is for the UCLA family.''

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) USC running back C.J. Gable is stopped on a fourth-down play during Saturday's game.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

(2) WALKER