BRUINS TAKE A PASS ON PAST NEW GROUP CONFIDENT LOSS WON'T START SLIDE.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

As UCLA began preparations to play at No. 12 Washington State, there were hints this week was different: The banter of the past month was toned down markedly, the pre-practice punting competitions among linemen and the occasional stickball game were gone. Even the typical games of catch were minimal.

UCLA's mood is unlike the past five weeks, and for good reason.

The Bruins' winning streak ended at five games with a loss at Stanford, and the promise of a surprise Pacific-10 Conference title now is in peril with the most difficult part of the schedule remaining - Washington State, Oregon and USC - amid a backdrop of November collapses engrained in UCLA memory banks.

Leadership, or lack of it, has been a constant issue for Bruins teams in the past. But it is in that area this current crop of leaders can change the face of the program, and its course.

Everyone at UCLA says the leadership of this team is better than the past, and that is being counted on as the Bruins (6-3, 4-1) try to shake off the bitterness of a 21-14 loss to the Cardinal and push aside memories another late-season collapse by Saturday, in time to face the Cougars at Martin Stadium.

``There's not really any all-star players like there was last time,'' Bruins senior defensive end Dave Ball said. ``It's not like Robert Thomas or DeShaun (Foster). We're just pretty focused, pretty humble, pretty hungry. I think we're a little more vocal than they were.''

However, this style of leadership isn't in the rah-rah form or full of in-your-face challenges.

Instead, players say, this leadership is evident in the daily work ethic, which began with stars such as Ball - who just tied UCLA's career sack mark with 26 1/2 - waking up before 6 a.m. in the summer to lift weights and train for the season.

The leadership is from junior receiver Craig Bragg, often discussing the importance of running precision routes with the younger players. Or from veteran offensive lineman Eyoseph Efseaff, helping the less-experienced linemen break down film.

And the leadership, the Bruins say, is not allowing one conference loss, as damaging as it was, to ruin the season like it might have in the past.

``Obviously, no one likes to lose that game to Stanford, but at the same time, we're in first place and we control our own destiny,'' Smith said. ``That's what it comes down to. Even if we won, we'd still have to run the table to get to where we want to be.''

Another message delivered by the veterans is that the Bruins remain tied for the conference lead with the Cougars and USC, and both of those teams remain on the schedule.

``We have to take control and go out and work hard in practice,'' Bragg said. ``We can't let this start take us on a downhill roll. Just try to be consistent.''

However, UCLA's November failures cannot be overlooked, nor should they be. The program's stigma is the Bruins can't win after Halloween.

UCLA's fifth-year seniors, who include Ball, are 4-8 in November. The rest of the time, the group is 31-25.

``I wasn't even here,'' Bruins first-year coach Karl Dorrell said. ``I'm trying to move on to Washington State, and we've got bigger and better things to think about. We're 4-1 in conference. We're tied, as far as I know, with two other teams at the top. We're trying to be effective on what's ahead of us instead of what's behind us.''

Whether Dorrell recognizes it or not, UCLA's history is unflattering this time of year. In the past four seasons, UCLA is 1-9 against Washington State, Oregon and USC. The Bruins' only victory in that span came in 1999.

UCLA hasn't won in Pullman, Wash., since 1993.

``It's present day for me,'' Dorrell said. ``It's a new coach and a new time. I'm just going to try to do what we need to do to get ourselves in position to win games.

``We're a different team than it was two years ago, or last year, so we're hoping those results won't be the same.''

Also staring back at UCLA is an ugly repeat of 2001. Fresh in the minds of the upperclassmen is a perfect season gone terribly sour under what appears to be similar circumstances.

Two years ago, the Bruins were 4-0 in the Pac-10 and lost at Stanford. Losses at Washington State, to Oregon at the Rose Bowl and at USC - the same stretch the Bruins face now - followed.

``The attitude is so different because we had so many off-the-field problems at that time,'' Smith said. ``We don't have a Heisman Trophy candidate (Foster) that got busted for an SUV or a starting quarterback (Cory Paus) being busted for a DUI. So it's totally different.''

Several players said that after the 2001 loss to Stanford, the elite-level players began talking about getting ready for the NFL. The result was a severe drop-off in practice intensity that carried over to the playing field.

``Actually, I went back in a time machine to 2001 and gave them all a pep talk,'' Ball said, joking. ``I don't know. You can't really do anything about the past. You just try to practice harder, with more focus. And focus on getting better week after week and focus on playing against the guy you're going to face.

``Now, it's different players. Different coaches and different players. Only time will tell.''

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com

UCLA vs. WASHINGTON STATE

Time: 4 p.m., Martin Stadium

TV/Radio: Ch. 7; 1150-AM, 690-AM

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Photo:

UCLA lineman Dave Ball (43) and the Bruins say they have stronger leaders than the 2001 team that lost three games in November.

Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer