DREW, UCLA COULD BE GOOD.

Byline: STEVE DILBECK

SAN DIEGO - As openers go it was ... what?

A little of many things, and most of them good.

Not all perfect, not without concern, but UCLA did open the season with an easy 44-21 victory Saturday at San Diego State.

UCLA should be able to beat San Diego State silly, of course, but then there are those who would tell you the Bruins should have been doing a lot of things the past few years they haven't been.

UCLA has never lost to the Aztecs in 21 meetings, and it wasn't like there was a lot of anxiety over Saturday's outcome.

Not after Maurice Drew, the little back who could, ripped through San Diego State like he was on jet skates.

Drew was the best player on the field in the first half, scoring three touchdowns - including a 64-yard run on UCLA's first play and a 72-yard punt return that left mouths open, San Diego State's included.

``He's just one of those play-maker players - like Marcedes Lewis - who's exciting to watch with the ball in their hands,'' said UCLA coach Karl Dorrell.

The concern was, Drew wasn't on the field in the second half, or at least most of it.

Drew limped off the field after his first and only carry of the second half, and shortly after was gingerly walking to the training room with cramps. He received fluid, returned shortly afterward to the sideline but never re-entered the game.

``I'm good,'' Drew said. ``It was just a cramp, and they didn't want me back out there.''

Drew is 5-8 and 205 pounds of dynamite, a mini-rocket that can go off at any moment and seemingly the one player Dorrell cannot afford to lose.

If the Aztecs had any doubt of this - and they shouldn't have had, since he gained 222 all-purpose yards against them last season - it was erased on that first UCLA play.

The Bruins' now more experienced offensive line, opened a mammoth hole on the left side and Drew was through it in a blink. He accelerates so quickly, it's like he skips gears.

``There was a big hole to run through,'' Drew said. ``You should be talking to the offensive line.''

It was still a 14-6 game midway in the second quarter when Drew caught a punt, only to have an Aztec immediately zeroing in on him.

Drew lost him by spinning a complete circle so quickly, that he momentarily lost his balance. He regained it in an instant, and then jetted straight up the field.

Somehow he went untouched for 72 yards, his 12th career touchdown of more than 40 yards.

``Once you make the first guy miss, it's almost always a touchdown,'' Drew said.

It was a game-breaker that seemed to break San Diego's spirit.

UCLA led 24-6 at the half, and was never seriously threatened.

Elsewhere, the news for Dorrell was mostly good.

Quarterback Drew Olson, back from knee surgery, probably looked better than most expected. His final numbers (10 of 15, 152 yards) might have been more impressive if his wideouts wouldn't keep stopping short on routes.

When Drew went out, Chris Markey stepped up and did a reasonable imitation. He ran well from scrimmage and broke punts and kicks returns for big yards, and just generally looked similar to Drew, only three inches taller.

The UCLA defense that is supposed to be so much faster and athletic this season was and wasn't. At times, it looked just the way Dorrell had described. Others, it struggled to contain an Aztec offense (402 total yards) operating behind a pair of new quarterbacks.

``We're 1-0, baby,'' Dorrell said. ``That's a first step.''

Though he'd never won an opener before, Dorrell teams have a history of starting well and then fading. His first team started 6-2 and finished 0-5. Last year the Bruins started 4-1 and finished 2-5.

``I was very pleased with our performance,'' Dorrell said. ``But we can play a whole lot better.''

They'll have to, of course, because most of their schedule is filled with the likes of San Diego State. It's hard to truly gauge UCLA against the Aztecs.

But certainly, if they're going to be the team Dorrell expects them to become, they'll need to keep their Mighty Mite healthy.

Lewis (seven receptions for 131 yards) is an absolutely marvelous talent, perhaps the best tight end in the country and has an NFL future.

Drew, however, is a unique college football player. Saturday he actually looked like the guy UCLA linebacker Justin London brazenly called the most complete running back the Bruins will see all season.

For openers, it seemed clear UCLA will need Drew if they're to truly take that next step.