EXTREME MAKEOVER PERRY MORE MATURE AFTER ATTITUDE OVERHAUL.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

When Tab Perry was a freshman receiver at UCLA, the upperclassmen didn't care for his flamboyance and confidence. During his first few seasons, many thought he was selfish.

By the time Perry was kicked out of school last January for academic problems, Bruins coach Karl Dorrell gave him more of a good-riddance talk than a we'll-miss-you speech.

Eleven months later, Perry has performed a turnaround that adds tantalizing flavor to Saturday's regular-season finale against top-ranked USC. Fourteen UCLA seniors will play their final game at the Rose Bowl, but no one represents the team-first attitude Dorrell is seeking more than Perry, an NFL talent thrilled to be a backup for the Bruins.

``He does mirror what I want (in the program) because he's made an overhaul,'' Dorrell said. ``I'm not pointing him out now that he's a knight in shining armor and does everything perfect, but he's changed considerably in the right direction. That's what I'm very pleased about.''

Perry arrived at UCLA in 2000 with enormous talent - he possesses NFL size (6-foot-3, 215 pounds), speed and route-running ability - and figured to be the focal point of the Bruins passing attack.

But there was a belief he didn't always have the team's best interest in mind. Those around the team said he didn't hide his displeasure over not catching a lot of passes and there were times former coaches would scold him for his provocative quotes in newspapers. It all just slid off his back.

So when Perry, who sat out the 2003 season because he was academically ineligible, returned from the Christmas break to start the January quarter, people in the football program didn't act as if it was a big deal that he had just been kicked out of school for poor grades.

Perry didn't find out until he returned to campus, and when he met with Dorrell, the situation worsened. People close to Perry believe Dorrell could have tried harder to keep the receiver in school, but other things kept that from happening.

``His mind-set was totally different than what it is now,'' Dorrell said. ``It wasn't going in the same direction as our program was going.''

Perry chose not to discuss what took place at the meeting.

``All I'll say is a lot of headaches could have been avoided,'' Perry said. ``As time went on, all the animosity kind of left, and I was like, I'll just be mature about it. Coach Dorrell was more mature about it, too.''

But in the weeks following his dismissal, Perry began a change others certainly noticed, even if Perry still says, ``I think coach Dorrell has just gotten a chance to get to know me.''

Despite being banished by the school, Perry remained in contact with UCLA compliance director Rich Herczog and the two charted a path to get him back into the classroom. It was convoluted, not to mention taxing since he had to have at least a B average in consecutive sessions to qualify for reinstatement to UCLA. But it had a clear finishing point.

``In my heart, I always wanted to come back to UCLA,'' Perry said. ``I could have gone to Sacramento State or Montana and had 2,000 receiving yards and touchdowns and accolades and whatever, but that question always would have been asked; what happened with UCLA?''

Originally, Perry, who is from Milpitas, was going to enroll at San Jose State as a full-time student, but transfer rules would have prohibited him from returning to UCLA and playing football this season.

So in the spring he took a United States history class at San Jose State, three internet classes (one history, two health) through Brigham Young University and an internet sociology class through Adams State, which is in Alamosa, Colo.

Perry also took two history classes and a music class during UCLA's first summer session. Everything went well, Perry got the grades, met with Dorrell and told him he was a team player who would do anything to get back to playing football.

And just when it seemed a given Perry would have his eligibility restored by the NCAA, another problem surfaced.

``When I was done, the NCAA was like, 'Oh, we're not going to recognize these courses,' '' Perry said. ``UCLA already said I could do it. Everything I did, I had to make sure transferred back to UCLA. The NCAA stopped accepting certain classes (from BYU), but they didn't have it on their Web site, so there was no way for me to know that.''

UCLA and Perry fought it, and his eligibility was restored less than 24 hours before the Sept. 4 season-opener against Oklahoma State. The NCAA acknowledged not just Perry's ability to get back into UCLA, but also his commitment to the classroom and his charted path toward graduation.

``It was a big relief,'' Perry said. ``It was a difficult year.''

Upon reinstatement, many in Westwood thought Perry would have an enormous impact with the offense. He would team with close friend Craig Bragg to form an unexpected but prolific receiving tandem, take pressure off tight end Marcedes Lewis in the offense and give the Bruins some game-breakers.

Instead, Perry was stuck behind Bragg at flanker instead of moving to split ahead of Junior Taylor.

Perry never complained.

``I knew how this year was going to be,'' Perry said. ``I knew that I wasn't going to be their guy, and I was OK with that. It's just finishing something you started.''

Perry had two catches for 10 yards over the first three games and seemed to be nothing more than a blocking receiver. But he always kept his smile and happy-to-be-back attitude.

Even after Bragg hurt his shoulder Sept. 18 at Washington and missed a month, Perry didn't become a fixture in the passing game. His biggest game of the season was a five-catch, 66-yard performance in a loss to Arizona State. Perry is fourth on the Bruins with 19 receptions and 297 receiving yards. At one time, it appeared that would be a good two-game stretch for Perry, not statistics from his senior season.

Still, there are no complaints.

``That shows a lot,'' Bruins senior running back Manuel White said. ``It shows that no one is bigger than the program and everyone has a role.''

Instead, Perry isn't just content to back up Bragg, who is UCLA's all- time leading receiver, but happy to do so. He often is one of the last players off the practice field and serves as a role model to the younger receivers.

``He's taught me a lot of fundamentals and been a good mentor for me,'' UCLA freshman receiver Brandon Breazell said. ``He's showed me about footwork and keeping my hips low. It's great for me to learn from him because he's been through a lot of things.''

Before being booted from UCLA, Perry was a psychology major. Now, he is a history major and should graduate by the end of 2005.

His maturity was evident recently when asked whether an NFL career or a degree is more important.

``If you asked me a year ago, I would have definitely said playing in the NFL,'' Perry said. ``But being out of football, I realize there's more to life. Even after football, I want to be a paramedic firefighter so I can help people.''

Dorrell recently received a note from one of Perry's family members, thanking the coach for helping in Perry's transformation. Dorrell showed it to Perry.

``It's basically telling me all the great things (Perry) has accomplished,'' Dorrell said. ``I wanted him to know people feel that way about him, and he needs to know he's being recognized for all the great things he's done. And it doesn't necessarily mean from a football standpoint.''

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- color) UCLA receiver Tab Perry returned from academic ineligibility a more humble, team-oriented player.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) no caption (Tab Perry)

Box:

(1) No. 1 USC at UCLA

(2) PICKING UP THE TAB