UCLA ANALYSIS: BRUINS' DEFENSE HALFWAY TERRIFIC : ALIOTTI'S SYSTEM DOES JOB AGAINST LONGHORNS.

Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer

UCLA coach Bob Toledo admitted he was anxious. Defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti said he was clueless. Each spent last week wondering how UCLA's young defense would perform in the season opener against Texas.

The answer was right in front of them all along.

Each day for three weeks - sometimes twice a day - UCLA's defense faced one of the nation's most potent offenses. What better way to prepare a young unit than line it up against Cade McNown and Co.?

``I really had no clue how we'd do,'' Aliotti said after the Bruins defeated Texas 49-31 Saturday in the Rose Bowl. ``It's tough (to get a feeling) when you're only going against yourself. But it's been push-push against the offense and that's been encouraging, because I think our offense is outstanding.''

Compared to the concerns on defense, replacing tailback Skip Hicks and receiver Jim McElroy were inconsequential.

The Bruins have two senior starters, linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo and safety Larry Atkins. They had a new coordinator, Aliotti, who replaced the popular and unconventional Rocky Long. And they had a new system, as Aliotti tossed Long's unique 3-3-5 in favor of a traditional 3-4-4.

The most experienced lineman, Pete Holland, is a junior with seven career starts.

The inside linebackers, Ramogi Huma and Tony White, are first-time starters.

The reserve inside linebackers, Cheyane Caldwell and Ryan Nece, weren't inside linebackers last year.

The free safeties, Eric Whitfield and Jason Stephens, instilled so little confidence in training camp that Aliotti considered moving Atkins, his best player, from strong safety to free.

But the youngsters were in good hands. Toledo and Aliotti worked together at Oregon, where Aliotti masterminded the ``Gang Green'' defense that produced a Pac-10 title in 1994. He was well-liked by his players and well-respected by his peers. In 1995, he followed Ducks head coach Rich Brooks to the St. Louis Rams, where he spent three seasons as an assistant.

When Long departed in December, Toledo wasted no time hiring Aliotti, whose first cousin, Al Borges, is the Bruins' offensive coordinator.

The players took to Aliotti immediately - ``He's phenomenal,'' Whitfield said - and they slowly absorbed his system. It retained the blitzing, swarming principles Long preached for two seasons but changed the alignments and assignments.

Aliotti's strategy against Texas was textbook: Stack the line with eight players to contain All-American tailback Ricky Williams, while daring quarterback Richard Walton to win it through the air. Weak-armed and slow-footed, he could not. If the blitzers didn't get him, the cornerbacks did.

For 30 minutes, UCLA's defense was as stingy as it needs to be, executing the game plan and holding the Longhorns to three points and 116 yards. In the second half, with a four-touchdown lead, the young Bruins became complacent and Aliotti inserted seldom-used reserves like Steve Sua, Ali Abdul Azziz and DuVal Hicks. The Longhorns took advantage with 28 points.

``I was extremely pleased with the way we played in the first half,'' Aliotti said. ``I was disappointed in the second, though. We had guys going in and out and we didn't keep up the intensity. We felt the game was over before it was.''

For the Bruins' rookie coordinator, it was the best of both worlds: an impressive first half to secure the win, a disappointing second half to assure he'll have something to teach this week.

UCLA STATUS REPORT

Game: 1

Result: UCLA 49, Texas 31

Record: 1-0

This week's GPA: 3.36

Cumulative GPA: 3.36

QUARTERBACK: A

Good as Cade McNown's numbers were (339 yards, three touchdowns), they didn't match his decision-making: when to audible, when to pass, when to run.

RUNNING BACKS: B+

Not a bad debut for the three-headed tailback: 163 yards and three touchdowns. Fullback Durell Price ran and blocked effectively.

RECEIVERS: A-

How's this for depth: the big-play threats, Freddie Mitchell and Brian Poli-Dixon, don't even start. Danny Farmer's spin move would make Baron Davis proud.

OFFENSIVE LINE: A

Guard Andy Meyers said it was the line's best season opener in years, and the stats agree: no sacks allowed, 211 yards rushing and plenty of pancake blocks.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C

The coaches rotated nine players, and not a tackle-for-loss between them. Nose guard Micah Webb, especially, has work to do, and end Kenyon Coleman must play harder.

LINEBACKERS: B+

Blitzer Brendan Ayanbadejo alone made this unit productive. Add solid performances from Ramogi Huma and Tony White, and no worries here.

DEFENSIVE BACKS: B

Cornerbacks Jason Bell and Marques Anderson did a solid job in man-to-man coverage. All-American safety Larry Atkins had six unassisted tackles.

SPECIAL TEAMS: B+

With return specialist Freddie Mitchell on board, this could be the Bruins' most improved unit. Kicker Chris Sailer had seven touchbacks, and the coverage was solid.

COACHING: A-

UCLA was businesslike in the face of Texas' revenge talk. As usual, the schemes were aggressive but sound. One suggestion: in the heat, wear shorts.

- Jon Wilner

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

PHOTO UCLA linebacker Brendan Ayanbadejo, here causing a Texas fumble, is part of an inexperienced but so far effective defense.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News

BOX: UCLA STATUS REPORT (see text)