UCLA FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: SCOTT RETURNS TO THE FIELD.

Byline: BRIAN DOHN

Staff Writer

Twenty minutes before the start of Sunday's practice, UCLA receivers coach Eric Scott strolled onto Spaulding Field, dressed in blue shorts, a blue shirt and a visor, with his head down but with a small smile on his face.

A day after being reinstated, Scott worked with the receivers, pulling guys aside to go over plays and slapping hands and backs after nice catches, and hoping the 18-day distraction stemming from a July24 arrest is a thing of the past.

Bruins coach Karl Dorrell and graduate assistant Brian Callahan split time coaching the receivers while Scott was on paid administrative leave.

"I think it's a great thing," Bruins receiver Osaar Rasshan said. "I think (Scott) understands that he hasn't been out here, and what we're going through. He's going to ease his way in, and a week from now nobody's even going to remember this."

Scott was reinstated after the Los Angeles Country District Attorney declined to file charges, and after face-to-face meetings with Dorrell and several administrators, including athletic director Dan Guerrero.

"Welcome back to the family," UCLA quarterback Ben Olson said. "It's good to have him back. Coach Dorrell has kept us well informed throughout the process, so we're sticking behind him."

Brown hobbled: UCLA senior defensive tackle Kevin Brown could miss a few days of training camp after he injured his right quadriceps, but it looked much worse at first. Brown didn't put any pressure on his leg, hopped around near the trainer's shed and was taken to the locker room by golf cart.

"He should be fine," Dorrell said. "We're hoping that's the case."

Brown suffered the injury when offensive tackle Micah Kia inadvertently kneed him during a play.

Looking right: One of the more intriguing, not to mention few, battles of training camp is at right tackle, which will protect Olson's blind side.

Senior Brian Abraham is trying to hold off sophomore Aleksey Lanis, who started 11 games last season but lost his spot in the spring because of injuries.

"I'm trying to get my spot back," said Lanis, who is back to his 2006 weight of 315 pounds. "If not, the worst I can do is get everybody else better. I've lost my spot, and I've come to play. I've been playing my whole life in sports, and have never been the No. 2 guy. I'm used to being the guy on the field."

Abraham started nine games as a sophomore, but lost his starting job to Lanis in 2006.

However, forearm and knee injuries kept Lanis from weight work for months after the season, and the lack of strength and cardiovascular training was a central reason he lost his job.

"If they aren't happy with where they are on the depth chart today, I don't want to hear about it," UCLA offensive line coach Bob Connelly said. "I want them to show me. They have opportunities to do that in practice. Aleksey's played a lot of football here for us, and there's no reason he can't continue to do that."

Odds and ends: Dorrell said left guard Shannon Tevaga (wrist/shoulder), safety Chris Horton (hamstring) and fullback Michael Pitre (knee) were all dealing with minor injuries, and each should be ready in plenty of time for the season. --With Tevaga out, P.J. Irvin moved ahead of Nate Skaggs and worked out with the first team.

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