UCLA NOTEBOOK: BRUINS WAIT AS PERRY'S GPA STILL TBA.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

UCLA will not know for a few more weeks whether Tab Perry will rejoin the team, but Bruins coach Karl Dorrell said Wednesday the senior receiver will be welcome if he is re-admitted to school.

Perry, who sat out last season because of academics, left UCLA in the winter. He took classes at San Jose State and Internet courses, but it is unclear whether he has provided UCLA with those transcripts. He is currently enrolled in UCLA's summer session.

``We're hoping that it works out,'' Dorrell said at Wednesday's Pac-10 media day. ``We still don't know, even to this day, whether that will happen. It's a pretty complicated process he's going through, but we're hopeful.''

In order to return to UCLA as a full-time student and be eligible to play football, Perry needs to have a 3.0 GPA in consecutive quarters. Summer session finals are next week.

Perry has been working out individually at UCLA and would provide a boost to the offense if he were to return. As a junior in 2002, Perry caught 35 passes for 698 yards.

--Special assignment: UCLA's special teams struggled at times last season, so Dorrell made a move for more continuity in that area by putting assistant coach Brian Schneider in charge of every special-teams unit.

That's a change from last season when Schneider, who also coaches outside linebackers, handled punt and punt return teams in 2003. Eric Bieniemy handled the kickoff team duties and former offensive line coach Mark Weber coached the field-goal and extra-point teams. Although Bieniemy will still help with the special teams, Schneider will be the lead person.

``(Schneider) is doing all the meetings, but the other coaches still have their roles,'' Dorrell said. ``It means all the information is coming from one guy.''

A year ago, UCLA's opponents returned four punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns.

--Eight is too much: UCLA was picked to finish eighth in the conference, which caught Dorrell a bit off-guard.

``We'll be better than eighth, but you've gotta start somewhere,'' Dorrell said. ``Don't be surprised if we're in the top two or three. We're going to be a very good football team. The attitude is where it should be. The work ethic is where it should be.''

--Tight spot: Dorrell said he expects tight end Keith Carter, who missed last season with a hip injury, to be ready for contact when practice begins Aug. 11.

``The doctors think he can help us on a limited basis,'' Dorrell said.

Tight end is an area of concern, and that spot could take a hit in training camp. Junior college transfer Matt Raney has an abdominal hernia, and it's uncertain whether he will be available when camp opens.

--Odds and ends: Defensive end Kevin Harbour, who had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the spring, is ahead of schedule and could be back by the Oct. 2 game against San Diego State. ... Dorrell said Wesley Walker will enter training camp as the starter at outside linebacker but does not have the position nailed down.

Brian Dohn, [phone]

brian.dohn(at)dailynews.com