UCLA NOTEBOOK: NOTHING PREPARED SEIDMAN FOR CAMP.

Byline: Jon Wilner Staff Writer

Mike Seidman thought he was ready. He spent the offseason lifting weights and running sprints and perusing the playbook. He hired a personal trainer. He even joined the UCLA veterans each week for informal workouts.

But nothing he did this summer - or during his standout career at Westlake High School - prepared Seidman for his first college training camp, which began Monday when UCLA's freshmen reported for two-a-days. (Full-squad practice begins Saturday.)

``It's been pretty overwhelming,'' Seidman said. ``I knew there would be a lot of football, but there's a lot of football.''

Seidman, a tight end who is expected to challenge for immediate playing time, begins his day at 7:30 a.m. and returns to his dorm room, exhausted, 14 hours later. In between, he practices twice and attends several meetings.

No, summer workouts were nothing like this.

``The summer seemed really short,'' Seidman said. ``I'm looking forward to the competition and seeing how I do against the veterans.

``But it was hard to leave home. I didn't really leave because I'm only 35 minutes away, but the fact is I'm starting a new chapter in my life. It was hard to leave my friends and my girlfriend (who attends Thousand Oaks High). But my dream has been to play college football. Now it's here.''

Hall's back: Junior defensive end Santi Hall, who was suspended for spring practice for violating team rules, has been reinstated.

Hall likely will begin the season at linebacker, since three starters (Ryan Nece, Tony White and Ali Abdul Azziz) and the top reserve (Robert Thomas) are serving two-game suspensions for the disabled-parking fiasco.

Recruiting update I: Defensive back DaShaun McCullough, who signed with UCLA in February, has not met NCAA eligibility requirements. McCullough, an Inglewood native, is expected to take the SAT again in September. If he passes, he might delay enrollment until the winter quarter.

Recruiting update II: The Bruins landed their sixth recruit of the 1999-2000 season last month when Irvine cornerback Keith Short gave an oral commitment. Short is 5-11, 180 pounds and will attend Irvine High this year.

UCLA's other committed recruits are: Vista (Calif.) linebacker Tim Warfield, Valencia linebacker Ray Cassaday, Newhall fullback Pat Norton, Sacramento tailback Albert Hollis and Las Vegas center John Ream. The Bruins have approximately 18 scholarship available.

Policy change: Invitations are required to attend practice at Spaulding Field this season, with priority given to the players' families, recruits and high school coaches.

``I just don't want the Internet people coming in and writing a bunch of stuff,'' coach Bob Toledo said.

For more information, call the football office.

Odds and ends: The Sept. 4 season opener against Boise State begins at 6 p.m. The unusual kickoff time serves two purposes: it avoids the afternoon Pasadena heat and it allows Fox Sports West 2 to televise the UCLA and USC games. The Trojans play at Hawaii at 9:30 p.m.

Kickoff for the UCLA-Fresno State game Sept. 18 is 7 p.m.

Freshman defensive lineman Rodney Leisle broke his ankle in a summer all-star game and probably won't practice for at least a month.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO Nothing tight end Mike Seidman did this summer, including working out with UCLA veterans and hiring a personal trainer, prepared him for training camp.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer