UCLA NOTEBOOK: QUICK OFF THE BLOCK : DEMOTED UCLA SAFETY MCBRIDE HELPING OUT WHERE HE CAN.Byline: Jon Wilner Daily News Staff Writer Eighteen months ago, UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX receiver-turned-safety Tod McBride had surgery to repair small tears in both patella patella (pətĕl`ə): see kneecap. tendons. But compared to being demoted - he was replaced as the starting strong safety 2-1/2 weeks ago - surgery was a stroll down Bruin Walk. ``It hurts,'' said McBride, a senior from Walnut. ``There's not a day I wake up and don't think about it. But I've got a lot of pride in everything I do, and I'm trying to help the team any way I can.'' McBride has become UCLA's best punt blocker, with two this season and three in the last 12 games. Saturday, he rushed from the left wing, fended off a Stanford blocker with one arm and slapped Kevin Miller's punt with the other. UCLA recovered at the Cardinal 33 and scored its first touchdown on the ensuing play. ``It was just a bull rush,'' McBride said. ``I got enough penetration to get close and block it.'' McBride uses his natural aggression - one of UCLA's most physical players, he was chastised chas·tise tr.v. chas·tised, chas·tis·ing, chas·tis·es 1. To punish, as by beating. See Synonyms at punish. 2. To criticize severely; rebuke. 3. Archaic To purify. in training camp for hitting during non-contact drills - and receiver instincts to elude blockers. He sets them up like cornerbacks, feigning a charge to the left, for instance, then cutting right. Once past the blocker, McBride either goes for the block (thereby risking a roughing-the-kicker penalty) or eases off. ``Roughing is one of the worst penalties you can get,'' he said. ``It's a split-second A Split-Second was a successful synth rock/new beat/EBM band from Belgium. The duo — Mark Ickx and Peter Bonne (under the artist name Chrismar Chayell) — were active from their debut in 1986 until they split up in 1991, when A Split-Second continued as a solo project. decision. Usually, it's all a blur to me. After the play, I look back and think, `Did I do that?' '' If the punt's been blocked, he probably did. Oregon State update: Second-year coach Mike Riley
see furcula. offense (aka: Beaver Bone) and installed a 90s-style passing attack. Directing the offense, for now, is redshirt freshman quarterback Jon Smith. Smith threw for 380 yards in the second half of a failed comeback at Washington two weeks ago. He replaced Terrance Bryant, a junior college transfer who had started all season. ``Terrance may come back on a rotation basis; we haven't decided,'' Riley said. ``We got more plays downfield down·field adv. & adj. Sports To, into, or in the defensive team's end of the field. Adj. 1. downfield - toward or in the defending team's end of the playing field; "he threw to a downfield receiver" with Smith in one game than we did all year. That's why Smith was in the game.'' Stat of the week: If the Bruins draw approximately 85,000 fans for the USC An abbreviation for U.S. Code. game, they'll shatter the school single-season record and win their first Pac-10 attendance title. UCLA is averaging 70,117 fans through four games. The school record is 69,812, set in 1947. Washington leads the league with 71,149 per game. The Huskies have one game left at 72,500-seat Husky Stadium
, UCLA on Nov. 14. Short stuff: Tight end Mike Grieb, safety Larry Atkins and McBride (special teams) were named UCLA's players of the game for Stanford. Atkins forced one fumble and recovered two. Grieb had two catches. . . . Guard Andy Meyers and fullback Craig Walendy will join quarterback Cade McNown and Atkins as captains this week. . . . Saturday's game will be televised on Fox Sports West. . . . Kickoff for the Washington and USC games, Nov. 14 and 21, respectively, is 12:30 p.m. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos PHOTO (1) McBRIDE (2) SMITH |
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