UCLA UPDATE: MANNING IS UCLA'S LATEST PROBLEM.

Byline: Billy Witz Staff Writer

A few days before the start of fall camp, UCLA coach Bob Toledo was asked for the umpteenth time about last season's on- and off-the-field implosion when, finally, he'd had enough.

``It's a new season,'' Toledo said. ``How much longer do we have to talk about that?''

Toledo's determination to put the nagging questions of character and leadership behind him lasted all of 11 days, ending when All-Pacific-10 Conference cornerback Ricky Manning, one of the Bruins' best players and most vocal leaders, was arrested Tuesday night on felony charges of assault.

Whether Manning is guilty or in fact a victim - as he and Toledo professed Wednesday - won't be known for months and probably not until after the season.

What is known is that the image of the gutty little Bruins has, pardon the expression, taken another beating.

Manning is the third player in the past year to face felony charges of assault or battery. Asi Faoa pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and C.J. Niusulu's case is pending. Another player, Audie Attar, was kicked off the team last spring after multiple fights.

Mix in last season's NCAA suspension of tailback DeShaun Foster with the revelation of quarterback Cory Paus' impending jail sentence for driving under the influence, as well as the not-so-long-ago specter of the handicapped-parking scandal, and a picture forms of a program run amok.

``It must look bad to people on the outside,'' said cornerback Joe Hunter, a fifth-year senior. ``It's frustrating because the team went through a lot of turmoil last year, but we'll deal with it. It's been a bunch of good guys making bad decisions.''

Toledo acknowledged he can do little now to alter the public perception of his team.

``People don't understand,'' Toledo said. ``All of a sudden (Manning) is guilty. He was trying to protect himself, but it's always our fault. That's the way it works. I can't please everybody in the stands when I'm coaching, either.''

UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero, who has been on the job less than two months, supported Manning in part because he came to inform Toledo of the incident just after it occurred last spring. He also believes Toledo, who disciplined Manning at the time, took appropriate action.

``One of the first things I did, especially as it relates to football, is to become familiar with the operation,'' Guerrero said. ``I saw nothing that left me concerned about negligence in this area. They've bent over backward to ... see that these things should not be occurring. We've had speakers and workshops that deal with life skills, not just fighting. Things that would concern students in the general sense, not just student athletes.''

Yet at the same time, Guerrero said he's very concerned with image.

``When you put on a uniform, you're representing UCLA,'' he said. ``It's an added responsibility, and it's important they all understand it.''

Manning approached Guerrero in the tunnel of the Rose Bowl before Wednesday afternoon's scrimmage and thanked him for his support. Earlier, after the morning practice at Spaulding Field, Manning issued a brief statement - thanking Toledo, Guerrero and the Los Angeles Police Department for the way he was treated - but took no questions.

The incident occurred last April 24 when Manning and Tremaine Mitchell, the brother of former UCLA star Freddie Mitchell, were at Madison's Neighborhood Grill, a popular Westwood watering hole.

``They bumped into some people, there was a verbal dispute and (the other patrons) went outside to wait for a female friend,'' according to L.A. District Attorney spokeswoman Jane Robison.

Shortly thereafter, Mitchell and Manning went outside and a confrontation ensued between them and the two patrons, identified in court records as Bryan Herbert and Seth Spiker.

A fight ensued between Manning and Herbert, and Mitchell and Spiker. Herbert and Spiker each went to the hospital the next day, Herbert with a cuts and a fracture under his nose, and Spiker with a cut lip and blunt trauma to the head, Robison said.

Manning, who suffered a broken knuckle in the fight, said he would have pressed charges against Herbert if he knew he'd be arrested. He said he's considering a civil suit.

``I didn't want to bring the law into it, but they brought the law against me,'' said Manning, who is set to be arraigned Sept. 17 on two felony counts of assault. Mitchell was arraigned Aug. 15 in that case as well as another assault case last November. Both are free on $60,000 bond.

Teammates have expressed their support for Manning, some of whom have walked in his shoes.

``We talked about the way to handle things,'' said Paus, who spent four days in jail in January. ``He's going to get a lot of questions and take a lot of heat. I'll do whatever I can to help out.''

UCLA WATCH

Notable: Coaches will meet this morning and finalize the depth chart, though there isn't expected to be many surprises. Center Mike McCloskey, strong safety Ben Emanuel and cornerback Joe Hunter are expected to win the most heavily contested jobs.

Player watch: Middle linebacker Marcus Reese did not practice after suffering a concussion while covering a kickoff.

Today: Practice at Spaulding Field, 4:10-6 p.m. Closed to the public.

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photo, box

Photo:

RICKY MANNING

The All-Pac-10 cornerback was arrested Tuesday for his part in a fight last April in Westwood.

Box:

UCLA WATCH (see text)