Toledo Has No Qualms With Late Start

The college football season that started for a few in recent days and begins in earnest for most everyone else this weekend does so without UCLA, which doesn’t open for about two weeks.

But once they do get underway, the Bruins play 11 consecutive games, making them the only Pacific 10 Conference team without a bye, in a season that goes from Sept. 12-Nov. 21, not counting a possible bowl appearance.

“We’re starting later and finishing earlier,” UCLA Coach Bob Toledo said. “You’ve got an 11-week period, plus a couple weeks of camp. If you stay healthy, it’s good because you get your rhythm, you keep your rhythm and you go. I’d hate to play like 17 weeks. That’s hard. I’ve done that. If you have a lot of byes and you start early, it’s tough on you.

“If you’re playing well and healthy, it’s not a bad thing.”

The other noteworthy aspect of the Bruin schedule is that they don’t play Arizona State, denying what could be a critical matchup since most predict those will be the two best teams in the Pac-10.

“My big thing is I think we ought to play everybody in the conference,” Toledo said. “I’ve always said that . . . We were two of the top teams last year too and didn’t play. I can’t worry about that, and I don’t.”

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Damian Allen proved to be the defensive standout Saturday during the first of three UCLA scrimmages. The backup cornerback had one interception and nearly had another, which is good and bad.

Allen continues to use his speed to break up passes. But the events at Spaulding Field were the latest in what has become a string of missed interceptions because he had been unable to hang onto the ball.

“I guess that’s why he’s not a wide receiver,” Toledo said, laughing.