A Bruin Tour D Force

CORVALLIS, Ore. —  Grab an eraser. Make it a pair. Clap them together to clean out the chalk left over from years of documenting UCLA’s defensive woes.

Wipe away the 99 points and 1,165 yards surrendered to Oregon State the last two years. Erase the dis-from disbelieve and discredit.

There is no more dissing this defense.

Not after No. 12 UCLA dismantled No. 19 Oregon State, 38-7, Saturday in a Pacific 10 Conference opener before a capacity crowd of 36,521 at Reser Stadium.

“We walked off this field with our heads held high,” middle linebacker Robert Thomas said.

A pattern is developing. Four victories, four exits with the defense beaming with pride.

This was the most impressive performance because unlike victories over Alabama, Kansas and Ohio State, it came against an opponent with an established coach, a proven passer and a running back whose likeness graces the sides of 30-story Portland buildings.

“That was as good a defensive effort as you’ll see,” Coach Bob Toledo said.

The Bruin offense, for so long Toledo’s pride and joy, is almost a footnote to the Raven-esque defense. But the offense did provide some kick.

Just when it appeared struggling quarterback Cory Paus had morphed into Trent Dilfer, he connected with the nearly forgotten Brian Poli-Dixon on a 38-yard body punch on the last play of the first half.

The touchdown pass gave UCLA breathing room at 17-0, stunned the crowd and sucked the life out of Oregon State. The Beaver dam broke in the third quarter when UCLA scored three touchdowns to lead, 38-0.

“At the beginning of the second half I could tell we were fresh and they weren’t,” linebacker Marcus Reese said. “That play to Brian was huge.”

Paus completed a pedestrian 12 of 24 passes for 216 yards, but contributed another quick strike, connecting with Poli-Dixon from 39 yards on the first play after safety Jason Stephens caused and recovered a fumble with five minutes left in the third quarter.

Most importantly, Paus has not had a pass intercepted this season.

“I’m not making mistakes, I’m making a play here and there, as long as we win I’m OK with that,” he said.

The Bruin running game was effective from start to finish. Tailback DeShaun Foster had 147 yards and three touchdowns, restoring his Heisman Trophy chances. Two of his most important carries produced first downs on third-and-one plays during a second-quarter drive that ended in a 43-yard field goal by Chris Griffith.

The touchdowns were especially satisfying. He scored only one in the first three games.

“It all felt good,” Foster said. “I haven’t seen the zone too many times. I was just trying to score.”

Reserve tailback Akil Harris added 74 yards, including a 54-yard gain that set up the Bruins’ last touchdown, a one-yard run by Foster.

Stifling defense. Potent ground game. Big-play passing. This is a lot of fun for Toledo, who is disappointed the Bruins have a bye next week.

“I’m like a kid with a brand-new bike and it rides real fast, then somebody sticks a bat in the spokes,” he said. “I want to keep riding.”

On a sunny Oregon afternoon, the Bruins halted the high-powered Beaver offense until the outcome was well in hand. Though three quarters, Oregon State rushed for 38 yards and the UCLA starting defense extended its string of shutout quarters to nine.

Before Steve Jackson ran 63 yards for a touchdown against the Bruin second team with seven minutes to play, Oregon State’s deepest penetration was the UCLA 44-yard line.

Ken Simonton, Oregon State’s (former?) Heisman candidate, was held to a career-low 26 yards in 13 carries.

“Simonton who?” UCLA safety Marques Anderson said. “I know who DeShaun Foster is.”

The brash talk followed big hits. Bruin defenders didn’t just make tackles, they unloaded.

Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith was popped repeatedly, sacked three times and held to 106 passing yards. This is the same Smith who riddled the Bruins for 935 yards and seven touchdowns the last three years.

It was apparent early that he was facing a defense as fortunate as it is improved. Smith’s second pass was intercepted by Stephens, who fumbled after a 10-yard return. But the ball was scooped up by cornerback Ricky Manning, who ran another 17 yards to the Oregon State 28.

Foster dashed 25 yards, then scored from the three to put UCLA on top three minutes into the game.

Smith hit receivers on a few quick slants before UCLA defensive coordinator Phil Snow began calling blitzes. The Beaver quarterback spent the rest of the afternoon on his back.

Kenyon Coleman, Rodney Leisle and Brandon Chillar had sacks and the Bruins made six tackles for losses.

“We started conservative, then Coach Snow opened up a can of blitzes,” Coleman said.

Simonton, who is trying to become only the fifth player to rush for 1,000 yards four times, fumbled on the first play of the second quarter and was benched for two series. Reese caused the fumble and Anderson pounced on it, his first of two recoveries.

When the Beavers weren’t turning the ball over, they were punting it--10 times.

Soon the romp was on and the 55-7 loss here in 1999--UCLA’s worst defeat in 71 years--was avenged.

On Friday night, Toledo treated the Bruins to a video of lowlights from their previous two games against Oregon State and a clip of former Beaver Coach Dee Andros saying the 1999 win was the biggest in the program’s history.

“That was one of the most embarrassing games I’ve been associated with,” Toledo said. “So I was very, very pleased.”

Also erased was the memory of last year’s 44-38 loss. The Beavers scored 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter in that game, rendering a strong UCLA offensive performance meaningless.

On Saturday, the offense was every bit as proficient as in last year’s game.

Delete every doubt and distant memory. The defense is now the difference.