Spring football is in the air
McCullough seeing time at linebacker, Milliner at tailback
By Eric Branch
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
At some time during the unveiling of a men’s basketball national
championship banner in Pauley Pavilion, spring football got
underway.
Coming off a disappointing 5-6 ’94 campaign, the Bruins began
spring drills on April 4, with 52 lettermen returning. Of the
returnees, 17 saw action as starters last season, nine on defense
and eight on offense. The graduation of J.J. Stokes, Wayne Cook,
Rod Smalley and Shane Jasper among others, has head coach Terry
Donahue looking closely for big performances at quarterback, wide
receiver and inside linebacker.
Notes from the first two weeks of UCLA spring football:
Senior James Milliner is no longer a fullback. He has spent the
spring competing with Skip Hicks and Sharmon Shah at tailback
…
Outside linebacker Anthony Jones, a ’93 transfer from Notre
Dame, has been forced to retire due to a serious shoulder injury
…
Preseason All-Americans: offensive left tackle Jonathan Ogden,
wide receiver Kevin Jordan and outside linebacker Donnie Edwards
…
Jordan is sitting out of spring practice after undergoing
off-season knee surgery, but is expected to be fully recovered by
the start of fall practice …
Also missing due to off-season surgery or nagging injuries:
fullback Greg Ford (back), tight end Jamal Clark (knee), right
guard Mike Rohme (achilles) and left guard James Christensen (knee)
…
Senior wide receiver Avery Anderson and Ogden are missing spring
drills as they compete for the track team …
The absence of Jordan has sophomore speedster Jim McElroy as one
of the few experienced players in a receiving corps which currently
consists of converted junior tailback Derek Ayers, junior Erik
Holcomb, sophomore Eric Scott and redshirt freshman Tod McBride
…
"Jim is having an excellent spring," Donahue said. "I think he
can be a million dollar player someday."
The Bruins return all five starters on the offensive line
…
The graduation of Smalley and Jasper has created openings at
both inside linebacker positions …
Donahue currently has strong safety Abdul McCullough seeing time
at the position along with sophomores Jeff Ruckman and Brian
Willmer and freshmen Larry Atkins and Duval Hicks …
"I don’t know if Mc Cullough is going to stay there," Donahue
said. "He’s playing well, but right now we’re just trying to figure
out how to get the 11 best players on the field. That’s what the
spring is for."
Defensive back Tommy Bennett, who was suspended from the team
last year, is participating in spring practice as a non-scholarship
player …
Sophomore Shaun Williams, who was listed on the depth chart at
tailback last season, will play only on defense in ’95 …
Junior Ryan Fien, who has 28 career completions, is the current
starting quarterback with senior Rob Walker and redshirt freshman
Steve Buck serving as backups …
"Right now the timing is bad between the receivers and
quarterbacks on some routes," McElroy said. "Neither group is very
experienced  so they’re learning just like us."
The Bruins open the 1995 season on Sept. 2 against Miami at the
Rose Bowl.