No matter what results Pat Cowan delivers against Arizona State
on Saturday, Ben Olson will return to his role as UCLA’s
starting quarterback once he is fully healthy, UCLA coach Karl
Dorrell said early this week. It’s a coaching decision that
will likely lead to Olson starting against USC on Dec. 2 and in a
bowl game if UCLA were to make one. Olson said that Dorrell spoke
with him about playing time during a meeting last Friday, a day
before UCLA’s 25-7 win over Oregon State at the Rose Bowl,
but the coach didn’t explicitly say that Olson would be the
starter. Dorrell made it official this week. Olson was in uniform
and on the active roster for the game against Oregon State five
weeks after partially tearing the posterior cruciate ligament in
his left knee against Arizona Oct. 7. Olson, who characterized the
condition of his knee as being at “90 percent,” had
said last week that he felt ready to play, but on Tuesday agreed
with Dorrell’s decision to wait. “He wants me to be
back and have confidence in my leg and I agree,” Olson said.
“I just want to be healthy and be at my best so that I can
help out the team.” Dorrell announced at Monday’s press
conference that Cowan, who is 1-4 as the starter since
Olson’s injury, will be the starter against Arizona State on
Saturday while Olson will be No. 2 on the depth chart. Cowan
continues to practice with the first team offense, while Olson has
fully returned to practice this week. “Both are getting
plenty of reps and looking good, getting ready to go for the
game,” Dorrell said. Dorrell noted that Olson has looked
about as expected in practice: a little bit rusty, but showing
signs of improvement. “It’s good just for him to get
back out there competing, seeing a pass rush,” Dorrell said.
“He didn’t look his sharpest (Tuesday) but we
didn’t expect him to, and it’s alright, he’s
getting back into it.” Dorrell’s decision makes Cowan
something of a lame-duck starting quarterback, one who will return
to the bench even if he leads the Bruins (5-5, 3-4 Pac-10) to a win
on Saturday and makes them bowl-eligible. But Cowan said that he
wouldn’t view the decision to start Olson as any kind of a
slight by his coaching, as he kept his focus on the upcoming game
following Tuesday’s practice. “I am only going to worry
about this game, it’s all I can worry about,” Cowan
said. “Just got to focus on Arizona State.” Cowan said
he didn’t speak with Dorrell about the starting job since
Saturday’s game. However, Cowan said he agrees with how his
coach has handled the quarterback competition, citing that it would
be an added distraction for a team still needing one win to become
bowl eligible. “I don’t think he should (have to talk
to me); we’re focusing on Arizona State,” he said.
INJURIES: Linebacker Aaron Whittington (ankle) practiced Tuesday
and will likely play on Saturday, Dorrell said. Starting tailback
Chris Markey didn’t participate in contact drills Tuesday,
but is expected to play in Saturday’s game, Dorrell said.
Backup tailback Kahlil Bell (ankle) is still questionable to play
on Saturday, Dorrell said.