For Now, Crecion Will Start

Gabe Crecion regains his role as the starting tight end tonight against Fresno State at the Rose Bowl, a job that may be part of a rotation with Bryan Fletcher.

Coach Bob Toledo has suggested as much, saying he considers both Crecion and Fletcher as No. 1 and that unless one plays significantly better, he might go back and forth for much of the season.

It has been this way since the final week of camp, when Fletcher closed the gap on Crecion. The Bruins got around the issue by starting both in the opener against Boise State, instead of using a fullback in the opening lineup, then went with Fletcher against Ohio State, in part because he is from St. Louis and Toledo liked the geographical connection, stretched or otherwise.

This week, the spot went back to Crecion, presumably not because he is from Northridge.

“I guess it would be kind of nice to get the position,” said Crecion, a junior who redshirted last season rather than get limited time at third string behind seniors Mike Grieb and Ryan Neufeld. “But the way we’re all playing, we’re doing such a good job as a unit. He [Toledo] probably doesn’t know how else to do it. The way Bryan and I are going, they want to get the most out of us.

“Down the road, he might end up picking one of us. But right now, it looks like maybe a week-to-week thing. But like last week, I think I got five more plays than he did even though he started. So right now, I think it’s just a title.”

Said Fletcher, a sophomore: “Everyone wants to start. Me and Gabe are both competitive. We want to be the man, but we also understand. If it’s best for the team, we’re all for it.”

Fletcher has four catches, tied for second most on the team. Crecion has caught three passes, including one for a touchdown. Randy Hakes, the third-stringer, has two catches and a 65-yard touchdown and was named by Toledo as the offensive player of the game against Boise State for that score and his blocking. Mike Seidman, the promising freshman, has one reception.

*

Time: 7 p.m.

* Site: Rose Bowl.

* TV: Fox Sports West 2.

* Radio: XTRA (1150).

* The offenses: Danny Farmer needs 46 yards to pass former teammate Kevin Jordan and become UCLA’s all-time leader in receiving yards. He should get the mark if he plays--Farmer hasn’t had fewer than 52 yards in any of his last 13 appearances--but that is a big “if.” The Bruins are calling him a game-time decision because of a lingering sprained ankle. His backup, Freddie Mitchell, is bothered by a sore left knee. This comes in a week when UCLA hopes to break out and throw more to its wide receivers, instead of going for short tosses to the backs and tight ends to build confidence for two inexperienced quarterbacks. Consider that Mitchell, a game-breaking threat, has as many pass completions as pass receptions: one. Fresno State has the opposite situation, with an experienced quarterback and three sophomores and one junior starting at receiver and running back. But Billy Volek has completed 63.2% of his attempts the first two games and thrown for six touchdowns and only one interception. Flanker Rodney Wright has been his primary target, with 94 yards in catches against Portland State and 70 at Oregon State last week.

* The defenses: The Bruins are down two starters because of injury, defensive tackle Pete Holland and cornerback Jason Bell, and have two new starters in the secondary, Ryan Roques at strong safety and Fresno product Ricky Manning Jr. at cornerback. But conditions have at least stabilized enough that Mitchell and tailback DeShaun Foster will not play on defense as well. Fresno State is coming off a 46-23 loss in which Oregon State had 506 yards of offense. That’s the most points the Bulldogs have given up in three years.

* Key to the game: UCLA versus the Fresno State passing attack. That means the defensive line without Holland and its best pass rusher, Travor Turner, needs to pressure Volek or risk the consequences of what an experienced quarterback does with a lot of time. And the secondary must keep up with the Bulldog receivers that are small but speedy.

* Fast fact: UCLA had scored at least 27 points in 23 consecutive games, before getting 20 last week at Ohio State. That was the Bruins’ fewest since Nov. 16, 1996, at Arizona.

* Line: UCLA by 21.

HOW THEY COMPARE

UCLA FRESNO STATE

29 Scoring 28.5

24.5 Points allowed 26

250.5 Passing 198

132.5 Rushing 109.5

383 Total offense 307.5

235 Passing defense 271

198.5 Rushing defense 162.5

433.5 Total defense 433.5