LOS ANGELES -- If the UCLA Bruins are lucky this weekend,
they'll be able to go with their backup quarterback.
Coach Karl Dorrell is optimistic that Patrick Cowan will be
ready when the Bruins come off a bye week to face No. 9 California.
"We gave him the week off last week, and that was on purpose to
give him a chance to continue his rehab and to strengthen his knee
and get his conditioning back," Dorrell said Monday.
"We do anticipate him having a full week of practice and, if
everything goes as planned, we will use him as the starter."
If Cowan doesn't look ready, the Bruins likely will have McLeod
Bethel-Thompson -- who isn't even on scholarship -- calling the
signals again on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
UCLA's other options are freshman Chris Forcier, who has been on
the scout team, or Osaar Rasshan, a former quarterback who had been
shifted to wide receiver.
Bethel-Thompson, who had not thrown a collegiate pass, was
pressed into duty in the Bruins' last game when Ben Olson went out
with a knee injury in the first quarter.
A walk-on who is a redshirt freshman, Bethel-Thompson struggled
mightily. He threw four interceptions and lost a fumble that Notre
Dame turned into a touchdown -- and the Irish beat the Bruins 20-6
to win for the first time this season.
Olson had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and will be
sidelined for at least three more weeks.
Cowan, who started the last half of 2006 after Olson went out
with an injury in the fifth game, missed the first three games of
this season because of a torn hamstring. He returned and started
against Washington on Sept. 22 because Olson had concussion-like
symptoms, but Cowan tore a ligament in his right knee in that game
(a 44-31 victory) and has been sidelined since then.
Dorrell said that, in addition to giving Cowan time off to fully
recuperate, it gave the other quarterbacks time to work with the
offense.
"We know what Pat can do," Dorrell said. "We just needed him
to get some more time to rest. But it gave us a chance this past
week to see Osaar, put him back under center and watch him take
some plays, and also Chris Forcier, and keep developing Mac
(Bethel-Thompson) as well.
"It was a good week to continue to develop those guys."
The Bruins (4-2, 3-0 Pac-10) still have their main goal intact,
Dorrell said.
"We're excited about this particular week, given where we are
in this conference. In this conference, each and every week is
going to be an event and each and every week is going to have a lot
of excitement," he said.
"We're in really good position. Even though we're at 4-2, we're
3-0 in conference with nothing but conference games left. Our
players are rejuvenated."
Cal (5-1, 2-1) also may use its No. 2 quarterback, redshirt
freshman Kevin Riley. Riley filled in for Nate Longshore (ankle
sprain) against Oregon State on Saturday, and his failure to throw
the ball away on the last play of the game cost the Bears a chance
at overtime. They lost 31-28.