By ADAM MAYA / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LOS ANGELES ? Offensive coordinator Mike Johnson constantly preaches the need for balance on offense. It can sound misleading when UCLA runs 64 percent of the time.
"Fifty-fifty is not our motto," Johnson said. "Balance is dependent on the game" he said. "Each game is different. It's all about what we're able to do. We want to be able to do both and we don't want to be one-dimensional. We can't do that."
UCLA also can't afford to neglect tailback Derrick Coleman. In UCLA's six victories, Coleman is averaging 14.8 carries, 85.8 yards and has scored eight of his 11 touchdowns. In its five losses, Coleman is averaging seven carries and 24.8 yards. UCLA's lost four of those games by 26 points or more.
Johnson said it's not as easy as simply giving Coleman the ball more.
"It depends on how the game goes," Johnson said. "He's a guy we'd like to get going in every game. He's a physical presence.
"When we play teams like USC, you need a guy like Derrick Coleman back there running the rock sometime to thump it in there and get four hard yards."
Those yards have been even harder for Coleman against USC. In three games against the Trojans, he has had eight carries for 25 yards.
The senior from Troy High grew up a Trojan fan and briefly considered going there after Karl Dorrell was fired.
He said Coach Rick Neuheisel talked him into keeping his commitment to UCLA, as it presented Coleman a chance to help build a program.
Saturday's game, with a shot at the Rose Bowl potentially on the line, is one Coleman has been waiting for his whole career.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we don't waste this opportunity," he said.
"This is the game everybody looks back at. This is the one I want to remember."
Coleman might play a leading role in it after lithe sidekick Johnathan Franklin fumbled last weekend for the third time in five games, the fourth time this season and 18th time in his career.
In last year's crosstown meeting, Franklin was on his way to a career-day as he rushed for 104 yards and scored on a 59-yard touchdown in the first half.
But his fumble late in the second quarter proved costly as USC returned it for a touchdown to break a 7-7 tie. Franklin had just one carry in the second half.
UNIFORM WATCH
UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero announced Tuesday in his "Word from Westwood" blog that the Bruins will be wearing new road uniforms against USC on Saturday at the Coliseum. He did not disclose what they will look like but that it will serve as a long-term alternative.
UCLA players said they are in the dark about the new look.
Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com
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