Brehaut Battling for Respect

If the entire season has been an open audition for Richard Brehaut, this week is the final call-back.

With redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince sidelined with a sprained shoulder separation and UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel constantly stating that the early bowl preparation period is devoted to developing the younger talent, Brehaut has become the man of the hour for the Bruins.

He's waiting to become the man for a lot longer.

"With the situation we have at quarterback, it's a competition right now," Brehaut said. "KP, we don't really know what's going to happen to him. My case is a little different than say Logan Paulsen or Terrence Austin, guys who have started the last two or three years and solidified their spot. At quarterback it's kind of like, 'Who can do this now? Who can get the job done?'"

Undaunted by an up-and-down true freshman season, Brehaut believes he can.
The zip in his arm is only matched by the confidence in his mind.

But the arm hasn't been his problem - not using it has.

Brehaut has been sacked seven times and often has seemed out of sorts in the pocket as it collapses around him.

"The jump from high school to college is a significant jump, especially at the quarterback position," Brehaut said. "That's one of the hardest positions you're going to have to adjust to. The offense is so much more complicated, the defense is so much faster, all their schemes are getting more complex. Yeah, it's tough, but it's nothing I didn't ask for, it's nothing I don't want, it's nothing I don't think I can do."

But thinking he can do it and doing it are two different things.

That's where this week comes in.

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel has remained non-committal when asked about Prince's relief for Temple, if it should come to that.

So Brehaut goes out there with a dual role: Youngster who is getting worked on for the future, and potential starter in 13 days.

"I think it's just going to come down to if I can manage the game well," Brehaut said. "If I can be mistake-free in practice and be 100 percent with everything I do, in my checks, in my reads, in my footwork. For me, that's the biggest thing: managing the game, keeping the offense moving, not having stupid penalties, having the offense click."

He's not putting the weight of the world on himself, though.
He knows he's still young and that expectations he would make a huge impact this season were understated.

He also knows that it's never too early to learn.

"I don't think in my position that I'm in that there's anything I can do, any more than what I've shown this season, but it's still going to make me better getting reps," Brehaut said. "But for the other young guys, a lot of them are on scout the whole season, so I think the coaches want to get a look at these guys."