Sunday conference call notebook

The UCLA defense has already had to scheme for four of the top quarterbacks in the country in Andrew Luck Case Keenum, Nick Foles and Brock Osweiler.

What’s another future NFL prospect?

Only this one, Matt Barkley, might be the hottest of the lot of them.

The USC quarterback is coming off a 323-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 38-35 upset win at Oregon, two weeks after a record-setting six-touchdown game in a 42-17 blowout at Colorado.

To UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel, those ready to proclaim Luck in a landslide over Barkley as the Pac-12’s best quarterback are a bit hasty.

“I think they’re very, very comparable; the only thing Andrew has over Matt is he’s a little bit more mobile,” Neuheisel said. “(Barkley) is almost more dangerous because there’s a play I’m watching against Colorado and he could run 10 or 15 yards and he stops, goes down the line and throws a touchdown instead.”

But for at least one UCLA defensive back, it’s bring it on, Barkley.

Junior cornerback Andrew Abbott is champing at the bit to take on his former Mater Dei High teammate, but it might have something to do with his recent play.

Abbott intercepted two Tyler Hansen passes on Saturday in the Bruins’ 45-6 win over Colorado giving him a team-high four on the year, tied for first in the conference.

“Let’s do it, Matt, let’s do it,” Abbott said. “That’s my boy, but let’s do it.”

Neuheisel knows a thing or two about walk-ons-turned-starters, but even he is impressed by Abbott.

“He’s a great story,” Neuheisel said. “A walk-on who has risen up and proven he belongs. You always admire guys who do that.

“But at the core, he’s a pretty darn good player.”

Brehaut still sidelined
Neuheisel said he inserted UCLA junior quarterback Nick Crissman late in the Bruins’ blowout win over the Buffaloes because junior Richard Brehaut is still not ready for meaningful playing time as he continues to return from a broken leg.

“Richard could play now but he’s not at full speed,” Neuheisel said. “I didn’t want to put him out there and have him limping around.”

Slamming the door
Despite winning six games over teams with a combined record of 25-42, UCLA had only one rout on its 2011 ledger, a 31-14 win over 6-5 Cal in Week 8.

Until Saturday, that is.

The Bruins’ 39-point margin of victory over Colorado was the team’s highest of the Neuheisel tenure, and the 45 points were the most for the team since a Week 1 45-17 win over Stanford in 2007.

“In years past, we’ve had the chance to be cutthroat when we’re up on a team; today, we finally put the pedal to the medal and said we’re going to keep going,” senior safety Tony Dye said. “I’m proud, I’m happy. That’s the way we should’ve been playing.”

Bumps and Bruises
Neuheisel said despite concussions to both Sean Westgate and Isaiah Bowens, he expects them to play against USC. Both will go through the standard concussion protocol.