University of Oregon Oregon’s Rashad
Bauman will be a serious threat to UCLA.
By Hannah Gordon
Daily Bruin Reporter
At 5-foot-8, Oregon senior cornerback Rashad Bauman
doesn’t look too intimidating. But don’t let his size
fool you.
“He’s not the biggest young man, but he is a looming
presence on the field,” Oregon head coach Mike Belloti
said.
UCLA found that out first hand last year.
“He has an aggressive style to him that you don’t
always see in someone who doesn’t have the big body
type,” said UCLA wide receivers coach Ron Caragher, who is
preparing his corps for Bauman this week. “He’s
tenacious. He covered Freddie (Mitchell) last year and did a good
job.”
Last year against UCLA, Bauman returned an interception 14 yards
in the Ducks’ 29-10 victory over the Bruins. He had one solo
tackle and one assist although he allowed Mitchell 158 yards on 6
receptions.
With the UCLA receiving corps thinned by injury, Bauman poses
even more of a challenge.
“I’m worried. He is one of the best DBs in the
conference,” UCLA head coach Bob Toledo said.
“He’s going to make plays but we’ve got to not
let him make big plays.”
Bauman, a third-team All-American, came into the season with 101
career tackles and 10 interceptions. He has 40 tackles so far this
season and had a good game last week against Arizona State despite
being sick in the third quarter.
The game was a homecoming for Bauman, who is from Phoenix, Ariz.
““ just like UCLA split end Brian Poli-Dixon. The two played
against each other in summer passing leagues in high school.
“He’s a trash talker,” Poli-Dixon said.
“He kind of reminds me of Ricky (Manning Jr.): a little
shorter, stocky, fast, has a good eye for the ball, makes big
plays, is aggressive, talks trash. He’s the kind of corner
you want.”
Bauman will match up against Poli-Dixon (who, at 6-5, has an
eight-inch height advantage), sophomore split end Ryan Smith and
redshirt freshman flanker Craig Bragg.
In contrast to Bauman, a four-year starter, Bragg will start his
second career game while he fills in for Tab Perry, who is out with
broken ribs.
“I’ve got to step up my game this week,” Bragg
said. “I’m putting it on myself. Tab inspired
me.”
While Bauman may be looking for a repeat of last year’s
performance, Poli-Dixon would like to beat Bauman on his routes to
win the game as he did in the passing league championship.
“I’m looking forward to get down,” he said.
“It’ll be like old times when I was a senior and he was
a senior with a big-time game playing against each
other.”