Three Quarterbacks in Mix

The UCLA practice field became a Bermuda Triangle of intrigue Tuesday, with three quarterbacks beginning a sink-or-swim campaign to start against Washington State.

Cory Paus, Scott McEwan and Ryan McCann all have had impressive stints, all have struggled and all have question marks regarding their health.

“I really don’t know who will start and there is no need to make a fast decision,” Coach Bob Toledo said. “I’m not going to decide until game time.”

The Bruins were not planning to conduct a walk-through practice Friday in Pullman, but Toledo hastily scheduled one Tuesday to provide one last chance to evaluate his quarterbacks.

Last Saturday in a 38-28 loss to Stanford, Paus aggravated an injury to his right thumb that has bothered him at times all season. The starter the first seven games threw crisp spirals Tuesday but said taking snaps is painful.

McEwan was impressive in relief of Paus against Stanford, passing for 221 yards. Toledo would like to give McEwan his first career start, but a right ankle sprain has made it difficult for him to plant before throwing.

McCann led UCLA to victories over Alabama and Michigan last year but has been third string since having shoulder surgery a year ago and missing spring practice. Yet Tuesday he was the healthiest of the trio.

Auditions will continue today, with the roles of McEwan and Paus increasing as much as their health will allow.

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Ignoring the gestures of Athletic Director Pete Dalis from the back of the room for him to cease, Toledo blasted the officiating in the Stanford game during a news conference.

“There’s not a lot of consistency,” he said, “and that’s what bothers me.”

Toledo was upset by several calls, including a personal foul on tailback DeShaun Foster for pushing linebacker Coy Wire after Foster was hit out of bounds and a taunting penalty on tight end Bryan Fletcher when he posed momentarily after scoring a touchdown.

The officiating on two pass plays also rankled Toledo. He believed holding on cornerback Joe Hunter on a third-and-six pass to Teyo Johnson should not have been called and felt pass interference should have been called on a long pass to Smith, who was tripped by Cardinal cornerback Ryan Fernandez.

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The argument of anyone who believes there is an East Coast bias when it comes to college football was bolstered by ESPN’s decision to televise North Carolina at Georgia Tech and label it the BCS game of the week.

Brad Edwards, ESPN’s college football researcher, wrote: “There isn’t much to choose from this week.”

The network must consider Stanford at Washington and UCLA at Washington State slim pickings, even though all four of those Pacific 10 Conference teams are in the top 12 of the BCS rankings and in the top 16 of the Associated Press rankings. North Carolina and Georgia Tech, ranked Nos. 22 and 23 by the AP, are not in the BCS top 15.