UCLA freshman WR Theo Howard fighting 'disease' of youth

LOS ANGELES — Theo Howard can’t help he’s been afflicted. The good news for the UCLA freshman is his ailment is curable.

“They say youth is a disease and the only cure is experience,” receivers coach Eric Yarber said of Howard, who has only one catch in three games. “He’s going to gradually get the experience that he needs, I can’t just throw him out there to the wolves and not let him have success, because I want him to have success and confidence.”

Howard was a heavily recruited receiver with high expectations coming out of Westlake High. Senior receiver Kenneth Walker III said he expected Howard to emerge as a top receiver this year.

Yet the freshman didn’t get on the field during UCLA’s season opener and caught only one pass the next week against UNLV for 15 yards.

The Bruins, who host Stanford at 5 p.m. Saturday, have a deep group of receivers: 18 players have caught a pass this year, with seven with between six and 10 receptions. Nearly everyone has had their chance and Howard’s is still coming.

Yarber said Howard is still adjusting to the physicality of the college game. It’s a learning curve especially present in Howard’s blocking ability. Receivers have to diagnose whom to block, how to block and the correct leverage to use. It takes time, Yarber said, but he is confident Howard will “be a good blocker and he’s going to be a great receiver one day.”

“If you play him one-on-ones, you see his talent, his athleticism, all the things that you recruited,” Yarber said. “But when you go into a game and you have to think about so many things, it’s paralysis by analysis.

“A cluttered mind equals slow feet. So we just need to declutter his mind and slow the game down for him.”

Shaw praises UCLA defensive line

The praise for Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey is plentiful and free-flowing across Westwood this week.

Stanford head coach David Shaw reciprocated the feeling for the UCLA defensive line tasked with stopping the Heisman hopeful.

“This is the best defensive front we’ve played this year,” Shaw said Tuesday on a conference call. “They’re markedly different with Eddie Vanderdoes back. You can tell he’s a significant difference with his size, his physical nature, his athletic ability. For a guy that big, he can move well.”

The Bruins are coming off a standout defensive performance in which they sacked BYU quarterback Taysom Hill four times and held the Cougars to just 23 rushing yards. Vanderdoes had two tackles while anchoring the defensive line in the middle.

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Defensive line injury update

Defensive end Takkarist McKinley was injured late against BYU and did not practice Tuesday. Defensive line coach Angus McClure said he expects the senior to be on the field Saturday. McKinley was coming off a groin injury and seemed to aggravate the injury against the Cougars.

Freshman defensive tackle Boss Tagaloa, who missed last week’s game with an ankle injury, practiced Tuesday and will be evaluated in regards to his status for Stanford.