UCLA defense lacks bark, not bite

Korey Bosworth, the Bruins' right defensive end, was asked to say something outlandish:

"UCLA will rise to the top."

Up next, Tom Blake, UCLA's left defensive end:

"I'm too tired. I got nothing."

Bruce Davis is gone, that is obvious. The Pacific 10 Conference's co-leader in sacks -- and quotes -- is in the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp and the yakety-yak void has yet to be filled.

Davis may actually be missed less on the field.

Blake, a transfer from UC Davis, started eight games at defensive end last season. He had three sacks and recovered four fumbles. Bosworth, who mainly was Davis' back up, had two sacks and nine tackles for losses.

"Those two ends are having a great camp," defensive line coach Todd Howard said. "Losing a player the caliber of Bruce is tough, but I think you'll see Boz do a good job replacing him."

A Bruins defensive end has shared the conference lead in sacks each of the past two seasons. Davis and teammate Justin Hickman each had 12.5 in 2006 and Davis had 12 last season, tying him with Oregon's Nick Reed.

But Howard does not expect too much of a drop off, if any.

"I think Tom Blake can be as productive as Hickman," Howard said.

The other thing the Bruins ends may have going for them, at least early on, is that they aren't Bruce Davis. Offenses this season are expected to focus on the middle of the Bruins' defense, where Brigham Harwell and Brian Price stack up at tackle.

"I think we're under the radar," said Bosworth, who, like Davis, is an undersized end at 6 feet 1, 230 pounds. "We've got the two tackles, Price and Harwell, but we're bringing something Bruce couldn't bring. We've got a lot more strength than he had when he was here, though we're a little less flamboyant."

The Bruins are also now benefiting from injuries to the defensive front last season. Neither Blake nor Bosworth expected to start last season, but when Nikola Dragovic was injured, the playing time for both increased, giving them valuable experience.

The same is true with defensive tackle Jerzy Sierwieski, whose playing time increased after Harwell suffered a knee injury.

"Overall, the defensive corps, there's a lot of experience," Howard said. "We had a lot of injuries last year. That left us with a lot of experienced guys who know how to play this season."

They just don't know how to gab, at least not yet.

"When you lose a guy like Bruce, everyone has to chip in," Blake said of Davis' ability as a quote machine. "We have plans in the works to make up for that."

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Running back Derrick Coleman is scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery Friday to repair torn meniscus in his right knee. He is expected to be out at least two weeks, Coach Rick Neuheisel said. . . . Freshman defensive back E.J. Woods sat out this morning's practice with a slight concussion. . . . Receiver Taylor Embree missed practice with a bruised shoulder. . . . Guard Scott Glicksberg returned to practice after sitting out at the end of Wednesday's workout.

chris.foster@latimes.com