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UCLA football: Christian Ramirez returns to Stanford ready to play

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Christian Ramirez returns to the scene of his greatest college football moment. Then, again, it’s a short list. Ramirez’s career has been slowed by academic problems, which cost him the 2008 season, and injuries, which left him idle through three games this season. But going back to Stanford this week -- relatively healthy -- does stir a few memories. It was two seasons ago at Stanford that Ramirez, who had recently been converted from safety, was sent in late the game. He gained 55 yards in five consecutive carries, scoring on a gazelle-like 24-yard run.

He looked raw but talented, but rarely played again that season. Ramirez had only 10 carries after Stanford, even though Chris Markey and Kahlil Bell struggled with injuries. Ramirez had only four carries in the last five games after losing a fumble against California.

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“I remember standing around a lot,” Ramirez said about UCLA’s 45-17 victory over Stanford in 2007. “It was my first taste of game time. It was exciting.” But, he added, “it was garbage minutes.”

Ramirez hopes for a little more this week, but that may not be possible in the Bruins’ crowded backfield.

Starter Johnathan Franklin, who had 119 yards against Kansas State last week, is looking to become the first UCLA back to have back-to-back 100-yard games since Markey in September of 2006. Derrick Coleman and Milton Knox, back from a one-game suspension, have been part of the tailback rotation.

Ramirez, who started fall camp No. 1 on the depth chart, is fourth on that list this week, having lost time to hamstring and ankle injuries. Ramirez said he is recovered enough from his ankle injury to play.

“It’s a nice problem to have, but if you’re the odd man out it’s no fun,” Coach Rick Neuheisel said about the tailback spot. “We would love to get him in the game, and we still think he’s a very good football player, but we’re going to have to wait to see how everything shakes out.”

Other UCLA notes:

--Sheldon Price holds the starting job at cornerback over Courtney Viney, though that could change as the week goes on. Viney is a solid tackler and Price weighs 160 pounds. The Bruins face Stanford, which has 230-pound running back Toby Gerhart.

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--Neuheisel certainly has Gerhart on his mind. Gerhart is the nation’s third-leading rusher.

“He’s a different kind of running back,” Neuheisel said. “He’s not going to try to make you miss, as the more elusive guys do. He’s as tough to bring down as any back I’ve seen in college football and they know what they have in him and they feed him. There are a number of players who are very scary to try to defend, but they don’t get the ball 30 times a game.”

--There is also concern about Stanford’s Chris Owusu, formerly of Westlake Village Oaks Christian. He has returned three kickoffs for touchdowns this season.

“We’re going to need great coverage and good hang time on kicks,” Neuheisel said. “Or we can do some other things, like not kick to him. It’s like when Barry Bonds was hitting all those home runs. You didn’t have to pitch to him. We’ll have multiple approaches.”

Kansas State averaged 33.8 yards on kickoff returns in the Bruins’ last game.

-- Chris Foster

Chris.foster@latimes.com
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes

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