UCLA's Hicks has lofty expectations

Arizona Daily Wildcat Skip Hicks

Hicks, whose 122 yards per game places him 13th in the nation, will collide with the rebirth of Desert Swarm, whose 61.3 yards allowed against the rush places them 10th in the country.

The 6-foot, 222 pound Hicks rushed for only 48 yards against Arizona last season, but he is already making sure that he will not be defeated on the battlefield again.

"I have been watching a lot of game tape," Hicks said. "I have been working to figuring out that flex that they run and picking up on their blitzes. That will be the key for me."

Arizona knows what to expect from the enemy.

"He is a tough guy at 230 pounds," UA head coach Dick Tomey said. "He is tough enough to run over you, he is elusive enough to run around you, and he is fast enough to run by you."

"He has been a big guy for us," UCLA head coach Bob Toledo said. "His whole career, he has been a big guy for us."

A big day for Hicks will be key if he wants to stay on pace for the goals that he has set for himself this season.

"I made a lot more team goals than personal goals," Hicks said. "But, I do want to rush for 1,500 yards and have 2,000 total yards."

So far, Hicks has gained 366 yards on the ground in his first three games. He has a total of 553 all-purpose yards.

"Plus, I want to break the touchdown record," Hicks added.

The record that Hicks was alluding to is career touchdowns at UCLA. Already finding the end zone nine times this season, Hicks has accumulated 38 touchdowns during his stay in Pasadena. Gaston Green, who holds the record of 40, is probably savoring these last days that he can call himself UCLA's touchdown king.

An All-Pacific 10 Conference selection last year, Hicks has made himself a possible All-America candidate and a contender for the Doak Walker Award, presented to the nation's best running back.

To Hicks, he has mixed feeling about the awards' importance.

"It's pretty important," Hicks said. "This opportunity does not come around all the time.

"But what I really want to do is help the team. If we win the rest of our games and the Rose Bowl but I don't win any awards, I will be okay."

It's being the total package, according to Tomey, that has led Hicks to success in the Pac-10.

"He is the epitome of what it takes to be a great running back," Tomey said. "Its like a baseball player you can hit, throw, and hit for power. He has all three."

Although his comrade, quarterback Cade McNown, has said that a repeat of the Bruin's 66 points is likely to happen anytime they go out, Hicks knows Arizona's defense might have something to say about the subject.

"I'm not going to say that we will score 66 against Arizona," Hicks said. "But, I have enough confidence in our team that will have that ability."