The UCLA Bruins have more than a new coach this season. They have a new and unfamiliar role as an underdog with never-lower expectations.

Following its first losing season in 55 years, UCLA tabbed Ben Howland to lead a massive rebuilding project at Pauley Pavilion.

With an unproven backcourt and a thin bench, Howland might suffer from a talent shortage in his rookie season. But he has a knack for instilling defensive intensity and coaxing increased effort from his teams.

"We are going to play good defense or we're not going to win," Howland says. "The learning process, how we're going to play, is going to take time. But if you really want to win, you'll be committed and motivated to play good defense."

Should the Bruins make their way back to .500 and contend for a postseason berth, construction in Westwood will be right on schedule.

FRONTCOURT

When he won National Coach of the Year honors at Pittsburgh in 2002, Howland built a champion from the inside-out. So he put UCLA's wiry post players on rigorous weight programs that should bulk them up for this season, when they will carry most of the burden for success.

Forward Dijon Thompson, a budding star who can play a variety of positions, should benefit most from Howland's system. He will be counted on to take the majority of shots and lead the team in scoring. "He has a lot of skill offensively," Howland says. "His challenge will be getting bigger and stronger and becoming a more complete player on the defensive end, being a good rebounder and being able to score in a lot of different ways."

Like Thompson, power forward T.J. Cummings also has a smooth stroke, but he will need to get more physical inside and handle much of the Bruins' dirty work. Cummings, however, has some academic issues to deal with. He was declared ineligible for the first quarter and will miss at least three regular-season games.

In the past, that role fell to Andre Patterson, but he failed out of school in the spring. The Bruins will now look immediately to top freshman forward Trevor Ariza.

One of the only positive developments from last season was the emergence of 6-foot-11 center Ryan Hollins. Although Hollins must put on weight and learn how to play with his back to the basket, he is so athletic that he was a UCLA track star as a freshman.

Hollins should get help from backup center Michael Fey, a 7-footer who has the build to body up with almost anyone in the Pac-10.

BACKCOURT

It's no coincidence that the top two recruits Howland landed for next year's class are an elite point guard and shooting guard. UCLA has little confidence in the returning backcourt.

For the third year in a row, Cedric Bozeman will start at point guard, and for the third year in a row, he will try to avoid a serious injury. Entering his junior year, Bozeman has rebounded from shoulder surgery and must now develop more initiative on offense. "I expect Cedric to be a significant guy for us this season," Howland says.

While Bozeman has struggled from the perimeter in his first two years at UCLA, he hasn't gotten much help from the shooting guard spot.

Brian Morrison, an athletic transfer from North Carolina, could have a chance to start alongside Bozeman, but former Penn State Nittany Lion Jon Crispin might be the best long-range threat on the team.

Although backup point guard Ryan Walcott can lend some determined defense, the Bruins will likely count on Bozeman to do most of the ball-handling. Not only is Bozeman capable of slashing to the basket, but he can also feed active inside players. Since UCLA doesn't have much guard play, Howland might often put Bozeman on the floor with four forwards.

FINAL ANALYSIS

For UCLA to surprise the Pac-10 and finish in the top half of the conference standings, the Bruins must adopt a Howland hallmark and establish a new identity based on interior toughness.

UCLA has enough size to cause problems but will need to get more aggressive defensively and become more unselfish.

Howland's presence will certainly make a difference and improve the Bruins' record from last season. But for the first time in a long time, no one at UCLA can expect much more.

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