A Homecoming for Four Bruins

Rolling south on Interstate 5 en route to San Diego State on Friday, the UCLA bus passed through north San Diego County, bringing back pleasant memories for four Bruins.

Linebacker Brandon Chillar and guard Steve Vieira starred at Carlsbad High, graduating in 1999. Defensive end Rusty Williams is from Vista High, which won CIF San Diego Section titles in 1996, ’97 and ’98. Linebacker Tim Warfield played at both schools.

As the closest UC school to San Diego that fields a Division I football team, UCLA has recruited well in San Diego County. First-year San Diego State Coach Tom Craft, alarmed at the scarcity of freshman and sophomore talent in his program, wants that to change.

“We don’t have depth, we need strong recruiting classes the next couple of years to use as building blocks,” Craft said.

Chillar, in his second season as a Bruin starter, has advice for Craft: Sell the location.

“I really love San Diego,” Chillar said. “It’s the most beautiful place in the country.”

The Bruin junior considered attending San Diego State until UCLA and Notre Dame began recruiting him. He has flourished in a UCLA uniform, but ...

“If I knew then what I know now about L.A., it might have been a different story,” he said. “It might have been a more difficult choice.”

Williams and Warfield were recruited by San Diego State only until UCLA got into the picture. The Aztecs did not contact Vieira.

The four Bruins with San Diego ties all played high school championship games at Qualcomm Stadium. Their teams did not face one another, but Vista won and Carlsbad lost.

“I’m looking forward to going back and winning there,” Vieira said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since high school.”

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Cory Paus and Troy Aikman aren’t usually mentioned in the same breath. But their UCLA statistics are similar.

Paus, a senior, has completed 355 of 682 passes for 5,649 yards and 35 touchdowns.

Aikman, the Bruin quarterback in 1987 and ‘88, completed 406 of 627 for 5,298 yards and 41 touchdowns.

The injury-prone Paus has started 28 games.

Aikman, who went on to an illustrious career with the Dallas Cowboys, started 24 in two UCLA seasons, both of which ended in bowl victories and 10-2 records.