Weis sings Walker’s praises

Despite being roughed up in last week’s 30-20 loss to Oregon, UCLA (4-2) enters Saturday’s game at No. 10 Notre Dame (5-1) boasting one of the best defenses in the country. Irish coach Charlie Weis said much of the credit should go to the Bruins’ first-year defensive coordinator, DeWayne Walker, with whom Weis worked in 2000 when both were with the New England Patriots. “There’s a Washington influence there too,” Weis said, referring to Walker’s last two seasons with the Redskins. “He’s taken a little bit of what we did. But he’s definitely developed his own personality and his own identity as far as how they’re playing. . . . They have good speed and they run to the ball. . . . They’re pretty good on defense.”