Neuheisel under the gun
The Gold Sheet
There's a little discussed but much-valued skill that only a handful of head coaches have ever been able to master. It's called reducing expectations, and nowhere has the bar been lowered more deftly than at UCLA, where 3rd-year HC Rick Neuheisel has been able to convince a portion of Bruin football backers that he has the program on the right track despite winning only 6 of 18 Pac-10 contests (two of those victories vs. woeful Washington State) over the past two years. Some of the more wide-eyed UCLA honks even saw reason to celebrate last December's EagleBank Bowl win over a low-profile Temple squad that was minus its main offensive threat (RB Bernard Pierce) for much of the game.
But discriminating Bruin backers have yet to see anything different from predecessor Karl Dorrell's failed regime, and they are running out of patience with Neuheisel's teams that have lacked dynamism (and playmakers) on offense and have done little to recall past glories of UCLA football (including some of Terry Donahue's Rose Bowl years in the '80s when Neuheisel played QB) that a new generation of local fans, weaned on the recent successes across town at USC, might never know existed.
Still, Neuheisel earned high marks from even his staunchest critics when managing to hold on to sage o.c. Norm Chow during the offseason when it looked for a short while as if Chow might be headed across town to Lane Kiffin's new staff at USC. Chow, if you recall, was an instrumental part of Pete Carroll's initial regime that rebuilt Troy into a national power early in the last decade. And the thought of Chow potentially resurrecting that SC offensive monster had Bruin fans rightly shaking in their boots for a few days last January. It all proved to be nothing more than a rumor (Chow would never be likely to work under the backstabbing Kiffin, who succeeded Norm as Trojan o.c. and who reportedly greased Chow's skid out of SC) but did result in an enhanced contract for the veteran o.c., who admittedly has had problems finding the right combo in Westwood the past couple of seasons.
Public relations acumen or not, the time has come for Neuheisel (just 11-14 SU since '08) to deliver something on the field, and to that end all eyes will be on Chow's "O" emerging from its recent doldrums. Chow, no dummy, has decided to change his recipe this fall, with the installation of a Nevada-style "Pistol" (which the Bruins call a "Revolver") the main development of an eventful spring. Ostensibly, it's hoped that the "Revolver" can open more lanes for a UCLA ground game that has been mostly AWOL, ranking 117th and 97th, respectively, the past two seasons. The mobility of RS soph QB Kevin Prince is key to the new look, which will also incorporate some of the sleight-of-hand Oregon has used with its QBs the past few years. But unless Chow can uncover something of an infantry diversion with Prince and holdover RBs Johnathan Franklin (a glider with fumble issues) and Derrick Coleman (a smasher), or perhaps touted frosh Malcolm Jones and Jordan James, the Revolver could be shooting blanks in the fall. Meanwhile, a couple of transfers, 6-7 TE Joseph Fauria (via Notre Dame, and Prince's HS teammate) and jr. WR Josh Smith (via Colorado; should be ready for fall after spring knee woes), and maybe soph speedball Randall Carroll, could emerge as viable receiving targets to complement lanky jr. WRs Nelson Rosario and Taylor Embree, who combined for 87 catches LY. It would also help if the OL, which returns 4 starters but was subject to position juggling in spring, develops more continuity. At least Groza Award-winning PK Kai Forbath (28 of 31 FGs LY) is still around to salvage something if the "O" continues to stall in the red zone.
With six starters departed from LY's snippy stop unit, d.c. Chuck Bullough will be looking for a few new impact performers, especially along a DL that was strafed by graduation (NFL draftee DT Brian Price among the departed). But plenty of playmakers remain on the platoon, including LB Akeem Ayers & S Rahim Moore (the nation's leading interceptor with 10 picks LY), and jr. DE Datone Jones hinted at a breakout campaign in spring.
Summary...The natives are getting restless in Westwood, and three years into his regime, it's time for Neuheisel to begin converting supposed recruiting successes into more wins. The defense should again be good enough to keep the Bruins within shouting distance of anyone, but don't expect a breakthrough season unless o.c. Chow finds some live ammunition for his new "Revolver" looks. With no soft touches (Kansas State, Houston and Texas) in the non-conference slate, UCLA will be hard-pressed to get beyond minor bowl status once more.