A Search That Doesn't Feel So Golden

by Nestor on Dec 20, 2007 5:40 AM PST in Football Comment 31 comments

While the coaching "search" has turned into a complete circus (with constant drum beats of Walker pimping) Dan Guerrero is trying to project his cool in public. From the OC Register:

Athletic Director Dan Guerrero would not confirm a meeting with any candidates, and offered little on the search for a replacement for fired coach Karl Dorrell at a Las Vegas Bowl welcome party.

"The process is moving forward and we hope to have a decision in the near future," he said.

No one knows right now who the next coach is going to be. But I think we can infer DG must really love those Philly cheese-steaks. That's the only explanation I can come up wrt to "candidacy" of Al Golden. Last week we heard the name of some Harbaugh dude from the Philadelphia Eagles, this week we get the name of some no-name college coach from the same town:

Golden, though, has risen quickly as a candidate since the search officially began after Karl Dorrell was fired on Dec. 3. A source said that Golden impressed Guerrero during the initial interview. He and Block were both at the University of Virginia. Golden was the Cavaliers' defensive coordinator from 2001 to 2005 and Block was a long-time professor at Virginia and the university's vice president and provost from 2001 to 2006.

Golden, a former tight end at Penn State, was an assistant at Boston College and Penn State before becoming the youngest defensive coordinator in NCAA Division I-A when Virginia hired him at the age of 32. The Cavaliers' defense went from being ranked 108th among Division I schools in 2001 to 18th in 2004.

At Temple, he took over a program that had not had a winning season since 1990 and had averaged two victories a season in that time. The Owls were dropped from the Big East Conference in 2004 and university officials were considering dropping football.

Golden rebuilt the program's infrastructure and produced a 4-8 record in 2007.

Uh, yeah whatever. Why should we care about how he built up an "infrastructure" in Temple, given the fact how we have been told how Dorrell had built a solid foundation at UCLA?

This candidacy is so absurd, I am not going to spend much time on it. But for someone to compare a Golden to names such as Leach or Mariucci is just comical. I wonder what is so unrealistic about expecting a UCLA administration who has indicated that it wants to make our school relevant in the BCS discussions, will do what it takes to pay up according to existing market to intensely pursue coaches like Leach, who have built nationally prominent program in a place like Lubbock, Texas. I wonder how can one compare a coach like Mariucci, who has already been at the highest level of NFL to some no name dude from Temple, whose resume higlights include moral victories over powerhouse programs such as Connecticut. Can't tell you how insulting it is to see these fans from other schools (a Texas fan no less, who were crying over beatings like Route-66 and had nothing going for him before Mack Brown from Carolina came into town) and try to lecture us on what we should expect or not expect from our ongoing (joke?) search for our next football coach.

Anyway, going back to this Golden dude, of course the reporters need to make sure he can pass the Walker test!:

What is not known is whether a Golden hire would upset the desire of athletic department officials to retain Walker, who, besides improving the Bruins' defense, has been the key to the recruiting resurgence the last two years. Golden has never recruited on the West Coast.

Yeah, I guess only DeWayne Walker knows how to recruit at UCLA. Only Walker has the key to UCLA's recruiting magic. Dohn as usual is on message:

Guerrero wants to keep Walker, a bright defensive coordinator and strong recruiter, on staff. Not only has Walker transformed the Bruins defense from one of the worst in the nation to one of the best in the Pacific-10 Conference, he has proved to be a stellar recruiter.

Walker already interviewed for the head coaching position, and could still meet with Block for a second interview, sources said, but Washington is the first of what could be many schools calling to lure Walker away. Several others schools have already put feelers out to gauge Walker's interest, according to sources.

Walker's first choice is to remain at UCLA, either as the head coach or the defensive coordinator, sources said, but he is not adverse to moving to another school.

I will let you pick that BS apart.

As for Neuheisel he is doing his part for his own PR. From the OC Register (linked above):

In a question-and-answer session with The News Tribune in Tacoma, Wash., Neuheisel addressed concerns about how, if he became the coach at UCLA, he would be received by the NCAA. The former Bruins quarterback and assistant coach won a $4.5 million settlement from Washington and the NCAA after he was fired for his participation in a neighborhood pool on the NCAA Tournament.

"I have worked hard in the last five or six years, knowing that I would one day want to have the opportunity, should it come, to rebuild those relationships," Neuheisel said.

''I am in good stead with the NCAA in terms of there are no pending issues or penalties. I have good relationships with people who are on the other side of the fence when the litigation was taking place.

"Time heals a lot of wounds. And, certainly, I have taken ownership in the thing that I did wrong. I want to hopefully put that in the past."

Well again I am not sure how I want to react to that. I am starting to feel pretty ambivalent about this whole process. Because right now my gut tells me we are being set up for a huge disappointment. My gut tells me we are being taken for a ride as we will strike out on all the names like Leach, Mendenhall, Petersen or Mariucci. And my gut tells me we will end up Norm Chow as the head coach and Walker as the DC, essentially ending up with two co-head coaches for next 3-5 years. And we will go through the same routine like we did for last five years: sit back and watch what the new regime does in first two years before realizing how we are watching a remake of the same movie all over again.

This is why when we launched this blog back in 2004, we threw out the name "Bruins Nation," because we felt (or at least I did) that being a addict of UCLA athletics meant being subjected to same writhing agony, pain, and frustration experienced by a certain baseball fan base from New England (yeah even as a Yankee fan I could relate to that agony as a UCLA football fan).

May be last twenty years of UCLA football has made me pessimist by nature (when it comes to CFB at least). And I am crossing my fingers that DG turns out to TY of college football and prove me dead wrong. But right now I am not seeing a happy ending to this "golden" process.

GO BRUINS.

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Golden

My reaction was who? At least it is DG's job to know about guys like this. That being said, if he brings in somebody like Golden there will be a s---storm headed his way. I don't think we have to worry about Chow, he's toast. I am beginning to think it might be Skippy. There is a sizable alum contingent who would get behind that hire. He will probably come at a reasonable price and they might be able to keep "the precious" DW on board. I would just love to see them interview one top tier guy to let me know they tried.

by BruinAl on Dec 20, 2007 5:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

But Philly cheese steaks taste goooooood...

Maybe you're right about DG and the cheese steaks, nothing wrong with that, though. I went to grad school at Penn and ate them nearly everyday.

On Golden or Harbaugh .... NO.

I'm okay with Slick Rick at the helm.

Easy money and faithless women, red-eye whiskey for the pain...

by rich87 on Dec 20, 2007 6:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't believe...

any of these people are real candidates for the job. It seems like the local media is now pulling names out of their ass in order to make the job appear less wanted. This way they can say Dynomite is the best man for the job because its not a great job or that RN is the best but we need to keep Dynomite. I really believe DG has been talking to some of the big names that have been discussed here are won't name them because they still have bowl games to play.

by king James on Dec 20, 2007 6:46 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

This is at least logical

It is beyond unfathomable that the exciting, dark horse candidate is a guy who has gone 5-19. I know Temple was very bad, probably the worst program in D-1 football, and I appreciate that it must take a good coach to get them to 4 wins, but to think that UCLA (UCLA!?!) would possibly view a coach with 2 years head coaching experience whose biggest accomplishment was a 4-8 season as a golden goose for our football program defies all logic. He may be a great coach and for all I care, he could turn out to be the next Bear Bryant, but I still don't want him. Hiring him now is too big a bet for a program as big as ours.

Fortunately for us, that this "report" came from Doh! gives rise to a presumption that the story is unreliable and false.

by BruinsRule on Dec 20, 2007 10:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What do Mooch and Al Golden have in commom?

Neither has ever had a winning season as a HC in college. In fact, Golden has twice as much experience. I'm not obviously sold on Golden, but asking for SM in his place? I don't buy that either. SM did much better at the NFL level, but as we have seen, rarely does that have much significance in or translate well into college. It's pathetic that it has come down to our having to debatte the merits of one mediocre college coach with another.

by DallasBruin on Dec 20, 2007 6:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Remember the situation is fluid

Look at the good points! Block and Virgina had huge success thats why he is at UCLA. It is great to see Block and UCLA thinking outside the BOX. Golden is not burdened by any past or any old style. He has accomplished he feats on his own, something KD had never done, before he was hired at UCLA.
Look I know he not on the first tier list, but all of you have change your list AT WILL, come on you were all calling for Spurrier a month ago, and that made everyone that lived in SEC country laugh. Now the list is Moouch, Leech, Peterson and Mendenhall. Ok, I will buy Leech he is winning and would bring exciting football to UCLA, but why Moouch? because he looks the part? He was 6-6 at Cal and he was so-so at best in the NFL where he ran the WCO? So other than the fact that he looks the part and was in the NFL I just don't get why you want him. Go after Shottenhiemer if you want an NFL pedigree, you can win every game and lose in the BCS every year. . Peterson does not want to be here so that ends that discussion, and Mendenhall I know little about, but I am not sure he is any better than Rick whom is a good coach that got a bad rep because of the situation he came into more than anything else. When Rick Neuheisel took over the Buffs, I lived in Denver and was excited because a young bruin was taking over the local team. He was replacing a legend in McCartney who had gone over the edge with religion and who's daughter had the reputation for being the welcome committee for all incoming recruiting classes, and if I am not mistaken the babies to prove it. When Rick took over he won alot BUT the fans hated him for not being Bill, he was not this wacked out Right wing Jesus Freek, that only ran the ball, thanked God and gave all credit to the Lord. Then he took the team to a water park and that made the Alumni crazy because coaches and players did not play together in the days of McCartney! Then he lost to Nebraska, so even with 10-2 seasons back to back, I would venture a guess that the leaks about the violations came from within the Boosters and Friends of the Buffs in an effort to see the Boy Wonder go away.

Very long story short, if we get stuck with Slick Rick I bet he has learned from his past two experiences where he was stabbed in the back. I think is more than a capable coach who will flourish in his "dream job".

If we go with Golden I also be very excited, Being a Raiders fan I have been thru many, many coaching searches and ALL the good ones have ended with BOY WONDERS!

by Bear on Dec 20, 2007 7:11 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I just notice that the search looks

a little bit lazy because they gave second interviews to the people they are already well-connected to and know very well. What's the point of doing second interviews if you already know the guy? For example, Golden is already connected to Chancellor Block. I bet Walker already got his second, if not third, interview.

by uclachem87 on Dec 20, 2007 7:20 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Walker's next interview

Is this weekend, in the form of the bowl game. I think (hope/pray)that he will be badly exposed. If you think that it was bad enough when Dorrell punted on the opponent's 39 in a 4th and 1 situation, wait until we see what happens in our BYU rematch.

by DallasBruin on Dec 20, 2007 7:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Waiting to Interview Coaches in Bowl Games?

Leach, Mendenhall and Jones have bowl games to play. They are men with integrity and won't interfere with their preparation.

Maybe, that's why they haven't been interviewed.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 20, 2007 7:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Neuheisel and Prothro

They probably have little in common with respect to football coaching abilities; maybe Neuheisel will learn, grow, etc. Prothro was an absolute master tactition, genius, our football "wizard of Westwood" -- second greatest to Red Sanders.

But, they do have this in common: Prothro had money from investments (he was a whiz at the stock market) and little need for his UCLA salary. Neuheisel has the proceeds from his $4.5 million settlement from UW. Maybe this will color the choice: he can accept what UCLA offers which is definitely under market. The downside is, once he is rehabilitated as a coach -- and if the proceeds dissipate -- he might just opt for the pros and a fatter contract a la Vermeil.

..but then, that's a crap shoot I am willing to live with so long as his tenure here chases Walker and any remaining Donahue toadies away."

by whp68 on Dec 20, 2007 7:32 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Good Take

Makes sense to me.

I still think this is RN's dream job and I'd be surprised to see him leave if he finds success and acceptance here.

My first choice? Leach.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 20, 2007 7:37 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'll 2nd that

Living in Texas, I see more of Leach than I probably care to- he really has done an incredible job at Tech. If any of you have not been to Lubbock, trust me when I say the fact that he can get anyone to play there is a miracle in and of itself. I think that he would do quite well in So Cal.

by DallasBruin on Dec 20, 2007 7:42 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

PLUS

Texas recruiting connections would be huge, one more reason we would not need DUH-WHINE. There once was a day when UCLA had a great Texas pipeline of kids.

by Bear on Dec 20, 2007 8:40 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually..

I am an ABW man myself, Steve. So long as the "A" is RN, Leach, Mendenhall, Jones, Petersen, the last in that list being my first choice.

But I kinda feel like this is Neuheisel's chance in the sun and that he will make the most of it and remain. I like the idea that he's got a hard-on for Donahue (or vice versa) and will give the TD devotees short shrift during his tenure.

by whp68 on Dec 20, 2007 8:39 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

you missed the headline nestor

should be:

"Search feels like a Golden shower"

"when you've seen how big the world is, how can you make due with this?"

by silverlakebruin on Dec 20, 2007 8:03 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

The coaching search tainted from the get-go

No respectable HC would accept the retention of DW as a condition to be hired, for that would imply that the HC has no power to fire DW if the two don't see eye to eye. And the players -- some would see DW as the one really in charge, not the HC.

The ones who would accept this condition are the desperates like Chow and Neuheisel.

What a farcical way to conduct a coaching search, and leave it to UCLA to come up with this circus.

by bluegold on Dec 20, 2007 8:09 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

im just worried

that if rick is our man we're gonna end up with some array of ncaa violations within a couple years. i know, i know, all the excuses of why the problems weren't his fault. bottom line is, these guys tend to continue making the same mistakes. then of course we'll need a coach to fix the program and we'll end up right back where we started....with KARL DORRELL!!!

by jjreicher on Dec 20, 2007 8:14 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

you mean when

KD had to come in and clean out all the NFL talent from our program? He did a great job! These guys don't have enough athletic ability to get into trouble.

by Bear on Dec 20, 2007 8:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wierd Coaching Names

I'll admit that some of the names that are popping up as potential coaching candidates are a little weird and out-of-left-field. However, I disagree that the media is making up names, etc.

Remember, DG hired a consulting firms to ferret out potential head coaching candidates. Did anyone every consider the possibility that the consulting firm is actually doing its job and finding names accross the country that could be great coaches? My guess is that the coaching firm is the one that uncovered names like Golden, etc.

And I have no problem with DG evaluating the names the consulting firm uncovers. I am certainly not going to get mad about it.

We all want a big name with head-coaching experience. And we all fear an experiment. I am no exception. But those are our issues. In contrast, DG's only issue/task/responsibility is bringing in a coach who will win games. That is it, end of story. So if he finds a backwater guy who he thinks is the best fit, he's going to hire that person--and live or die with his choice. Sure, there will be a segment of BN who will shred any coach without the correct experience (and I won't blame them). But that should be (better be) irrelevant to DG, because DG will be the best informed person on the date he makes the hiring decision, and if he has any balls at all, he will hire the guy he thinks is the best.

Regardless of who DG hires, the hire will be (should be) judged on wins and losses. So even if he hires Leach-DG fails if Leach fails. Period. With those stakes, DG can't afford to just deliver what the fans want. He has to take his superior information and access, and hire the best guy, even if its not the most popular guy.

So yea, I trust DG.

by rfirpo on Dec 20, 2007 8:31 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

You're Absolutely Right

Guerrero knows his job is on the line, and he will hire the guy who he thinks is most likely to make use a top 15 team with Pac-10 and national title aspirations each year. You know, to do those things that he said in his presser that he feels UCLA can do, despite its challenges.

The one caveat to your point is this: If DG hires Mariucci (for example), and Mariucci fails, he has a much better chance of retaining his job than if he hires Golden, for example, and Golden fails. In the former case, he would say, I, like a ton of other people, thought that bringing in an NFL guy who molded Brett Favre, among others, would be a smashing success at UCLA, and we paid him gazillions to make it work, but it didn't. If he hires Golden and fails, he looks like he's clueless, hiring underqualified guys because he doesn't care about football.

Do you think DG wants to put his neck out for a guy like Golden? Put his entire career on the line for Mr. 5-19? I don't. DG may not be averse to risk, but hiring Golden would be like having all his money on the table and hitting on a 20 in blackjack. It's this logic that makes the Doh! reports are asinine.

by BruinsRule on Dec 20, 2007 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Urban Meyer

I personally would be disappointed if Golden were hired. However I think this candidacy is meant to counter those Bruin fans who complain about Urban Meyer not being hired five years ago. In hindsight that would have been a great hire, but if such a hire were actually made at the time there would have been tremendous grumbling about hiring an unproven, no name coach.

by UCLAW on Dec 20, 2007 8:41 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Let's take this interview as a GOOD sign...

Before reading about Golden's interview with Chancellor Block, we all assumed the only people to have even gotten a first interview were RN, Chow, Walker, and Harbaugh. Clearly there was at least one more 1st interview done (Golden), and what's to say there weren't others that didn't get leaked to the press.

And to play further Devil's advocate, maybe the names coming out in the press are a deliberate decoy to throw the beat writers and others off the scent of the real candidate whose team might be preparing for a bowl game and needs the utmost secrecy in his talks with UCLA. Just sayin'...

by MoreCowbell on Dec 20, 2007 8:57 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

You'll never get rid of conflict

In this coaching controversy
There's just one thing to do
Relax, breathe deep, and just chill out
Grab yourself a brew.

But that brings up the problem of
What we'll be drinking here
Morgan Center, of course, would favor
A watered-down lite beer.

Some will argue for eastern beer
Or ale with loud oration
To settle it all, I'll start a blog
And call it "Brewin Nation".

[if there actually is a Brewin Nation
already on the web - sorry]

by Offside on Dec 20, 2007 9:03 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Not to pick nits but...

Shouldn't Dohn's post say "averse" not "adverse"?

Kyle Bown Class of 2007

by Bruinbown on Dec 20, 2007 9:08 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

"Sources" say that Dohn's

writing skills and reporting skills are about the same level.

by bluegold on Dec 20, 2007 9:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

DW/Olson

Sorry to throw some bath water in here but today's LAT's article by Chris Foster was disturbing.

Below, he talks about Olson's bad knee and how he's tweaked it a few times this week. Walker is pulling the same crap KD pulled. Throwing the quarterback into the game, even though he's badly injured. Prepare him mentally when he's badly injured? I'm stunned at such callous ignorance. I just keep picturing the look on Pat Cowan's face during the last game. His gaze was that of a stunned man who was hit in the head too many times. That coupled with his bad knee made for a very scary game. This is not leadership, folks. This is another bumbling clueless coach. DG - take heed, he's not head coach material...if your eyes weren't open before, please open them now! We deserve better. As a UCLA Chancellor's Associate Gold, I want better. As an alum, I ask you to make us proud - do the right thing...make a good choice. Show us what you're made of. If you do, you'll find a very supportive alumni.

A snip of the article is below.

Olson watched practice Wednesday, unable to do team drills because of soreness in his left knee. He was injured against Notre Dame on Oct. 6, and has played less than three quarters since, and then "tweaked" the knee Monday, according to Walker, the interim coach.

"I think he may have tweaked it twice since," Walker said. "We'll just have to wait and see. You like him to feel confident. If he's not confident then that's the problem. Hopefully do something to build his confidence to play."

Walker said that a final decision would be made after Friday's practice, but confidence didn't seem high.

"I'm going to try to see if I can pull a rabbit out of the hat in the next couple days to see if I can get him mentally ready," Walker said. "We need him. Hopefully we can get it done."

Alumnus/Parent '08/ Chancellor's Associate

by BruinMum on Dec 20, 2007 9:51 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Good Observation, Ma'am

Perhaps what Walker sews will sprout on Saturday resulting in a loss and, sadly, a severely injured athlete.

That aside (and that is considerable), the quotations attributed to him are incredibly callous not to mention aggravatingly imprecise. What the heck does "tweaked" mean? Does he mean injured? Treated by the team physician? Had injections? I know we're supposed to suck it up and all that, but putting a young man in harm's way for a no-consequence bowl game is not terribly smart personnel management nor the behavior of a coach with a large view of things.

by whp68 on Dec 20, 2007 10:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So it's the same old stuff

I was forced to play a game of golf this morning but it looks like I didn't miss anything. The only source who means anything is DG, and he has said nothing. So all we get is Doh! and his cronies furthering whatever agenda they have.

by Fox 71 on Dec 20, 2007 10:49 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

No Chowker!

ESPN just reported that Chow has withdrawn his name from consideration for the UCLA vacancy- I just heard it in the car on the way back from lunch. Had I heard that before lunch, there may have been beers involved. So that scenario appears to be put to bed!

by DallasBruin on Dec 20, 2007 11:00 AM PST reply actions 0 recs