UCLA Hires Neuheisel

Well we got our 6th choice for head coach.  Our 1st rate search committee ended up with Neuheisel.  I guess we can kiss Dwayne Walker goodbye.  Hope Rick has some good ideas to replace him.

If DG really believes he has learned from his mistakes, that is good enough for me.  He clearly has the ability, he just has to keep his nose clean. He's not stupid, and knows he's being watched, so I am sure he will run a clean program.

Welcome Home, Rick!

GO BRUINS!

According to his life-partner Brian Dohn.

I am going to donate to UCLA right now.  I am actually very excited about the future of UCLA Football!

I think Harbaugh (sp?) may replace DWW...at least I hope so.  I liked DWW, but I don't like his supporters and their behavior on the internet message boards.  But if Skippy decides to keep DWW, I will support that decision.

Note how the official statement from DG mentions that RN's prior violations were 5 years, or in some instances, 10 years ago.

The ESPN in-studio B-team also mentioned the 5 and 10 year line.  Even Rece Davis, who started the segment on RN's baggage, closed it by saying RN is an aggressive recruiter.

Also, the in-studio panel mentioned that $C ahd reached a saturation point with too much depth ('6 or 7 guys ahead of you') so why not go to UCLA with the exciting new hire with the NFL connections.

I'll admit, RN was NOT my first choice... but he may end up being the BEST choice.

Let's roll with the Neu, Nation!

ROLL WITH THE NEU.

M

People don't change, but they can learn.  Here's hoping Coach Ricky  can avoid the wrath of the NCAA gods.

I still don't understand why so many coaches consider UCLA as a not-great place to coach.   Are we, the alumni, really that bad?  Too much pressure to beat a very good SC program?  Not enough money?  Too rigorous academic standards (boy, the stories I heard from football tutors when I was in school!)

Well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  Maybe, just this once, this is a great hire.

Go Bruins!

I'm excited for UCLA football.  Based upon what I've read here -- it looks like DG did do what he said he would do - found a head coach who can return UCLA to the national discussion and has head coaching experience.  I'm also glad that Rick views UCLA as his dream job -- we are in for a fun ride this next few years.

Is that he won't be bolting any time soon for greener pastures.  This is truly his dream job, and that's great news.

I'm cautiously optimistic about this hire.  Clearly he was the best choice out of those who were officially in the running, so I'm glad Guerrero made the right choice.

Now we get to see what else happens.

By the way, if Walker does leave for UDub, he needs to be introduced to a career coach or something, because that would be about as dumb a move as humanly possible.  If any of you follow UGA football (not that many of you do, I'm sure), that type of move immediately reminds me of the career hari-kari that Brian Van Gorder committed.

Great, great, great dialogue on this site.
Really.

Nobody comes to UCLA with more excitement, enthusiasm, and DETERMINATION TO DO GREAT
than Rick Neuheisel.  Nobody.

Give the man room.
Give the man time.
I'm positive we'll see MARKED improvement at once.

Damn, I'm gonna haveta buy season tickets to support this dude, AND the Bruins!  Get ready, get ready, get ready!  

Rick is a soft coach. He only lies--when he opens his mouth. He's like the beautiful girl that you know is going to break your heart, but you go out with her anyway. Have fun while it lasts.

He sure did a great job as OC of the Ravens.

Allow Rick to interview, and hire who he wants,
on HIS terms.

Rick meets all of the Guerrero criteria.  He has head coaching experience, NFL experience both as a player and a coach and, of course, is familiar with UCLA and the west coast. He was a very successful college head coach at the highest level, a winner of the Rose Bowl game and contender for the national championship.  The other folks who were named as possible contenders for the job really don't meet these criteria to the same extent as Rick.

Rick is also very charismatic.  I used to always enjoy his performances at the Westwood Bruin Touchdown Club and was upset when Donahue didn't promote him to be the offensive coordinator when Homer Smith left.  He should be able to go toe-to-toe with Cheatey Petey in the enthusiasm department.  

I share the concern of others that Rick's teams seemed to neglect the running game and defense the longer he stayed as coach.  I hope that he will hire a good defensive coordinator so that UCLA will be as effective on the defensive side of the ball as they should be on offense with Rick calling the shots.  Presumably Rick has learned a lot during his coaching stints and will do an even better job at UCLA than he did at Colorado and UW.  He is a smart guy, a Figueroa Tech law school graduate I believe (we shouldn't hold that against him!).    

As for the ethical issues, I also hope that Rick has learned his lessons in that department.  Let's face it, none of the ethical lapses involving recruiting, lying about interviewing for other jobs and playing an NCAA basketball pool really rise to a very significant level.  If they did, UW wouldn't have paid him $4 million in settling the wrongful termination lawsuit.

I, for one, am really looking forward to seeing what Rick can do at UCLA.  It gives me hope that there will be more to enjoy at UCLA football games than pre-game tailgates.  We should also be patient with Rick, because Dorrell has put us in a bad spot in terms of talent level.  It will probably take Rick a few years to put a good team together.  I believe he will get the job done and welcome him back with open arms!      

RN over DW is great news!

So how good is the compliance department?  

Maybe I am biased because I live and work in Vegs, but the NCAA are a bunch of sanctamonious jerks and they will undoubtedly try to take down RN for the "crime" of making them look like a bunch of sanctamoneous jerks.  I hope we have are ducks in a row because a lot of BS is going to be thrown our way.  

...of doing some work this morning, expecting that nothing of substance would be announced until after Tuesday...

Needless to say, I'M JACKED!  And relieved.  I've always felt that RN was the logical choice, though I have to say that several of you had me happily prepared for a Mike Leach or June Jones announcement.

My fervent wish now is that RN can effectively and SUCCESSFULLY lead this program for 20 years.  Finally having a legacy coach, a la Paterno, Bowden, Osborne or Bryant, would ice my cake.

Perhaps my wish that the Bruins win a football NC before I die can come true.

Happy New Year Bruin Nation!

AND LAUGH.  A massive thanks to Dan Guerrero for keeping his word and hiring a successful experienced head coach. Not my first choice but he fits the bill.  We can now shut down the site in the next week or so.  2 long years ... but Im effing happy to say Mission Accomplished!!!!! Go Bruins!!!

I would have charged only about $500 to "find" RN for UCLA.

What did UCLA paid that firm?

Anyway, welcome back to Bruin Nation, Rick.  We'll be all rooting for you, a REAL COACH for a change.

I know RN is up to the task.  I know he is passionate about pushing UCLA Football to the levels it should be.  

He's also far and away the best coach for this job (history, experience and desire to actually take it)

For the first time in a LONG time, I'm excited about UCLA football.  (But I wish DG wouldn't have undercut RN with the sanctions talk in the press release...  Hopefully RN will help improve the amateur hour that is the Morgan center, too!)

LET'S GO BRUINS!

...of a new era.   As I said a few comment threads ago, this is, in my opinion, exactly the right hire.   RN is an alum, an experienced winner, he NEEDS this, and he will treat recruiting and running this team like a calllng.    I absolutely believe he's going to pull this off.   Next year will probably suck, and we all need to show patience - as has been noted extensively, we're losing a lot of seniors and, oh my, DW might take some recruits with him if he goes, whatever - with the right staff in place I have no doubt we'll gradually but steadily reload, and next year, even with a less experienced roster of players, we'll be seeing a better prepared, better game-planned team on the field.   I'm actually looking forward to going to the Rose Bowl again in September.

As for Walker.... I'm one of those who thinks the guy did a fine job with out defense, and turned the lights back on.  I really enjoyed watching his defense play.  That said, once you guys alerted me to the "we want walker" board, and I read some of those posts... man, I just don't know how RN manages this very fragile dynamic... here's what I mean:

I've been the guy who got the head job, and had to manage the guy under me who wanted it and didn't get it.  Like RN, my management wanted me to make him feel good about things, and encourage him to be part of the system.  Again, maybe it was just my experience, but I'm telling you, you can be as big a guy as you want to be about it, but it's a close to impossible situation. The guy in the number one position HAS to establish his authority, and unless the guy in the number two position is a Saint, he can't help but resent it, and even resist it, if only subconsciously.  It's a common dynamic in the business world, and not that different here.   I wish RN luck, but in truth, long term it's not his problem - in fact, it is up to DW to make it work.  This is RN's team now - no matter how much he's been tasked to keep DW, if DW becomes a problem, RN will be empowered to cut him off at the knees.  I did it.  And he will do it.  And it'll be over.

Based on the things I've read - and who knows how much of it is Walker, and how much is those shilling for him - If I were Walker, I'd start returning RN's calls right about now...  If DW's been reading his own press (especially that tool Dohn) the past few weeks, he might be thinking he's got more juice than he actually does, and he might be thinking he can make RN have to 'work' for him a little. I'm here to tell you, that'll last through ONE spring practice.  RN might put a good face on it, and play the good soldier, but he'll be taking it all in.  And once the smoke clears, and the press subsides, and RN's new team gets down to the business of building the team, RN will let him know EXACTLY who's running the team, and the clock will be ticking on Walker's departure.  

As the saying goes "I've seen this movie... and I know how it ends".

For the record, I hope NONE of my experience is repeated here, and that DW is smart and makes it work - it'll benefit him in the long run.  He has a much better chance of landing the HC job he covets if he handles this transition with class.  I wish him well.

And that negativity aside...

Welcome home Rick, make it YOUR team, CONGRATULATIONS.

I'm sure Rick will hear from Walker just as soon as Walker is done talking to Steve Lavin about how to get your bosses job. If I was Rick I would bring in someone else for my DC.

I have been on and off of BN all day today just checking to see if DG finally made a decision on the next head coach. I'll admit, Neuheisel wasn't my first choice but the more that I think about it I now strongly believe that he is the BEST choice for this football program.

I am not concerned at all with Neuheisel's past run-ins with the NCAA. I can gaurantee that Ricky boy will not even bother to get involved with the same trouble he got into earlier in his career. The NCAA has a constant eye on him and he knows it. He will not make the same mistake again, any human being with a conscience won't make that kind of a mistake twice.

I think that this is the start of Neuheisel's comeback tour. He's been longing to be a college coach ever since he went to the NFL. Let Neuheisel's redeeming campaign and the silence of UCLA's critics begin!

Welcome Coach Neuheisel!

It's hard not to get excited about that. I feel so much relief and believe Rick will bring excitement back to the program. He will implement a dynamic offense and continue the recent solid record of recruiting. Questions remain, but UCLA football just got a boost. It's a good day to be a bruin. Anxiously awaiting to hear who offensive coordinator is. Go Bruins!!!!!!!!!!!

I am getting pumped with the positive changes that are happening in our football staff! I can't wait to see who Ricky Boy will appoint as his assistant coordinators. He's got some connections with the NFL, let's see if he can pull some strings and bring in some stud assistant coaches!

Coach Neuheisel needs our support, lets make sure that he gets it!

The Trojies are so pissed off they can't even think about Bushgate or Cheatey Petey leaving for San Diego, or the white supremacist website or their "big time" basketball program

I love it!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22432718/

If you dawgs hate the guy so much, why are you coming to our boards talking all this crap- if he was so bad you should be happy like your mini skirt wearing horse riding buddies from south central

Hey blogs are all about different opinions. No reason to get nasty. It's just football. Nothing important. UCLA is a great institution. Best of luck. I'm out.

Why Washington fan is so concerned about the Bruins.

can keep complaining. Their just mad that they don't have RN now that he has straightened out his past problems and has the potential of being an outstanding college head coach.

I'm still just a tad bit nervous about this hire I mean the guy is a proven college head coach so at least DG stuck to his word and hired someone who can win at the college level is there any kind of claus in his contract that states if UCLA football gets is found guilty of any type of NCAA Infraction he is gone?

It's time to start thinking about assistants especially the offensive side of the ball I want a telented bright OC not someone who runs this west coast bs someone who is innovative

In the time between Dorrell's firing and Neuheisel's hiring, DG took unjustified criticism in the local press, most notably The Times' Plaschke and Simers, for the length of time he took to make a decision.  In fact, Guerrero couldn't make a decision until he had interviewed Walker, and that couldn't occur until after the Las Vegas Bowl was played and the parties returned to LA. Once Walker was interviewed, DG acted quickly to hire Neuheisel, the natural choice for the job.  Rick, you have five quarterback prospects awaiting you in the coming weeks.  Have fun. We look forward to spring practice.