Message for Rick Neuheisel: Shed Your Conservatism, Time To Go All Out
by Nestor on Sep 13, 2011 12:41 PM PDT
in Football
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The anger and frustration is palpable all over the Bruin Nation. You don't have to read much to get a sense of anxiety that is flowing all over UCLA communities. You can discern that in few mins by going through the posts and comment threads here, our Facebook page, BRO, BruinGold, Bruinzone ... everywhere.
I would say it is not just Coach Rick Neuheisel, but the entire UCLA Administration starting from Chancellor Gene Block to all the officials in the UCLA Athletic Department should be on notice. Bruins have a big national game coming up against the Texas Longhorns this week. This game represents a tremendous opportunity for the Bruins to undo the negative vibes and bounce back in various categories laid out in our "eye test." However, we are not going to make the mistake about losing sight of the big picture even if the Bruins pull out a massive win against the Longhorns Saturday.
UCLA football needs to get off to a solid start in the Pac-12. This means getting victories against Oregon State and Washington State, and also putting itself in position to compete with the Stanford Cardinal. This means our defense should be prepared for every game. It means our offense and special teams should be focused on every play. It means our players should be ready to execute and be prepared to play for 60 G-D minutes in every game (and not promised to do it during their weekly interview on YouTube).
To date the Bruins results in those categories are not great. Terrible actually. But there is still some time to get this ship back on the right course. How can Coach Neuheisel do that? Well some big picture thoughts for him after the jump.
If Neuheisel wants to win back Bruin fans on his corner (they have mostly deserted him), he needs to show clear signal of wanting to fight and go all out in every play. He needs to shed the conservative mindset that hobbled his program towards the end of the season. He needs to show he believes in all parts of his team and put his players in position to succeed.
This means calling games that are not predictable. This means putting together a defensive product that is "firing out" (a phrase used by Dan Guerrero himself when he canned Bob Toledo) in every play. This means having a UCLA team that is constantly attacking, attacking, attacking and attacking some more. We have not seen that ferocious mindset since the days of Cade McNown and Rocky Long, and we are dying for it.
He needs to find a way to get the most talented players in his roster on the field, get them coached up so that the results of last three years of excellent recruiting can be finally seen on the field. You know what this exactly means. It means not having to see someone like Taylor Embree struggle for 2 yards in punt return. It means not having to see Sean Westgate flail around haplessly like his feet is stuck in cement, while pursuing opposing QBs and TBs.
I have no doubt Westgate and Embree are great kids. They are not a clown like Nikola Dragovic, who embarrassed the four letters both on and off the field. We know they are working their rear end off during practices to earn their shots. But we also want to see talents - who were hyped by our coaches and their allies - develop and succeed on the field.
We don't want to be left wondering what would have happened to kids like Randall Carroll, Josh Smith, Jordan James, and Malcolm Jones if they were playing somewhere else besides UCLA.
So Rick if you are reading this message. Time to go all out and pull all the stops. Use every weapon at your disposal in going for the win. Let me repeat that - "going for the win." We are tired of the "playing not to lose" mindset shown against programs like San Jose State.
Oh and even if the Bruins do well in the "eye test" against Texas, that is not going to be end of story. It will not matter much if the Bruins show up against the Longhorns, only to disappear when taking on mediocre teams like Oregon State. Bruins needs to be coming out on fire every freaking game.
We want UCLA to succeed badly, which means we are rooting for Rick to win. But as Tracy Pierson from Bruin Report Online wrote, "time is running out," while Peter Yoon from ESPNLA brilliantly summed it up by saying, "Bruin fans deserve better."
Enough is enough Rick. Time to go for broke in every game from here on out ... starting against Texas on Saturday. Time to coach with a mindset so that our team is "firing" out on every play. This way even if a storybook ending of a prodigal son's glorious return doesn't work out, there will be no regrets. Go big in every game or go home.
GO BRUINS.
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On that note...
The players need to step up the energy and urgency also, everyone needs to improv,e no more excuses from either side. Not for just one game either, rest of the season.
ROAR!!
Dude, i seriously got fired up reading that. I’m so fired up in fact, I’m just going to drop this here.
“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t win once in a while; you don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
“There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that’s first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don’t ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowl game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.
“Every time a football player goes to play his trade he’s got to play from the ground up — from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.
“Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization — an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win — to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don’t think it is.
“It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That’s why they are there — to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules — but to win.
“And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat.
“I don’t say these things because I believe in the “brute” nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle — victorious."
- V. Lombardi
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Wow, Mexi
If our guys buy into this, we will win.
If they buy into Coach K’s (ours, not Duke’’s) mantra of “lining up and beating the man across from you,” then we’ll win.
If the coaches translate all the rushing around and frantic signaling into something as simple as knock guys down and run past them, then we win. If the coaches convince our guys to tackle rather than try for the ESPN headline big hit, then we win.
Or as one of our own puts it so well, if we play like barn cats instead of house cats.
If we play like we played against San Jose State, we will lose. If our new offensive coordinator (whose name I cannot recall – hmm, is that my fault or his fault?) continues they way we’ve been going, we will lose. If the person calling our offensive plays fails to show a little ingenuity and a little innovation, we will lose.
So who’s going to show up next Saturday?
I will be there.
And you will hear my Bruin Roar.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
make that 4
might be the only home game I’ll be able to make until my football season ends in mid-November, so I’ll be cheering as loud as I possibly can.
"The true athlete should have character, not be a character."- John Wooden
"Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation."- Michael Jordan
twitter:@GGolden87
Me and my boys are meeting up at the Ralps on Colorado around 9am.
We caravan over to the RB so that we can park side by side and get our tailgate on. Y’all welcome to join up!
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
I think my friend has us joining another group already
But I’d at least stop by and say hello before the game
formerly bruinhoo
Here's how you do it.....
You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way! And that’s how you get Capone. Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that? I’m offering you a deal. Do you want this deal?
From your fingers to Neuheisel's ears
I wish we could get Herm Edwards to give Neuheisel, Hey Neuheisel, “YOU PLAY….TO WIN THE GAME!” :)
Please Rick...
If they load the box, go LONG to the great rec we have. 6’8"? Even I could hit him! Why o why o WHY do you not do the obvious? Go long on the 1st play! it will open up the whole game.
No regrets.
That’s all I want.
You pushed the kids to the limits, played hard, tried everything, and no regrets.
+1, freesia
Just go.
You’ve got the talent, the training, the practice, the team. Take them out there and let them win.
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on Sep 14, 2011 10:10 AM PDT up reply actions
BALLS OUT
That’s how you play football. Play like a Bruin.
by AnteatersandBruins on Sep 13, 2011 1:50 PM PDT reply actions
New System?
In the first few games of a new system do we want our coaches going all out?
I wonder, a little bit, if this is how it works when learning a new system. keep it simple until they learn the basics, then add layers of complexity.
Also, i agree we need to put in our talent. Though it does make me think that some players will work better than others in these systems. I wonder how that shakes out.
Like Shaq stepping in over Embree. Certain linebackers who are seniors getting benched for younger, inexperienced talent…
Yes, we want our coaches to go all out from Day 1
New coaches are not an excuse. This has been discussed ad nausea over the off-season through series of posts.
Not me
I am amazed at how little practice these guys get. There are all these rules for how long practice can be and on what days.
I would rather have the team knowing its defensive zones and pass routes than going big. If we can’t beat teams by making routine plays then I don’t think we will win. We may get lucky here and there, but consistently winning, like 9, 10 wins, that, I think, requires perfection in the system.
by robotchampion on Sep 13, 2011 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions
There is a difference between not calling plays that have not been adequately practiced
and failing to go for it on Fourth and One when you are in your opponent’s territory. Or even in the Red Zone when you trail your biggest rival by only 7 points with the half winding down.
Go Big or Go Home, Rick.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Are the rules different now? (Real question, not rhetorical.)
It wasn’t that long ago that Coach Toledo would put up at least one gimmick each game. (I have a vivid recollection of some trOJie complaining that we only won because of our gimmick play, which on that day was what we football people call “run straight up the field as fast as you can and I’ll throw it as far as I can.”)
Do we literally have no time to put in the waggle play, which as I recall worked 100% of the time we did it with Cade at QB. Or a bit farther back, Homer Smith had trick plays which we were able to practice enough to win. Our trick plays now seem to be to run to the left instead of to the right.
But back to the question – is the practice time that much shorter than it was 5 or 10 years ago?
They have definitely changed
A lot. I only did a cursory search and found this, I’m sure there’s more out there:
by robotchampion on Sep 13, 2011 11:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Yes, We Do Want That
Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times, yes.
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on Sep 14, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions
Hustle, Passion and Skill
For several years now, I have been hearing about these top ten recruiting classes and hyper-competitive practices. When it gets to gameday, it appears neither is the reality. Very few “top” recruits have yet to play to their potential. I hope to finally see the product of what to appears to be half a decade of lies spit to the media
About this recruiting....
There seems to be a common belief that we’ve had great recruiting classes over the past 4 hrs. Yes, we had a top 15 class in ’09 and a top 10 class in ’10. But we were #45 in 2011 and 2012 (I realize that the # of scholarships were reduced in these yrs but the avg stars (as ranked by Rivals.com) results in similar rankings.
Recruiting is clearly an inexact science. But the teams w/ highly ranked classes seem to continue to be highly ranked based on their results on the field.
the ranking of the 2011 class means little to nothing to how the team should be playing this season
We should not be expecting much production out of the true freshmen, really. And the 2012 class ranking means absolutely nothing other than being a possible sign of how current high school players (and coaches) see Neuheisel and the stat of the program. Besides, recruiting for that class isn’t even close to finished. That it Important in the long-term, but pointless as to how talented the team is now.
Remember that we had a pretty good class in 2008 as well; that class, along with the ’09 and ’10 classes (and the redshirted holdovers from ’07) are the core of the team, and carry at least a strong pedigree of talent. That is where the frustration that Papakvys expressed (and many of us feel) is coming from.
formerly bruinhoo
UCLA Football recruiting rankings, per scout.com
2008: 11 players, #36 nationally, #5 Pac-10. Avg stars – 3.64: #9 nationally, #2 Pac-10
2008: 23 players, #10 nationally, #2 Pac-10. Avg stars – 3.65: #9 nationally, #2 Pac-10
2009: 27 players, #5 nationally, #1 Pac-10. Avg stars – 3.30: #16 nationally, #3 Pac-10
2010: 23 players, #8 nationally, #2 Pac-10. Avg stars – 3.65: #6 nationally, #2 Pac-10
formerly bruinhoo
Recruiting follow on
Thx for the addt’l data (wide range of results btwn recruiting Svcs).
So we’ve got talent and CRN has a 16-23 record with that talent. Pretty clear where the problem is.
it's possible that CRN hugely misevaluated talent
and was more geared towards recruiting stars as opposed to good fits.
Still, the onus would be on him
Boise State
take a look at their recruiting and you just might think coaching is part of the problem in Westwood…
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that counts" - John Wooden.
Open The Game With A Bomb To The Tight End!
As Quarterback, Rick opened a big game with a bomb to our tight end. At the time, it was rather out-the-box. It was a long gainer… but I can’t remember if it was a TD or not. I also want to say it was against then #1 Nebraska… but I did a quick check, and I cannot confirm. We want something special Saturday. I’m positive others here remember.
U-C-L-A Fight, Fight, Fight! Go Bruins!
Go Lakers! Go Dodgers! Go Angels!
My notes to our defensive coach
I was at the game. It seemed we were trying to protect a touchdown play but was willing to give up 5 to 10 yards every play. I don’t know why our defensive backs played so far back and our linebackers were always in the wrong places. Another obvious mistake was not to involve with our best weapon in our 6’8" tight end? Luckily the SJSU kept using the running plays which we were quite successful in stopping. Also, had they have better receivers, we would got beat very badly.
I really dislike the "bend-don't-break" mentality on defense
because it always seems to become a “bend-til-you-break” concept. I love the defenses that basically tell an OC that you may get some big plays, but your QB will be forced to make the right decision EVERY time because if he doesn’t, it’s either a sack or a turnover, a la Rocky Long.
"The true athlete should have character, not be a character."- John Wooden
"Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation."- Michael Jordan
twitter:@GGolden87
Is there any way you can email this post to CRN so we can be sure he reads it?
Great post man. I never really comment on here, but you spoke the truth and I just had to applaud you for it. I, like you and every other Bruin fan are just sick of it and we really do deserve better.
This site gets around
A lot of people read it. A lot of people. CRN will see it. Hear me now and believe me later.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
WHAT GUTS!
If you aren’t born with GUTS how do you get them? CRN should be GRN. “G” for gutless. We aren’t saying GRN is gutless from one game or from watching for just one year. There is example after example in each game. How can Rick turn over a new leaf? I don’t think he can. He seems witless and too scared to change. When I first started reading blogs I wondered who CRN was. Was it Rick N? Yes it was. The “C” was for coach. Well, after 3 plus years of watching his team if it isn’t changed to GRN I’ll stay with CRN, but the “C” isn’t for Coach, but for conservative. Conservative is defined as: one who adheres to traditional methods or views, a cautious or discreet person, marked by moderation or caution. Your type of conservatism doesn’t belong in Bruin football. It is not winning games. How much longer must we keep writing the same complaints CRN? What the bleep does it take for you to change how the Bruins are playing on offense and defense? I sure wish you could answer those two questions honestly and not with media/coach speak.
Rick... I Promise
If you gamble, play to win on every down, take chances, kick a$&…and frickin stop messing around and go for it… I promise, win or lose, to keep my mouth shut and not take shots at you. I seriously promise not to criticise you. Rick, 4th and 2 on their 38…!!! Geez, line your guys up and let ’em beat the guy in front of them.
by GemCityBruin on Sep 13, 2011 5:42 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
Pretty much says it all for every Bruin out there.
The best thing you can do for your children is to love their mother. John Wooden
Rick, I promise what Gem City said and a little more
If you play like your life is on the line,* not just your job, and do all the things that Gem City said, I not only won’t criticize you if things go sour, I’ll back you up 100% and shout from the rooftops (well, maybe not the rooftops – I’m too old to climb up on our roof) that you are the right man for the job no matter what.
- Red Sanders said, “The $c game is not a matter of life or death – it’s more important.”
Rick, I Promise The Same,
only, if you just do it…if you play to win, every play of the game, beginning to end no matter what the score, make these guys play their guts out—I won’t keep my mouth shut.
I’ll have your back and raise holy hell to support you at every opportunity.
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on Sep 14, 2011 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions
(P.S., Coach Said
“If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.”
“Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.”
He’s talking to you, Coach Rick, and he’s on your side.)
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on Sep 14, 2011 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
Gene Block
I really appreciate this sentiment Nestor. I 100% agree this problem goes beyond CRN. Our current predicament is an indictment on all levels of the UCLA administration. I will definitely be expressing these sentiments directly to Chancellor Gene Block, since I don’t think he frequents this community. I urge others to do the same.
The Chancellor of a University has other concerns than Athletics
I am not sure that a bunch of disgruntled fans expressing their sentiments will be
well received by Chancellor Block. Unlike Rick & Dan – he keeps his job if we
never win another Football game.
We can try to bully Guerrero with a letters and protest – and I think we should. His
administration has made so many foolish decisions in so many different areas that
it makes our football woes pale in comparison. Also, Guerrero’s job is directing
the athletic dept – the buck should stop with him. His feet are the right feet to be held
to the fire.
Nevertheless, if any UCLA fans really want to bring this up to the Chancellor of UCLA
(let that title sink in for a moment), I recommend using the amount of respect that is
deserved. UCLA’s athletics might be experiencing some chaos, but the school in
general is doing a remarkable job maintaining quality under these financial stresses.
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 13, 2011 9:17 PM PDT up reply actions
I agree in a way.
We should all give the Chancellor of the school all the respect that the Chancellor’s rank deserves. The current occupant of the Chancellor’s position, in my opinion, does not deserve a great deal of respect for reasons expressed here many times.
There is an old joke: What do you call a lawyer who gets too senile to practice law any more? Your Honor. It seems to me that can be applied to a career bureaucrat administrator in academia who goes senile. You call him Chancellor.
Or to put it another way, it doesn’t matter all that much to me what the person’s rank is. If he is worthy of respect and adminration, he or she will get it. How many politicians does the average person actually respect? I can think of one or two, but not too many.
That said, I can’t see Block giving a rat’s rear end about what any of us say about him. We can’t fire him, so h doesn’t even notice us.
Hear, Hear, Fox
Respect the school that the Chancellor is privileged enough to serve; respect all those who, in their service, do their very best, be they Chancellor or janitor; and question and make demands of those who do not, regardless of their “rank,” station or status.
Love My Bruins
by Bruingirl83 on Sep 14, 2011 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions
I love the sentiment and enthusiasm
I would quibble with calling for more Malcolm Jones or Jordan James if they aren’t needed: the running game is doing very well, 504 yds in 2 games. The HUGE caveat is, don’t be afraid to mix it up, even in the running game where our strength lays! Against SJSU JetSki was having some difficulty, yet CRN made it look like we didn’t have a viable alternative! But given the situation at WR, I have very little faith in CRN’s ability to judge talent at all.
In reality this lack of flexibility is killing us all around. Offense actually is pretty good (though I think that is more due to the talent on the team overcoming the coaching rather than benefitting from it) compared to last year. Defense isn’t so great, mainly because it takes a solid half to make any adjustments. It seems as though the game plan is one dimensional, there is no accounting for the chance that the game plan may need to be revised. The second half we have been a very good team, why does it take so long to adjust?!?!
Quit ignoring special teams. It is an offensive opportunity. Putting Smith in would signal a change of mindset.
Speaking of mindset, I get the impression that the players are beat down and not optimistic. This comes from above, specifically CRN. I have never seen a coach so sullen after a win then CRN after the SJSU game. He needs to look within himself and recommit to the team, he owes it to the fans, alumni and most of all to the players.
The problem is that Neu is old...
There is nothing Neu or Neu school about him.
He doesn’t believe in punt returners, he believes in punt catchers.
He doesn’t believe in play makers, he believes in play executetors.
Aside from his constant deferal to experience… his game management is circa 1950.
Regardless of game situation, punting from the 38 of 4th and 2 is inexcusable. It is like give 3 to 1 odds on a clip flip. It is mathematically retarded. Going for it on 4th and 2 should have been an absolute no-brainer because going for it on 4th and 10, from the same spot, is actually the sound mathematical call.
Neu is just conservative to the core… like his mentor (donahue) and his peer (dorrell).
by beanandcheeseburrito on Sep 13, 2011 7:13 PM PDT reply actions
The funny thing about probabilities is
They’re not called "absolutivities’
According to that chart presented to us by BlueBland http://www.bruinsnation.com/2011/9/7/2411345/when-to-go-for-it-on-4th-down
That punt should have increased the likelihood that SJSU state would get the next score.
But SJSU get the next score?
SJSU ran six plays and punted.
UCLA got it on their own 31. Nine plays later UCLA Scored.
Yeah, it was a conservative (wimpy) call. But they didn’t score so it didn’t
come back to bite us. Let’s hold a wake for that punt and then bury it!
by KnudsenRockne on Sep 13, 2011 9:32 PM PDT up reply actions
I like the analogy
“It is like give 3 to 1 odds on a clip flip. It is mathematically retarded.” Unless you know for a fact that the coin can be manipulated and will be manipulated, it is mathematically retarded. So unless Coach Neuheisel knows for a fact that our guys can’t gain two yards in that situation, then he should have gone for it.
Or to put it another way, he should have gone for it no matter what.
Does anybody know...
if CRN was coaching like this when he was at Washington? i mean, when he was being hired, to hear people talk it was like the 2nd coming of Cheezus Rice
Just watched the replay of the game
and man our unis are still fugly! The one thing i could always hang my hat on was the fact our unis were special. Now they’re just damn ugly! I thought we looked slow off the ball in person, but it really showed on TV…
I wonder if the coaching staff has given any thought to moving Jones and Barr to defense? We could use the speed at linebacker…
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that counts" - John Wooden.
Well Said Nestor
Time for CRN and the gang to bring it!
Los Angeles Rams and the UCLA Bruins!!!!!
by Minnesota Bruinfan on Sep 14, 2011 4:28 AM PDT reply actions
CRN should instill no fear and no regret on the field.
He should demand intensity on every play, execution and pride for the team. Play like it’s their last game of their college career. There’s no coming back for more after graduating. Leave it all out on the field. Play like a fierce Bruin.
Brehaut should start, but look for Prince in some protected stuations!!
CRN, this is a game that will help or crush your chances of staying on as Coach. We have nothing to lose by letting it all hang out. A close conservative game will almost assure many more haters! So, let’s let our Running game do the talking, and smash the ball right down their throats. Defensively, let’s Blitz the hell out of them and keep them on their heels! Prince will show run and then pass, but I hope Brehaut plays the whole game!
We Need to win this game BIG! With authority, to turn this machine around……
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