Another 8 Clap As Devin Fuller Hops On Bruin Bandwagon, Commits To UCLA
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jan 29, 2012 2:38 PM PST
in Recruiting
Email
Print
All aboard the Bruin bandwagon, next pick up, Devin Fuller. The New Jersey quarterback who had been considered a strong Rutgers lean for much of his recruitment shooed away hats from Arizona, Nebraska, TCU and hometown Rutgers on his table and picked up a UCLA hat. He is the second quarterback in Jim Mora's first ever recruiting class and maybe the best athlete of the entire class at 6-foot-0, 185 lbs., great speed and incredibly quick feet, but he can definitely throw the ball too. You don't get to be the third-best QB recruit in the entire country without a gun.
This is a major blow to Rutgers, who are reeling after the loss of Greg Schiano, and more importantly, a big blow to Arizona. The Wildcats were hoping that Fuller would be the cornerstone of Rich Rodriguez's new offense and not coincidentally, he's a guy who many say reminds them of Pat White. Not a bad comparison. To be able to pick up such a fantastic athlete with a big arm and one who deals a blow to a conference rival, well, needless to say it's a big deal.
With Brett Hundley a redshirt freshman in the fall and T.J. Millweard and now Fuller both true freshmen, the Bruins have the quarterback depth they need for the future. Not only is it quarterback depth, but it's a trio of damn good prospects. Consider that Hundley was the top quarterback on the west coast a year ago, Millweard was being chased by QB guru Bobby Petrino and Fuller was wanted by just about everyone (seriously, Alabama, Notre Dame and a ton of others offered him) and it's tough to complain about what UCLA has at 1) the most important position on the field and 2) a position that has been the program's bug-a-boo for a decade now.
Some are going to bring up the problem with over-signing and leaving some kids out in the cold, but cool it for now. As we're seeing with Marcus Rios and probably another couple players, some recruits are going to enroll in the winter or spring and come in as part of last year's class. Others are going to decommit, as we've already seen already, and by the time all is said and done, the Bruins will be in fine shape without dealing with the dreaded over-signing.
All is well in Westwood right now. Jim Mora and his excellent recruiting staff are putting together a tremendous class and Wednesday might bring in even more talent. The real judge of Mora's stewardship will be when the team goes out for practice in the spring and then out onto the Rose Bowl field in the fall, but as far as recruiting goes, it's all aces and Fuller is just the latest (and very important) ace. Welcome to Westwood, Devin!
162 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
I really didn't think that we had a chance at getting Devin so I didn't
look into his background very closely. I am just now realizing how special this kid is. Wow is right.
Been a Bruin since birth
You can look at recruiting any way you want -
How many recruits; how many stars; who those recruits may bring with them, etc. But, until we recruit a championship level QB and coach him up to be the best he can be, it really doesn’t amount to much. I am excited about seeing Hundley in action. I am excited about the potential T.J brings.
And, I almost can’t believe I get to say:
Devin – welcome to Westwood!!!!
Amazing...
How Coach Mora has been able to get talent from everywhere… Didn’t think this year would be very good recruiting wise. Awesome!!!
Effing huge
Welcome to Westwood Devin!!!
by Nestor on Jan 29, 2012 3:03 PM PST via mobile reply actions
wow
I hope National Signing Day is going to be Fuller Mora surprises!!! (sorry, I couldn’t resist)
I appreciated that
+2
A bruin is good forever, a Trojan is only good... ahh eff it, just use tin foil
BAM!
Treggs…COME TO WESTWOOD and make this class complete! WAY too many guns coming in for you too pass up! UCLA making noise!
I cannot wait for Wednesday
Welcome to Westwood, Devin!
Never really thought we had a chance with him
still just glad he’s not ending up at U$C
I was out working in the yard and thinking the same thing.
Still sorry we did not get him.
Been a Bruin since birth
I was out working in the yard and thinking the same thing about $UC.
Still disappointed that we did not get him. Can you imagine he and McCarthy going head to head in practice all week and how good they would have become.
Been a Bruin since birth
Welcome Devin!
And congrats to Jim Mora and staff.
by 281bruins on Jan 29, 2012 4:02 PM PST via iPhone app reply actions
I am pleasantly surprised again
Did not imagine us getting any top 5 recruits at QB again since Hundley. Can we say lack of talent continues to NOT be an excuse for poor play on the field?
A 6-foot-nothing dual threat QB who admits he could "get more accurate"
Could we have our very own Denard Robinson??
by Linguica on Jan 29, 2012 4:24 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Denard? Dream Big.
I’m thinking Michael Vick minus the baggage.
Dump Dan!
by bruinclassof10 on Jan 29, 2012 6:13 PM PST up reply actions
Climbing up the rankings
With the addition of Fuller Scout.com has us listed with the 8th best class in the country and rivals has us at 13!!!
Just a tremendous job by this coaching staff to haul in such a great class.
Imagine how recruiting will take off
If Mora is able to meet our expectations on the field next year. That’s a whole year of guys like Klemm and Martin in the ears of elite recruits paired with on field results to sharpen that sales pitch. That’s why next year’s soft schedule is not only important in setting our expectations, but also represents a big time opportunity. No excuses.
I guess I never really understood how the new conference scheduling worked
We didn’t play Oregon (in conference) last year and we don’t play them this year?? Aside from $C, this does look like a pretty tame schedule…
Basically a 4 year rotation
We play a home and home with one each of the Oregons and Washingtons (along with games against the other 7 teams) then the next two years switch to the other of the Oregons and Washingtons. So we’ll play Oregon and UW in 2013 and 2014.
Of course that assumes the Pac-12 still exists in its current form 2 years from now.
Right on
And next year also represents a major opportunity because U$C will still be limited with scholarships so we need that great season to really lock down all the talent in Socal.
For the record
Arizona needs to get used to pilfers like this. Rich Rodriguez is as closely associated with losing important recruits at the eleventh hour as he is with the zone read.
♥♥♥♥ YANNI ♥♥♥♥
I don't get it, btw.
Pied piper? Something about the Yanni sig?
Sorry if it’s obvious.
♥♥♥♥ YANNI ♥♥♥♥
It's what Papageno plays in "Die Zauberflote"
I’m sure that’s what was intended in light of all the opera fans on this site.
Huge Get!!!
What I love is that he is from the other coast! Nationwide recruiting.
It's hard to get excited with all the waves Mora is making.
Even with a mediocre recruiting haul, there is enough talent on our team to make a splash next year; providing the coaches coach ’em up and call a good game.
With the stellar class we are getting, we are getting depth as well as competition at many crucial positions. I hope our current guys get nervous. I hope they work that much harder in the gym.
Nothing but good things can come from this.
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. ~ Vince Lombardi
Doh.
yeah. You called it.
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. ~ Vince Lombardi
The one thing I'd take from Cheatey Petey's regime
Is that whole Competition _____days. Can’t remember which day it was but these guys need to be competing all the time. And the one place we have been indecisive, quarterback, is the one place you can’t afford to have that direct competition during the season. It’s so ass-backwards it’s maddening.
Competition Tuesdays
I remember that. While U$C had that we were having no tackle practices. Is anyone surprised the “gap” didn’t close.
Agree.
It seems like each of the last 3 coaches pinned their hopes (and our fates) on QBs who were not ready to lead the offense.
Toledo with Paus
Dorrell ?
Neuheisel with Prince.
All I want this year is a capable QB
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. ~ Vince Lombardi
Dorrell with Ben Olsen
He could of been great had he not been made of glass.
Great get by Mora...
Devin Fuller is a heck of a playmaker. Go Bruins!!!
first mccarthy now fuller...
Don’t look now but my passion bucket might be filling back up.
Welcome to the best wood, devin!
by DoubleTroubleBruin on Jan 29, 2012 6:25 PM PST via mobile reply actions
All of this makes me wonder who will be starting at QB
I still think its Prince’s job to lose. I think RB has lost a little bit of the coaches love with his “I’m playing baseball whether the coaches like it or not” comment. I’m looking forward to spring ball to see how Hundley looks.
I know KP gets a lot of flack but the guy has been through hell with injuries and having to run the stupid pistol. I still think the guy is better than what we have seen and previous coaches didn’t do a good job developing him. Of course there are a tons of guys who I think will now blossom under new coaching. Namely Fauria, Malcolm Jones, Zumwalt and Kendricks.
We went to the pistol because of Prince.
He is mobile with a limited arm.
Unless he somehow turns into ‘05 Drew Olson, I really hope he isn’t the starter.
by Kenneth Powers on Jan 29, 2012 6:32 PM PST up reply actions
If Hundley is as good as advertised
then I think it’s his job to lose. Both RB and KP will be servicable backups.
I think it's a competition between Brehaut and Hundley.
Unless Prince improves DRASTICALLY, he has nowhere near the accuracy to work in Mazzone’s scheme.
I’m pretty sure the new staff is showing 100% approval of Brehaut playing baseball until we hear otherwise. I assume Mazzone is not petty enough to not give him a fair shot in the spring/fall camp because of it.
Fairly obvious that Brehaut is the most refined passer on the roster at this point. Hundley will get his shot to be the guy in camp and if RB falters during the season.
Don’t sleep on RB. He’s never been the starter, despite KP’s injuries, KP always got his spot back. Kid has all the tools to be great.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
I'm putting it at 50/50 between Hundley and Brehaut
Depends on how far along Hundley is on the playbook, IMO.
That's what I expect too.
We haven’t seen Hundley, it is all hype and hope at this point (I think he is worth the hype personally but it is still hype). I’m sure Mora has practice tape on him from last year. But in the coaching transition, usually the new coach avoids film until he has seen the kids with his own eyes.
It’ll be interesting to see how prepared Hundley is and how sharp Brehaut is.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
Interesting to see how much he learned under CRN during that year.
Does Hundley have a leg up on anyone at this point?
He's as far as Brehaut
They get a whole new playbook this year. We’ll see who absorbs it best, but if I remember correctly, that’s not one of Brehaut’s fortes, though who knows with that previous staff.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Have to think Hundley is the early favorite
especially given Mora’s willingness to complete overhaul things. Brehaut also was never one of the hardest workers or lead-by-example types. Brehaut is a status-quo guy, who never showed any internal drive to master his craft.
Also, Brehaut was suspended for the Hunger Game
Mora just started then. That may not have given him the best first impression
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Absorbing the playbook
I think saying that, all other things being equal, Hundley pulls ahead in spring because he’s gonna be eating the playbook up while Brehaut will be playing baseball. If he didn’t play ball I think it would be a tight competition. If I’m not mistaken, RB did beat out KP last year (after KP’s horrible game), and probably wouldn’t have lost it if he stayed healthy. I also think Nzones offense is better suited for RB.
by Bruin_jim on Jan 29, 2012 10:09 PM PST via Android app up reply actions
I think Hundley has to be the favorite
He’s presumably the most talented of the returning QB’s and he won’t have the disadvantage of having less time with the playbook. Plus the extra 3 years of eligibility should be a convincing tiebreaker.
3 extra years is correct
Brehaut and Prince have the Fall 2012 season remaining, while Hundley has the 2012 through 2015 season remaining.
formerly bruinhoo
Hundley gets the starting job with Prince and Bre as backups, the other two recruits red shirting.
Hopefully Hundley is the QB everybody thinks he is, maybe he sticks around and developes for a couple years before going pro and then Fuller takes over.
Let's get to the inportant issue
Can any of these recruits play point guard?
by Fox 71 on Jan 29, 2012 6:59 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
If I had been drinking milk
I would have sneezed it up on my shirt.
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. ~ Vince Lombardi
other possibilities
Does anyone have a bead on some of the other recruits that Scout lists as possible for the Bruins. There are several offensive lineman and some receivers. Any news or do we just have to wait.
Am I in the right place?
Not one comment complaining:
“He can’t recruit”, or
“No college coaching experience”, or
“We should have gotten Sumlin or Fedora”, or
“Fire Guerrero for hiring Mora”.
Is this Bruins Nation?
by BruinsinceBarnes on Jan 29, 2012 7:37 PM PST reply actions
The last one still applies
And the first three will be in play until expectations are met on the field. Nevertheless, we write about all aspects of our programs, and that includes recruiting.
Absolutely the last one still applies
DG should have been fired for running a half assed coaching search, no wait check that half assed would indicate that he put in a modicum of effort, which is far from the truth. Mora lobbied for the job. Thus far in terms of recruiting he has been nailing it. But games are not won strictly by recruiting classes, if that were the case RN would have had top ten teams.
Agreed, Mora has done nothing on the field yet.
But I think it’s safe to say that most on this board who didn’t like the hire have been very pleasantly surprised by his choice of assistants and their recruiting.
Don’t you think, just maybe, Mora told Guerrero during the interview process of his intended assistant hires? Just maybe, ya think, he convinced DG that he would have a top recruiting class?
No, DG is not perfect , but maybe he didn’t just hit Mora’s picture with a dart.
by BruinsinceBarnes on Jan 29, 2012 8:01 PM PST up reply actions
I don't think DG would know who those people are
“I plan on hiring _ and __”
“What’s wrong with Chow and Walker?”
Don't tell me you're disappointed though
We give credit where credit is due, despite what some other people might say.
Not at all disappointed.
I was hoping for the Mora hire from the first time his name came up. I’ve followed his career for many years, and I fully expect him to have surprising (to some) success in Sept. I give DG credit for obeying my wishes.
by BruinsinceBarnes on Jan 29, 2012 8:29 PM PST up reply actions
You know
If the pressure makes DG become the AD we all want him to be, then I don’t care if he leaves or not. I just care about results. If he understands now that what he’s been up to is not at all acceptable, and he takes concrete steps to correct it, then. I’d support that.
Right
Maybe you are the coach search guru all the other colleges look for. So, we were in the running for Mora’s services against tons of other schools, and came out on top. Not quite, right? As far as I’m concerned, Mora did a sell job on DG to get this job. So far, I’m glad he did. But that doesn’t mean he was qualified at the outset and that doesn’t mean the coaching search was done right.
And yes, Chianti Dan must absolutely go. He doesn’t get a reprieve just because we have some good recruiters on staff. That has nothing to do with his mismanagement of UCLA Athletics.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Aren't you overgeneralizing
when you say DG has mismanaged UCLA Athletics? I presume you’re referring to our two high-profile revenue sports that have been on down cycles.
But can you really say that he’s mismanaged the non-revenue programs too? Golf? Volleyball? Doesn’t he get any credit for the National championships? Did we just luck into those like we may have lucked into a good football coach?
I understand football and basketball are most of the face of UCLA sports, but they’re not the whole body of the athletic program. DG has done a few things right in his tenure.
Sure, he’s no JD Morgan, but then JD wasn’t perfect either.
by BruinsinceBarnes on Jan 29, 2012 11:11 PM PST up reply actions
Football and Basketball
pay for the whole show. But hey, if you’re cool with UCLA just being known as having the best Women’s Golf team in the NCAA…well then good for you I guess…
by BillytheSid on Jan 29, 2012 11:14 PM PST up reply actions
If we lose with Football and Basketball we lose at everything
BillytheSid has it right, football and basketball ay for everything and DG’s incompetence is costing the AD millions of dollars. Our mens soccer coach is trying to be poached by Stanford, a private school with tons more money. How do you think the mens soccer coach salary is paid? By sales of UCLA soccer merchandise?
If things keep going down the way they have been we lose all our coaches because we will not be able to pay them
Correct
But I will take it a little further: FOOTBALL is king and, potentially, carries everything.
Look at every successful athletic department and they all have strong, competitive, high profile football programs: Ohio St., Michigan, Texas, Alabama, LSU, Florida, etc. Conference realignments are all governed by football. When the Big XII got pilfered everyone wanted the Oklahoma’s and the Texas’ schools, while the basketball powerhouse Kansas was the ugly stepchild no one cared to take. Same thing with the Big East and their basketball powerhouses: on the outside and praying.
UCLA gets it’s football program going, 80K + start showing up at the Rose Bowl every home game, BCS payouts, television, merchandise, etc. and tens of millions annually are generated. Easy. The failure of our football program in the last decade under Guerrero’s watch alone should get him fired.
Basketball is a distant second, and with what is happening with the one and dones, and the silly tournament expansions, it is closer to a fringe sport than it’s ever been.
i really hate college hoops
ok, i don’t hate it, but the ‘one and done’ rule has killed the sport for me.
I think it’s darn-right anti-American! If an 18yo kid is ready for the NBA physically and skillfully, and if NBA teams are willing to pay him, then WHY SHOULDN’T HE be allowed to go? I don’t buy the argument that one year at college is better than none—college is not necessary for everyone so why force it? Lot’s of great examples of successful people not bothering with college (for example). Also, I don’t buy the argument that a kid needs to be protected because of the money, fame. This logic doesn’t apply anywhere else, why apply it in this particular case?
Thanks for letting me vent and rant :P
(Disclaimer: I teach at the college level so I love and value education, but I don’t see it as something everyone has to go to (read: has to go because of legislation). It’s a choice.)
by UCLA_beer&mathematics on Jan 30, 2012 6:29 AM PST up reply actions
College hoops has become boring
Frankly the increasingly expanded tournament has taken lot of the luster off regular season for many casual fans. I like the game but I understand why many have tuned it out.
I can’t believe I still stay up till late East Coast nights to watch our stupid games.
ahahahaha me either
and steaming them with crappy quality to boot!
Wait, I know why: because we love UCLA!
by UCLA_beer&mathematics on Jan 30, 2012 6:59 AM PST up reply actions
No men's team has won a national title since 2008
That’s the longest drought UCLA has had since 1960. The five men’s national titles under Guerrero are the fewest UCLA has had in any decade since the school’s first national title in 1950. There’s also the lagging facilities (awful Pauley renovation included), sub-par revenues, terrible communication and no brand management. So no, this isn’t just about football and basketball, even if those are the most important.
Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I tweeted my followers to ask which I should take
by Ryan Rosenblatt on Jan 29, 2012 11:24 PM PST up reply actions
Seen our baseball field and facilities?
as an fyi, Ryan is going to have a post tomorrow looking at the failed state of renovations and updates to Jackie Robinson Stadium and our baseball facilities – which as a former UCLA Baseball player, you would think Dan would take a particular interest in. We have also written quite a bit over the past few months on the state of facilities in a more general sense.
One of the questions we all should be asking is how much of a role Dan plays in the success of those non-revenue programs. Is Dan the person weeding through the candidates and making the key decisions on who to hire, or are subordinates with greater knowledge of the relevant sports essentially making the hires (and if so, did Dan choose those decision makers, or did he inherit that/those persons from prior regimes?).
For that matter, the non-revenue coaches that have been most closely associated with winning at UCLA significantly predate Dan G’s time at Morgan Center – Al Scates, Valerie Kondos-Field and (now retired) Sue Enquist, for example.
formerly bruinhoo
More data...
…on why Guerrero has been a complete failure, across the board:
by Bellerophon on Jan 30, 2012 12:33 AM PST up reply actions
As shown above
by everyone else, I think we have made a clear case on Guerrero’s awful leadership of the entire athletic department.
Most of the success enjoyed in the last decade comes from women’s teams, which he basically does not look over.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
"basically does not look over"
What do you mean?
We have some other wishes we'd like obeyed
On campus stadium. Better baseball facilities. Some Pauley things. Some communication issues. For starters.
Can you please help us with those?
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Great point
The ineptitude of DG doesn’t start and end with his horrendous mismanagement of our football program. Mens Basketball in tailspin mode. Losing a top women’s basketball coach. Arguably the worst baseball facilities in the conference and the Pauley fiasco. Not to mention a laughably tone deaf approach to dealing with alumni, actually just in dealing with the real world.
2nd to worst baseball facilities in the conference
I have seen Cal’s baseball facilities and they are truly pathetic. Though considering that their program was on the verge of being disbanded not long ago, we should not take much comfort from being better than they are in that context.
formerly bruinhoo
Good point
And also this baseball program was in the college world series finals just a couple of years ago. A program of that caliber deserves better.
You are giving DG way too much credit here
This is the same guy that went after Al Golden after he had already signed a massive contract extension. If DG missed that do you think he really would have even known that Klemm was 2010 non-BCS recruiter of the year?
Plus so what if Mora did tell DG about who he was planning on hiring? That assumes that DG knew Mora would be able to land those guys in the first place, which DG could not have know at the time. And if DG was convinced that by Mora that he would have brought in a top ranked recruiting class than he’s as big of an idiot as everyone thinks he is. This class is a total shocker, nobody saw Mora recruiting this well.
Though we would have had a suspicion
When he went after Klemm, Martin, and Broussard immediately. I think it’s safe to say Mora was far more prepared to accept this job than Chianti was to offer it.
Totally agree
Mora, thus far has made all the right moves. However, my point is that this should not give DG a pass. His coaching search was an embarrassment. And it’s not just the Bruins Nation community that thought so.
What I find curious is what did those guys see in Mora...
I can’t believe they were looking for a way out of their existing positions, so did they see that NFL pedigree as something they could sell? Something to enhance their usual spiel?
I mean, can you imagine being able to say…“your head coach knows what it takes to get to the NFL”.
Lots of reasons
Klemm is from LA so this was the chance for him to move back home. Plus most would agree UCLA is a step up from SMU. I think Mazzone was pissed that he wasn’t given the ASU head coaching job and I think Mora convinced him that since he is a defensive minded coach Mazzone would have a lot of control over the offense.
As far as Martin and Broussard I think we just had more money to pay these guys. And Sal Alosi had tons of baggage so I doubt many people were knocking down his door.
So, do you figure UCLA is just a stepping stone...
or do you feel Mora had something to do with the hires?
You make good points. I just hope these guys like Mora more so than as just a way to improve their respective positions.
Of course, all coaches are looking for a way to to get ahead of where they are, but in these particular cases, I hope we can have them stay for a while.
No not necessarily
I mean UCLA is a sleeping giant in college football. I’m sure Mora sold these guys on this idea and I think guys like Klemm, Broussard etc all realized it too. So no I don’t think a UCLA job is strictly a stepping stone.
But I highly doubt that Klemm, Martin and all of the position coaches want to stay in those positions forever. They all want to move up to co-ordinators and head coaches. So one day those guys will be gone.
But I’ve heard Mora talk about UCLA as a sleeping giant, and the idea of building something from the ground up appeals to highly competitive people that want to leave their mark on a program.
Yep, if DG hired Mora on the chance that he would successfully implement a strategy to bring a top-10 class to Westwood this fall
Then he is even dumber that I thought. On the other hand, it seems that he required Neuheisel to retain DeWayne Walker on staff in order to salvage that 2008 recruiting class, so maybe Chianti Dan is exactly that dumb…
Going back to BsinceB’s comment, so far we have data points dealing with one of his four points – Coach Mora has been successful on the recruiting trail. It looks like he had a plan of attack ready to go in the event that he got the job, including hiring a group of coaches that have been successful at his most obvious point of weakness coming in – recruiting, or at least having the relationships with recruits that would help in the short term.
Aside from that, he did not have any college coaching experience, will not so much as run practices for a couple more months, and will not have such game experience for several more months. Nobody knows how he will actually perform when it comes to leading 85+ college student-athletes, or dealing with the college game. The fact that Mora had a solid plan (and so far has executed it well) is encouraging in terms of having a well-run series of Spring and Summer practices and in having the team in a position to succeed in the Fall. But the issue of his lack of college experience had not yet been addressed.
And of course, as Kenneth noted below, we were very much against a Sumlin hire (Fedora was certainly of interest, but not among the top-tier of candidates from our POV). And nothing that I have seen excuses Chianti dan for his pathetic excuse for a coaching search.
formerly bruinhoo
Donut didn't hire Mora
More walked up and took the job
"Players with fight never lose a game, they just run out of time"
~ John Wooden
Mora walked up and took the job
autocorrect?
"Players with fight never lose a game, they just run out of time"
~ John Wooden
I was convinced that hiring Mora was horrible for two reasons
First, his coaching record – under .500 in the NFL, only one year over .500, and zero coaching experience in college. Second, he hadn’t been affiliated with a college team since 1984 as a graduate assistant, so how could he possibly recruit.
Well, my criticism no. 2 has been answered in the past few weeks, at least according to the smart people who follow recruiting. He has done well, i.e., he has surrounded himself with good people, and as a recruiting team, they have delivered the goods.
The first issue remains. None of us have any idea how he will be as a coach. We can’t be sure that what drove us all crazy last year (calling a time out to get exactly the right play in, then having a delay of game or a false start) won’t happen again. We have no way of knowing whether this coaching staff can actually turn these wonderful high school players into adequate D-1 college players. We just don’t know whether this guy can coach or not.
In my opinion, Bruins everywhere deserved better. Our athletic director should have done his job and hired a coach with a proven record as a winner. Our athletic director failed totally and completely. Mora may turn out to be the next Sanders/Prothro/Vermeil. Or he may turn out to be the next CTS/Neuheisel. If Mora is the real deal, it is no fault of the athletic director, but that’s a different story. I’m no different from any of the rest of us. I want Coach Mora to succeed beyond anyone’s wildest dreams. If he does, then great. As of now, however, I think our athletic director absolutely totally failed with this hire. Or to put it another way, Coach Neuheisel had some nice recruiting classes as well, but he was a failure as a coach.
I never thought Mora's NFL record was as big a black mark as others did.
NFL coaches don’t set the roster. College coaches do. It’s really hard to look at an NFL record and project anything re: college success.
I had the same concern initially you listed as #2 though, but it seems like he’s done a great job of filling in the gaps in his own resume with his assistants. So far, so good. Can’t wait to see the finished product.
by Kenneth Powers on Jan 29, 2012 11:18 PM PST up reply actions
And really, Michael Vick
was single-handedly winning most of the games that Atlanta team won under Mora’s tenure. The rest of the roster just was not that good. When Vick’s career took a nosedive, so did the team’s record.
by BillytheSid on Jan 29, 2012 11:21 PM PST up reply actions
I kind of see Mora as more of a college guy
He talks almost like Saban does. I can see how the tough guy disciplinarian attitude would backfire dealing with 30 year old millionaires in the NFL. But I could see it being much more effective in working with 18-23 year olds.
Heh, speaking of backfiring
One post up talks about Michael Vick
Yeah, I can see why his style wouldn’t get through to some millionaires
His record was a black mark for the NFL
Mora’s qualification for college coaching was just an unknown (well, non-existent, really). That was the issue We didn’t know how well he would do, and we had a problem with that.
Like you, I refuse to give Guerrero credit for hiring Mora (when even for him it was his fourth or fifth choice), especially when we have heard that Mora is the one who really pushed for the job. I am getting good vibes from him, I really am and I have a good feeling. But that takes nothing away from Guerrero’s incompetence.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
This class is shaping up nicely
Another receiver who will contribute immediately and another stud on the line would really cap it off. With the exception of McCarthy who by all accounts should be a stud I think we still have some question marks on both lines. Obviously you are never sure how these kids will develop and the previous regime appears to have stunted the growth of our last crops, but I’d feel better if we can sign a couple more hogs to help protect and crush qb’s.
Yeah, I want it all!
This Fuller looks like someone Oregon would have really liked to have gotten...
What a run threat!
My observation from the video is that his run capability was highlighted, not so much his passing game.
yeah, there were the long balls, but they seemed like floaters, over the top. Which is fine, but not a complete arsenal. I was looking for the rope throws, but didn’t see any. Of course, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a strong arm, just that the video didn’t highlight it.
Would like to see high school video of Barkley to assess better. Top notch receivers don’t hurt either.
A full redshirt year
to improve his passing skills should do the trick. Hopefully it did the trick for Hundley.
If Hundley is remotely close to being at the level of Brehaut or Prince, I really hope Hundley gets the nod to help our future.
But Armstead declared for Oregon today
which may affect Shaq Thompson.
by BruinsinceBarnes on Jan 29, 2012 8:48 PM PST reply actions
It's cold and rainy there
I’m sure he’d really prefer Westwood.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
I wonder why he committed today instead of waiting till Monday
Perhaps to reel in some high profile receivers by Wednesday?
Welcome to Westwood Devin!
I honestly didn't think Fuller would end up a Bruin
He seemed like a natural fit in Rich Rod’s system and isn’t really a prototypical Mazzone offense QB (undersized, questionable accuracy). I have to think that he’ll eventually switch to WR, where he’d be an instant impact playmaker, and easily becoming our #1 option. If he stays at QB, I don’t think he’ll see the field for 2-3 years.
My thoughts, too.
But it will be fun every time he’s called on a reverse.
by BrendonBruin on Jan 29, 2012 9:49 PM PST up reply actions
ESPN lists him as an athlete
while scout has him as the #3 QB in the Nation. Go figure.
All I know is that He’s Got Legs & He Knows How to Use Them…
He looks good throwing on the run
Then again, every throw looks good in a highlight video. Only completed 65% of his passes his senior year, which is relatively low for a supposed blue-chip high school QB. Again, he can always improve his accuracy, but that means a few years riding the pine and maybe playing on the scout team. If he switches to WR, He will play this year, guaranteed. It’s all gonna come down to how soon he wants to play.
by BillytheSid on Jan 29, 2012 11:19 PM PST up reply actions
In that case, I look forward to an equally, umm, mesmerizing video.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Shocking pickup!....This is the Reruit we needed.
Devin is electrifying and explosive. And could play some Flanker/Slot too.
Expect more top players to come now.
He’s the quickest and most gifted runner we’ve ever had at the QB position.
He’s only 5’10" and 185, but,
playing him and Hundley is going to be frightning for opponents.
Sooooo glad Oregon didn’t get him.
Go Bruins!
This is HUGE.
I can already see that a lot of you guys grasp the sheer awesomeness of this commit, but some of you still don’t.
I spend a lot of time on the Notre Dame blogs, and before Gunner Kiel committed, they were practically begging for this guy. Seriously, they wanted this one bad.
Also, couple that with all the Arizona fans who were hoping Devin Fuller would come to Tucson and play for Rich Rod, and you know UCLA just got a major steal.
I am becoming more impressed with Jim Mora every day.
True.
In perspective though, our fans and alumni are still in a state of despair after that last ten+ years. We’ve gotten the number one qb in the country and did nothing with it in the past. I guess breaking down the emotional barriers in some form of BN mass therapy session might still be needed. :P
I'm so exited about this class and can't wait to for the X's and O's posts to come soon!
I really like the kids the coaches are recruiting and bringing to UCLA. From the few profiles and videos I’ve read and seen thus far, many seem to be level-headed and smart. They appear to chose UCLA the school first, and football coaches second (as they should IMO, since we all know coaches have a too-short shelf life in today’s game). Fuller, Iese, Adams come to mind immediately in this regard =)
Also, I don’t think you can overvalue the coaches (Mora, Klemm, etc) and the work they’ve done enough (so far). I really liked the quote I read this morning that UCLA recruited by using a positive message and NOT using negatives towards other programs (thank’s N for the link).
Go Bruins!
by UCLA_beer&mathematics on Jan 30, 2012 6:55 AM PST reply actions
My only concern is...
will Devin get homesick?
He’s from New Jersey and was originally set on Rutgers until Greg Schiano left for the Tampa Bay job. Oregon and Arizona couldn’t land him, supposedly on the grounds that they were too far away from home, and so he commits to UCLA?
Granted, tons of recruits go across the country and spend four years and have no problem. But Fuller’s original commit to Rutgers has me a little worried. Perhaps I’m making too much of this, though.
Well that dispells it, then.
Thanks ;-)
by Meager Reader on Jan 30, 2012 12:43 PM PST up reply actions
Fuller's commitment inspired me
to go back and watch Brett Hundley’s old recruiting videos. And holy crap! I think a lot of us (myself included) forgot how good HE is!
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
