UCLA Football Recruiting: Closing Thoughts on a Great Signing Day for Jim Mora
by Nestor on Feb 1, 2012 6:56 PM PST
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PrintWell that was fun. Let's wrap up what has been an incredibly successful recruiting effort by Mora and his new staff at UCLA with some quick thoughts and data points.
When Mora took over the UCLA program our expectation was for him to finish out UCLA's recruiting class in this transition year with a strong effort, addressing critical needs at QBs, WRs, and DBs. Needless to say Mora has blown past all of our expectations with what turned out to be a great finish in the last few days and with a strong closing performance on signing day. As of right now, UCLA's class is ranked number 11 on Scout.com, no. 12 on Rivals.com and no. 19 on ESPN.com.
It is worth mentioning that Rick Neuheisel also had a good signing day in his first one as a UCLA coach. However, that effort was different than this one as Neuheisel held on to a class that was put together by Karl Dorrell's staff, spearheaded by Dewayne Walker as the Bruins were a year removed from 13-9. What makes Mora's success in last few weeks remarkable is that he essentially transformed the recruiting class Neuheisel left behind this past season by flipping recruits from other schools, who would have been interested in UCLA but became lukewarm due to our on field issues from last 2 seasons. Mora strategically built his staff by bringing in fierce, ace recruiters right away and also taking advantage of relationships built through his coaching network. Many of us had concerns about Mora's ability to recruit when his name came up. He has at least addressed that specific issue by knocking it out of the park.
Bruins have stocked up this class with solid prospects at DB, WR and with number of elite prospects highlighted by Ellis McCarthy and Devin Fuller. We will have lot more thoughts on the first recruiting class of Coach Jim Mora in the coming days. I will share some quick bullets from the official site after the jump.
The official site provided the following pointers on the student athletes who signed with UCLA today:
- 1 recruit named to Rivals.com Top 50 JUCO list (A. Ceachir-44)
- 1 recruit named to the USA Today HS All-America Team - E. McCarthy
- 3 recruits named to the Rivals.com National 100 (E. McCarthy-21, A, D. Fuller-37, B., J. Payton-93)
- 4 recruits named to the ESPNU National Top 150 (D. Fuller-39, E. McCarthy-43, T.J. Millweard-91, I. Adams-128)
- 4 recruits played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl (D. Fuller, I. Adams, E. McCarthy, J. Payton)
- 5 recruits named to the PrepStar 150 (D. Fuller-9, E. McCarthy-12, C. Hulick-31, I. Adams-83, J. Payton-105)
- 6 recruits named to the Rivals.com National Top 250 (E. McCarthy-21, D. Fuller-37, J. Payton-93, I. Adams-117, J. Williams-227, L. Westbrook-238)
- 7 recruits listed in the Scout.com National 300 (E. McCarthy-23, I. Adams-81, D. Fuller-88, J. Payton-95, L. Castro-211, M. Rios-267, A. Porter-268)
- 10 recruits earned All-America honors from at least one publication.
- 13 recruits named to the Rivals.com California 100 (E. McCarthy-3, J.Payton-16, I. Adams-18, L. Westbrook-34, M.Rios-35, A. Porter-36, J. Castro-40, C. Cyburt-59, K. Walker-60, R. Goforth-71, N. Iese-72, I. Taubler-85, C. Hulick-100)
- 15 recruits were listed among the Scout.com West 150
More details over here, where you can also find links to numerous videos Ralph and his crew rolled out today. I think the video featuring Coach Yarber - our WR coach - is worth sharing given the way Yarber closed out with some great gets in last 48 hours:
UCLA Football Signing Day 3:00 Update (via UCLA)
Sounds like Ahmad Harris will be slotted in as WR. While he came out of nowhere on NSD it will be very interesting to track his development. One thing to note here is that given Mora's time as the Falcon's head coach, he will well tapped into the Georgia prep scene. So it will not be a surprise if he has a leg up on scouting compared to other coaches. It was interesting to read how Ohio State tried to get in on another Bruin recruit Fabian Moreau after Mora's staff spotted him out of nowhere.
Of course Yarber was not the only recruiting star in our staff. The entire crew spearheaded by Adrian Klemm, Demetrice Martin, Steve Broussard, Angus McClure under the leadership of Mora certainly served notice in last few weeks.
The big question for all UCLA alums and fans now though is whether this staff will be able to pivot from this NSD success to a breakthrough season on the field. The anticipation will only keep building as we go into spring ball and get ready for September.
Lastly, before we sign off a huge thanks to AHMB, gbruin, Patroclus, Ryan, Bellerophon, tasser10 for making these last few weeks and especially last 48 hours of following recruiting so much fun. We have had our share of tough moments as UCLA junkies given the struggles of our major revenue programs during the forgettable tenure of Dan Guerrero. However, if someone like Mora can thrive despite Guerrero's incompetence (he kind of hinted at it during this epic exchange with Neuheisel), it makes days like today worth it for all of all us who bleed blue and gold.
GO BRUINS.
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SI's recruiter of the year!
Jim L Mora!
It’s really a staff award, but WOW!
And now the real work begins
People like Chianti want you to believe that UCLA can’t do better. They want you to lower your expectations, and be happy and grateful for the status quo. Neuheisel’s classes show that this isn’t the case. This class, built on only weeks of facetime with recruits, show that this isn’t the case. Now imagine what these same recruiters could do with a 9-10 win season with a victory over southern cal with a year of recruiting facetime and an athletic director that knew how to properly sell his product in the second largest TV market in the country.
We should get a top-10 class next year
If we get 8/9 regular season wins and beat Southern Cal. I think Mora will get it done.
by Nestor on Feb 1, 2012 7:15 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
It will be an interesting spring, to be sure
We’ll have to wade through all of the typical superlatives and try to deduce what’s truly different about how practices and drills are run.
I totally agree
This staff had very little time together and had to start way behind the other recruiting powerhouses and yet were still able to pull in a top 15 class. Truly remarkable.
Anything short of 8/9 wins
will be a disappointment with our schedule.
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that counts" - John Wooden.
Imagining it right now
and its awesome! lol
"Success is never final, Failure is never fatal. It's Courage that counts" - John Wooden.
Ahmaad Harris
I gotta admit I was a bit shocked when I heard we offered him considering scholly space is at a premium. However, he sounds like a great kid and fits in perfectly with what Mazzone is looking for in terms of super quick explosive players to run in the seams of the defense. We needed someone to fill in after Thigpen and Jordan James moved on.
Fuller's commitment is probably the biggest
reason why Mora is perceived to have finished so well. I mean, that was huge. (Side note: I’m just wondering if Mora will play Fuller at QB. Why would Fuller turn down a QB opportunity at Arizona to be a DB at UCLA? I don’t know. We’ll have to see.)
I think it’s also how Mora had zero head coaching experience at the college level and he was still able to come in and pull together the No. 12 recruiting class when they weren’t even riding on any type of success.
As for expectations, let’s not go crazy. This is obviously a very good start, and if Mora can lead the Bruins to something like 8-4 in the regular season, that would be pretty amazing. But I wouldn’t start picking out roses just yet…
Expectation to win 8 or 9 games is pretty reasonable
Our schedule is well set up for that kind of run. No one here is demanding Mora gets us to the Rose Bowl this season. However, he has more than enough talent and experience in this roster to have a solid regular season with 8 to 9 wins and end the streak against Southern Cal. We have alluded to it before and we are going to discuss it in great detail, laying out our arguments this off-season.
by Nestor on Feb 1, 2012 7:28 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
The South is weak again
ASU and UA lose good QBs. CU sucks. Utah has a good D and added some good OLs, but their offense is pretty pedestrian. If SC didn’t have Barkley returning, it would be reasonable to expect to win the division. 8-9 is definitely reasonable.
No.
Next year’s schedule is soft and the cupboard is not bare. We should have easily had 7 this year with a lame duck coach. His successor should be able to get 8. When Mora talks about changing the culture, I think that should also extend to our fanbase. It’s time to do away with the loser mentality that underperforming is good enough.
by Tydides on Feb 1, 2012 7:30 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Couldn't agree more
That seventh win you talked about easily should have been against an awful Arizona team who was like 1-5 and had just fired their head coach. So if last years team was really a seven win team than next year has to be better for at least 1-2 wins.
We were 5-1 at the Rose Bowl last season
and we have 7 home games this year. If we have continued success at home and pick up a couple of road wins, 8 or 9 is definitely not unreasonable.
by BruinsinceBarnes on Feb 1, 2012 9:00 PM PST up reply actions
That's not it at all.
When Mora talks about changing the culture, I think that should also extend to our fanbase. It’s time to do away with the loser mentality that underperforming is good enough.
I’m hardly exhibiting a “loser mentality.” There’s a difference between setting realistic goals for a first-year, first-time head coach and saying O Lordie there’s no hope in the world.
Second, there’s a difference between being realistic (or reasonable) and thinking UCLA is better than they actually are because of blind homerism. If Mora’s first year record at UCLA is 9-3, I will be absolutely blown away. And it shocks me that some people can say “That’s totally doable.” Really? With Rich Rodriguez at AZ, and USC off bowl-ban probation and Barkley coming back? Really? I’m not saying UCLA will never be a contender. I’m saying it’s unlikely that they’ll sweep the board in 2012. And 9 wins is pretty close to that.
UCLA will get there. With the steps Mora has made and the attitude he possesses, there’s no doubt in my mind. But come on, guys. I think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves for this year.
by Meager Reader on Feb 1, 2012 11:45 PM PST up reply actions
And this is just 100% stupid
I’m saying it’s unlikely that they’ll sweep the board in 2012. And 9 wins is pretty close to that.
ROFL. You heard it here folks. Dorrell’s 10 win team was practically undefeated, because 9 wins and undefeated are pretty close. Why’d we get rid of him again?
This quickly turned pointless.
By “sweep the board,” I didn’t mean they’d go undefeated. In my mind, “sweep the board” means to win every game in your conference except one or two. 9 wins (with a non-conference loss) is pretty close.
by Meager Reader on Feb 2, 2012 12:47 PM PST up reply actions
Yeah it tends to turn pointless
When people play stupid semantic games and lie and say that they didn’t say things that they clearly did. Then again, it was pointless as soon as you made it clear you were trying to lower the bar using laughable reasoning.
Yeah let's not get ahead of ourselves here. The right thing to do is to go 6-8 first
A 4-8 season would be acceptable too just as long as we’re turning corners, letting the fur fly, strapping it on, passionate about buckets and winning by punting. Matt Barkley is sooo big and bad, we might as well forfeit that game too. Geez, that loser mentality, dream small and celebrate mediocrity attitude really needs to go.
Dump Dan!
by bruinclassof10 on Feb 2, 2012 7:58 AM PST up reply actions
D'oh!
Dan is never going to live these quotes down. Now we know why he’s been so quiet and out of the public’s eyes for so long – when he does open his mouth, he gets exposed for the buffoon that he is
Dump Dan!
by bruinclassof10 on Feb 2, 2012 8:52 AM PST up reply actions
I've never really understood this.
You guys put all the hatred on the athletic director but significantly less on the head coach? There were a lot of calls for Neuheisel to go, but once he did, it was “well he was still a good guy” but Guerrero is the scum of the earth? Then Guerrero hires Mora and you hate that, but now Mora is going to be the next Pete Carroll but Guerrero is still the scum of the earth?
Someone needs to explain this to me. How can Mora have all of your confidence when Guerrero (who you loathe beyond recognition) has none? Guerrero wasn’t the one coaching these players on the practice field.
by Meager Reader on Feb 2, 2012 12:54 PM PST up reply actions
We don't need to explain anything to you
It’s already been explained. Your problem is that you don’t want to read or listen. You don’t want to do either of those things because you’re already on Mora’s jock and want to create an atmosphere of zero accountability, giving him a free pass on completely reasonable expectations. You have no answer for why he should be essentially held to a lower standard than Neuheisel when he’s being paid twice as much.
Mora does not have all of my confidence
He did a great job of bringing in a staff of great recruiters, and compiled a great recruiting class. But so did his predecessor. There is a long way to go before Mora should be completely lauded as head coach. He is off to a very good start, however, and that deserves praise.
If you can’t see that reason for the Guerrero hate goes far beyond his mismanagement of football and a bungled coaching search, then you aren’t paying attention.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
Mora should obviously try to win every game
and have the best record he can, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable or unrealistic to cut him some slack in his first year. If Mora is in year four and goes 4-8, cut him loose.
by Meager Reader on Feb 2, 2012 12:49 PM PST up reply actions
Oh for heaven's sake
No.
More.
Cutting.
Slack.
Grow some g’damn gonads, will ya? What does “cut him some slack” mean anyway? Here’s the irony: Mora himself is not cutting anyone any slack. Let me explain what is wrong with your reasoning: you think that winning 8 games is a big deal, that it’s some type of crowning achievement. Well it isn’t. Okay? We’re not sitting here saying “win the Pac-12 or else”.
No slack for underachievement. Slack will be given for injuries, a short period of adjustment, and other uncontrollable events. Slack will not be given just because there’s a new guy in town.
Why?
Because in 2011, we had a new OC and a new DC. Our DC sucked big balls. And that team, with two big injuries at QB, still managed to win 6 games.
No slack, my friend.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Meager, you've been brainwashed
by a decade of terrible UCLA football. I understand where you’re coming from, I really do.
But here’s the thing: last year, with the WORST defensive coordinator in the conference, if not the country, this team won 6 games and should easily have won 8 (Houston and Illinois), if not 9 (Arizona…come on!). Not only that, but our starting QB changed twice.
We have 7 home games this year (we were 5-1 last year at home), and there is no way in hell our defense can be worse than last year. Just adding McCarthy to the defensive line will win us one more game, at least.
How well did Rich Rodriguez do in his first year at Michigan? He won 4 games. You think Arizona has more talent stocked on its team than Michigan did? RichRod’s system is not so easy to learn the first year, and we play them at home.
We play U$C at home too, and them coming off bowl-ban probation is irrelevant, what matters is the depth on their roster and that takes a hit this year.
Stop making excuses. Brady Hoke, in his first year at Michigan, went to a BCS game. UCLA winning 8 games is beyond doable, it’s the minimum, with the roster and schedule we have.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
UCLA and Michigan
That’s a great parallel you threw out there. My office mate is a HUGE Michigan fan, and by huge I mean he’s from Columbus and his dad is a tOSU grad, so you know his passion has to run deep. UCLA is in a similar position as Michigan this past year, except Neuheisel left CJM a lot more talent than RichRod left Brady Hoke. Michigan’s roster was razor thin in the trenches on both sides of the ball, so Hoke prioritized linemen in his first recruiting class. RichRod went 7-6 (including bowl loss) in his last year, so the Michigan fan base was expecting at least an 8-win season. They won 10 then won the Sugar Bowl. Taking a look at our schedule next year that doesn’t include Oregon, we could conceivably go into the USC game with only one loss.
If there’s one thing I took away from yesterday’s festivities, it’s that UCLA is still a destination even after a decade+ of mediocrity and two consecutive lackluster coaching regimes.
This bring me back to Michigan. In Brady Hoke’s first press conference as Michigan coach, he was asked of his first-year expectations, considering the turmoil surrounding the program the previous three years and not having his recruits. He replied, “Big Ten championship. This is Michigan.”
G*d D@mnit… THIS IS UC-f’ing-LA! I don’t care that we have a first-year coach. I don’t care what’s happened the past 10+ years. This is UCLA. Winning is what we do.
by ishXdavid on Feb 2, 2012 9:11 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
+1 to your last paragraph
Enough moping around. Time to get after it, and that applies to the fan base as well!
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
How about the 49ers too?
I know its the NFL but there are parallels to be drawn. Mediocre QB play, terrible division, sub-.500 record, poorly run for over a decade, “talent” that had yet been developed etc. Flash forward a year with Harbaugh and they were two Kyle Williams gaffes away from making it to the Super Bowl.
Dump Dan!
by bruinclassof10 on Feb 2, 2012 9:42 AM PST up reply actions
Stop making excuses. Brady Hoke, in his first year at Michigan, went to a BCS game. UCLA winning 8 games is beyond doable, it’s the minimum, with the roster and schedule we have.
The difference is that Hoke made a career out of turning programs around and he understood everything about Michigan, while Mora has no experience has a college head coach. Mora isn’t just a first-year head coach, he’s a first-time head coach (at the college level).
Look, Mora may become the next Pete Carroll, but I think it’s unreasonable to say 9 wins or Bust. 8 would be amazing. And as for “accepting mediocrity,” I’m not. If UCLA is not competing for the Rose Bowl within four years, Mora should be fired. Same deal as Neuheisel.
How well did Rich Rodriguez do in his first year at Michigan? He won 4 games. You think Arizona has more talent stocked on its team than Michigan did? RichRod’s system is not so easy to learn the first year, and we play them at home.
He actually only won 3 games in his first year at Michigan, but you raise a good point. Rodriguez was a coach who had been to and won BCS games but who completely flamed out at Michigan. But it was more that Rodriguez didn’t understand the behemoth that is Michigan football than simply that he was a bad coach. I don’t expect Arizona to win the Pac-12 South this year, but in a few years they’ll be dangerous because Arizona does not have the same expectations as Michigan, and Rodriguez can survive 4-6 years on mediocre (6-7 wins) seasons before having a breakthrough. At Michigan, the breakthrough was expected in year one, which is kind of like what’s going on here.
But back to the point of the matter, there’s a comparison going on here between Rodriguez, Hoke, and Mora, solely on the basis of how they did as first-year head coaches at major programs. But it’s not really applicable because both Hoke and Rodriguez were established college coaches by the time they each took the Michigan job, and Mora is the furthest thing from an established college coach.
That’s not to say that Mora won’t eventually be a success. There are plenty of examples that support his case, but there are also several that go against it. Pete Carroll at USC did pretty well, but Tim Brewster at Minnesota did not; both came from the NFL and their respective programs were their first college HC jobs. It’s not wrong to want the gamble of Mora’s hiring to pay off, but it is to just flat out assume that he’ll be the next Pete Carroll. Speaking against that isn’t a loser mentality; it’s healthy skepticism.
Mora has done a lot of really good things for UCLA, and that’s to be commended, but I’m not so sure it is either reasonable or realistic to expect 8-9 wins from him straight out of the gate. In a few years, definitely, but right now?
by Meager Reader on Feb 2, 2012 12:42 PM PST up reply actions
Your arguement is not making any sense
UCLA hired Mora by representing to the fans that he is an elite head coach. We specifically raised objections base don his lack of college experience. Yet Bruins hired him any way. Now Mora has shown in the recruiting side that he can overcome that inexperience. That is good. We like that.
However, that doesn’t diminish the expectations we have from him to produce on the field. If he was brought in for chump change at 600,000 a year, perhaps he could make an argument about lowering expectations. However, UCLA is marketing his NFL experience and paying him a salary making him one of the highest paid coaches in the conference. So yes, based on that and number of other factors such as easy schedule, loss of talent by other programs, it is reasonable to expect 8/9 wins next season and a victory over Southern Cal.
It is pretty surreal to see UCLA fans already going out of their way to lower expectations for next year. I guess this is why guys like Chianti Dan can still sell rubbish to a segment of UCLA fanbase.
If it were up to people like this
We’d still be waiting for Dorrell to find the right corner to turn to guide us to another “miraculous” 10 win season.
PS
8 wins does not make him “the next Pete Carroll” in anyone’s eyes. It makes him a better head coach than Neuheisel, which is not a difficult bar to clear. You better quit trotting out that bullshit line because it’s getting old. Continuously citing his lack of experience isn’t making your point, it’s making ours. His lack of experience is one of the biggest reasons that we need to see that he knows what he’s doing right away. We aren’t paying 2 million a year for OJT, we’re paying for results. He has a really cushy situation here; far better than what Neuheisel was handed, and he needs to show us what he can do with it next year. Not later. Next year.
Meager...
all you have to do is look at our schedule. Go down it game by game and look at the teams that we probably or should likely win and you easily get to 9 wins. Nebraska, $UC, and Furd are probably the toughest games. If we go 1-3 (we play all 3 of those at home) we have a 10-win season. Say we drop another, maybe to Cal on the road (our toughest road game), we have a 9-win season. Maybe if we even go 0-3 on those three games, And lose to Cal on the road, we still have a 8-win season. So to say that we’re all crazy about a 8/9 win season is a bit of a stretch. Last season if you look at the schedule, with all the issues on the team; busted qb’s, bad coaching, etc; we really still should have beat Utah and Az. With those two wins we would have been at 8 wins (looking back, luckily we didn’t, else we’d be looking at the damn pistol again, and a #30 recruiting class…again.)
Final point on this
Neuheisel inherited an absolute mess of a roster, and had his top 2 QBs go down before the season even started.
He gets some slack.
He gets 4 years to bring in some good recruits and re-establish the program. He didn’t do it, unfortunately.
Mora is inheriting a pretty good roster, and he’s bringing in some solid assistants and a great recruiting class. He won’t get 4 years to get it done, at least not from us. He’s being paid very handsomely.
No slack. I guarantee you he is giving himself none.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
Seriously
Shouldn’t some of this bravado rub off most on his biggest supporters? I definitely would not be considered one of his biggest supporters, but even I can see that Mora has put on a no-bullshit, make-no-excuses, get it done attitude. He probably would even scoff at 8 wins as lowballing his team and he and his staff’s abilities.
Exactly not
they see bravado and go curl up in a corner and whimper “I’d better cut this guy some slack!”
This is who our fans have become after too many losses to Southern Cal.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
None of us assume anything
It’s not wrong to want the gamble of Mora’s hiring to pay off, but it is to just flat out assume that he’ll be the next Pete Carroll
Frankly, I don’t want Mora to be Pete Carroll. That guy cheated and had no class.
The point is that there is a difference between assumptions and expectations. I do expect U.C.L.A. to field an excellent football team (which looking at next year’s schedule, should be able to get to a 9 win range). However, based on our program and Mora’s college record, I have no assumptions that Mora will do so. Like you, meager, I have a healthy skepticism. But it does not change my expectations.
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
UA loses a good QB
(will be drafted) and their best WR. They’ve had poor recruiting classes for the last couple years. RichRod was a good hire, but I don’t expect them to be all that good in the first year. USC will be the best team in the South, after that UCLA really should be second and I only expect Utah to even be close.
Totally agree
We need to get over the loser mentality
NFL experience has not translated out to general college success
But the combo of NFL experience, sharp coordinators and really aggressive, young recruiting aces seems like it might be the ticket to long term recruiting success. I think high schoolers really like that NFL experience lurking out there.
As been noted on BN repeatedly, we still have to coach and grow these players.
by Bruin Dad and Grad on Feb 2, 2012 9:36 AM PST up reply actions
Adrian Klemm chosen
as 24/7’s PAC12 recruiter of the year:
http://247sports.com/Article/Alabamas-Jeremy-Pruitt-is-the-National-Recruiter-of-the-Year-59659
I may not be picking out roses yet...
But I am planting a rose garden in my back yard to have the roses ready in another year or two.
Hear, hear!
I guess that would be +2
Lastly, before we sign off a huge thanks to AHMB, gbruin, Patroclus, Ryan, Bellerophon, tasser10 for making this last few weeks and especially last 48 hours so much funThanks to all from the cheap seats.
by Bruinut on Feb 1, 2012 7:47 PM PST reply actions 3 recs
+1
Thanks to all of the Bruin mods for making this happen!
Dump Dan!
by bruinclassof10 on Feb 1, 2012 8:01 PM PST up reply actions
question about the recruits from today. at what point will these guys be able to actually take the field?
I know some of you said McCarthy might be that guy. What about the WR’s? Will they be ready for fall? I really don’t know and would like some help understanding this. Also, I agree, we had a wonderful lead up to signing day and it’s so nice to spend time here with people who understand all this. It really does make it exciting. thanks.
We will def. get to those issues
When we discuss depth charts, look over these recruits in detail in the coming days/weeks!
It's really early to project.
You can be pretty confident that all of the OL guys will be redshirted barring injuries.
Mora has said that it’s an open competition for all spots, so they’ll get a chance in the fall to show how ready they are.
I don’t really see any of the DB’s getting on the field either, maybe Adams.
All of this will be easier to project after spring ball and Mora’s staff’s initial impressions of the current squad are made known.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
IE
Would love to get your general thoughts in coming days on going 3-4 with our personnel now that NSD is over!
I want to put that together too and I'll get to it fairly soon.
Spring semester just started up at my school, so I’ve been busier than normal. Once things slow down, it’ll be up.
Need something to keep up interest between now and Spring Ball, because it definitely won’t be basketball.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
Can't say how exciting the day was
Just a huge tip of the cap to the entire coaching staff. Really remarkable how this has energized the Bruin fan base, cannot wait for spring ball!
Any rumors of potential transfers?
I haven’t heard much, but it seems like we are well over 85 scholarships right now…soooooooo…
Either way, it seems like a great recruiting class, but as always we can’t judge it until year 3+. Additionally, I’m glad Mora went ahead and pulled his own guys into the fold so that we can work on culture change immmediately.
August 1st I think?
Someone correct me if i’m wrong
it is - how do you think this will happen
are there players who are thinking about transferring? Grayshirts? I’m really curious
scrappy
by Honka Playboy on Feb 2, 2012 10:46 PM PST up reply actions
BN shined today
absolutely fantastic coverage today by the entire team here. We had real time updates all day, great input from everyone, and some classic humor to keep us all amused throughout this exciting day. I can’t thank you all enough here on BN. This class addressed all of the skill needs, quality LB’s, and what looks like a huge get on the DL. Quite a few look like early contributors that will push for early playing time and if nothing else will raise the level of play from our existing roster. If our line play improves like we all know it should, we better get 8+ wins this year. We now appear to have 3 top notch QB’s on our roster and may the best man win the job and lead this team to where we should be.
Thanks again to all involved!
by rsmbruinfan on Feb 1, 2012 8:19 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Composite Rankings
Have you seen this, UCLA finished 15th in the composite rankings. Rankings are overrated for me, I care more about recruiting for need than overall assessment. However, it is good to see that we are at least operating at a level of talent that is on par with our peers.
There are some correlatives I do not understand when it comes to Recruiting Class Rankings and on field performances...
Some schools recruit based on need and do not dwell on the Star-System. An example, Wisconsin…back to back Rose Bowls (albeit on the negative side) and year in and year out going to Jan 1 Bowl games are ranked 62nd on Scout.com, GATech 57th, Nebraska 50th…(I do not have the composites). Either theses football programs really took in stinky classes or they are low due to the number of scholarships offered causing the metrics to display a low aggregate score. -I really like the fact that we (UCLA) took in a great class in a short amount of time considering we were 45th to 55th in recruiting classe rank last year. “You have to have the horses to win the race”. However, I believe with Coach Mora’s Coaching Staff and a huge shift in attitude and the system of football played at UCLA will harken back to the days when we went to Top Tier Bowl games and were competitive with EVERYONE…including an Alabama, LSU, FLA St. Ohio St., Oregon, $UC etc. Please, no more beat-downs by anyone ever again ($UC, BYU, Utah, Oregon, Arizona to name a few…). In fact, it would be fantastic to deliver the pummeling to those teams and others!!
I will be at the Rice Game here in Houston next September and I cannot wait for the changes I will see!
A culmination to a great day
I haven’t seen this much excitement on BN since I joined not too long ago. It’s really great for all the Bruin family. I’m not much for those rankings. I’m certain that the new coaching staff will develop our players into great athletes. It’s a new year Randall.
by Trueblue'09 on Feb 1, 2012 8:39 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Great closing day.
The 3-4 Defense will be properly represented by our D-Line talent.
Concern would be at LB, where a 3-4 Defense would require 4 capable LB’s,
and reserves. We’ll have to keep an eye on our depth at the position through the 2012 year.
Our LB coaches have their work cut out for them. However,
our experience and depth at DB and DL will help in the mean time.
Go Bruins!
UCLA has a discrepancy between Scout with 28 commits and Rival with 26 commits.
I notice under the Scout listing that Tairen Owens and Trayvon Watson have now signed letters of intent. Someone commented in the past week that Trayvon Watson was asked to grey shirt. I am not certain if Owens was asked to grey shirt. Would being asked to grey shirt have anything to do with Watson not signing the LOI? Also, anything known about Owens?
Thanks to BN for making this "turn around" possible
… and actually I refer the turn around in a fan’s response to Bruin football. In December I was so disheartened; what a horrid season (decade?). The Chianti-Dan hate thing really didn’t help. But following all the progress of the Mora Era has changed my outlook so quickly and positively. Thanks to BN for documenting this shift. I know there’s much to be done, and a good recruiting class doesn’t mean a winning record. But it’s more about the “culture” thing… I will the wind changing. And Mora seems absolutely to be responsible.
Payton said he gave up his USC commitment after learning more about the NCAA sanctions imposed. He said he loved California but the coaches who were recruiting him left. He liked Washington, but after discussions with his parents and a phone conversation with UCLA Coach Jim Mora that lasted to 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, Payton said, “I thought I’d be most successful at UCLA.”
I had a heart attack last weekend. Just got out of the hospital. And really, really want to beat Southern Cal before I join Coach and my Dad in the Big 8 Clap in the sky.
by harry bruin on Feb 1, 2012 9:12 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Was Mora in the office all night?
On the phone until 1am with Payton, then 5am for his first video interview from the office. If the Payton call was made from the office, I’d bet he spent the night there!
by bornagainbruin on Feb 1, 2012 9:17 PM PST up reply actions
Would you go home?
Probably brought a change of clothes, maybe got a shower in.
Strapped It On....
Oh wait never mind, its his boss that does that every day
Dump Dan!
by bruinclassof10 on Feb 2, 2012 7:59 AM PST up reply actions
Keep up with the recovery Harry
My wish will be for our new UCLA program to beat $c and make your dream come true. This day should give your ticker a boost. Just hand in there.
by Trueblue'09 on Feb 1, 2012 9:40 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Harry, you know you have to stick around to see how this recruiting class plays out.
Take care of yourself and get well.
Been a Bruin since birth
Prayers for a speedy recovery!
And many years of watching U.C.L.A. Rose Bowls and multiple Trogan thrashings.
This sheds a light on a few things
First, I believe when CJM figured (early on?) that Treggs isn’t switching, he spent all his energy to get a guy who’s essentially the equivalent of Treggs, or perhaps better.
For a head coach without college and recruitment background, this shows me a lot.
Much like most of bloggers here, I am hoping the tenacity translates to wins, and of course meaningful bowl games.
Get well soon, Harry
There really are bigger things than Bruin football, aren’t there?
Hopefully, that disheartening (no irony there, right?) December will be replaced by more heart-healthy futures with joy and fun and optimism around our football program very soon. Get on the rehab and get well soon!
greg in denver, U.C.L.A. guy for life - BruinsNation.com
"Thanks to BN for documenting this shift."
Reminds me of an ad for a sports car that I saw, decades ago in a southern California newspaper. The ad was supposed to say “Faster than You Can Shift!” but you know how sticky those “f” keys can be sometimes.
I rec’d your comment, because your comment exemplifies the passion involved in being a Bruin. Less than a week out of the hospital, face-to-face, possibly, with the end, and what occupies your consciousness? Beating Southern Cal before you go. You can not get more Bruin than that.
All the best to you and your family, Harry. May you experience many, many heavenly joys right here on earth, right here in the Rose Bowl, before you begin your 8-clap in the sky. Be well, friend.
Thanks BN for all the updates today!
Great coverage leading up to today and then I was covered on all the media fronts today so I didn’t miss a second even when I was “working”. Thanks to everyone here and especially the front pagers for keeping this Bruin in the loop. #8Clap
by UCLA11 on Feb 1, 2012 9:21 PM PST via mobile reply actions
Nothing genius here
but Kenny Walker looks like a pissed off, chip on my shoulder football player who will do what it takes to make an opponent look bad. I am so tired of these passive type wr that are content on a reception and no yards after, or a fair catch and a trot off the field. Good Luck class of 2012! Go Bruins!
Solid class, great job by Mora & staff!
My only question is on the assertion that Mora is somehow plugged into the Georgia prep scene due to his time with the Falcons. The only connection I can think of is some of the kids in the state might go “oh yeah! Didn’t he coach the Falcons when I was in middle school?” but I doubt that a career NFL coach had much crossover with HS prep coaching scene… I will be very interested to read about how Harris came about & see how he ends up.
by impaulv on Feb 2, 2012 6:58 AM PST via mobile reply actions
It's more about being plugged in with the high school coaches.
They see these guys play, they have seen big time college players come through the state. I imagine that is what being plugged in actually means. Mora just has contacts in the state that he trusts as talent evaluators. And being the guy who coached Mike Vick and went to an NFC Championship game (successful or not) still carries a lot of weight there.
"I have one word for you...Be careful."
-Jose Guillen
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