Saturday Football News & Notes

by Nestor on Dec 8, 2007 8:32 AM PST in Football

Ajax posted the scoop on June Jones going after the UCLA head coaching job "hot and heavy." Dohn had no choice to take a break from his on going campaign to promote DeWayne Walker and report the June Jones story:

Hawaii coach June Jones let UCLA know he is interested in the vacant head coaching position, and he is a candidate of interest for Bruins athletic director Dan Guerrero, sources said.

Jones has a mix of NFL and college head coaching experience, runs a high-octane passing offense and would also enable UCLA to keep defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker on the staff, sources added.

Using a run-and-shoot offense, Jones helped the Warriors to a 12-0 mark and a berth in a BCS bowl. Hawaii, which has a 13-game winning streak and Heisman Trophy finalist in quarterback Colt Brennan, will play Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

But a big question for UCLA could be Jones' true interest in the job. He is paid $800,000 at Hawaii, must deal with downtrodden practice and coaching facilities, and has a recruiting budget of $50,000. There could be concern Jones would use UCLA to get a better deal at Hawaii.

LOL I like how Dohn made sure to insert the obligatory "but" angle for June Jones story, which he often leaves out when covering his boy DeWayne Walker. And if there is no doubt any more that DeWayne Walker is Dohn's choice to be UCLA's head coach. He came out and acknowledged it on his own blog:

Who would you like or think UCLA should hire for HC??
I think DeWayne Walker would be a great hire. He is sharp, has a great pedigree, loves to recruit, is personable, knows the ins and outs of UCLA and its obstacles, and would love to compete against USC's Pete Carroll. Now, that doesn't mean there isn't another candidate out there that could do the job, either.

Only in the world of a Rutgers graduates some guy with a bachelors degree from an online (Regents U) university would be deemed as have a "great" pedigree. Anyway, the question above was part of Brian Dohn's monster 8-part effort to "engage" with his readers in which he managed to get this in: a shot against our football program and of course all of us:

In your opinion, how desirable is the UCLA HC job?
Put it another way, suppose all D-1 HC jobs became vacant tomorrow, and the bestest, most awesomest coach magically descends from the sky (so no sentimental attachment to any school) and he's asked to rank his preferred school to coach in, where would UCLA be ranked?
It's an ok job. Nothing great. The facilities still are a problem, I question whether the priority is basketball, the fan base and fickle and often whines, and I think the academics are an issue, both getting in school and the work load to keep kids in school. I would think UCLA wouldn't crack the top 20 in the nation.

Yeah, it's an ok job. That is why June Jones of the world are going after it. Man what is going to happen if DG actually hires a coach with head coaching experience who we are all happy with?

Anyway enough of Dohn. Let's get to our team. Bunch of our players received some individual honors from another underachieving Dorrellian season. You can read the details here. Congrats to Horton for making the All American team.

GO BRUINS.

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Is Dohn

sleeping with Walker or something...I mean come on "He is sharp, great pedigree",blah, blah, blah...reading this crap makes me want to throw up!

I never seen someone have such a man crush for another person that is less qualified for a head coaching positin before; other than maybe for KD!

And I love how he uses such powerful words such as "bestest and most awesomest" my goodness this man really has a great grasp of the english Dictionary!

by abby8065 on Dec 8, 2007 9:33 AM PST reply actions

How desireable is the UCLA HC job?

It is a good question and directly related to our search for the awesome coach from the sky. If you were an alien coach, looking down on Westwood you would note that our last two coaches 'timed out'; that USC is the darling of the college football world that most kids grow up to worship; that our team doesn't know how to play on offense and our main goal seems to be coming in fourth in the PAC 10 every year. How desireable is that? Except for someone who wants to take the money and run, no great coach in their right mind would want the job. Now, I agree that June Jones has the credentials and knows offense. The only thing I question is his motivation for leaving Hawaii and coming to college football hell. If he becomes a serious contender, I would like to hear what he has to say.

by blualien on Dec 8, 2007 9:47 AM PST reply actions

Yeah, blualien

I guess you're right. UCLA football is crap - always has been, always will be. justsc is the place where anyone with a brain and a heart wants to go. There's no way any Bruin football team could, for example, beat justsc 8 years in a row, or could beat justsc with a zombie on our sidelines and knock them out of the championship game. No way that can happen.

And that's a great analysis, by the way. If an alien came from outer space. Good one. I know who we can get to be the coach! Gort, or Klaatu. No more 8-claps - we'll yell "Klaatu borada nicto."

Great post, blu. Excellent analysis. Now take your meds, and everything will be OK.

by Fox 71 on Dec 8, 2007 9:59 AM PST up reply actions

Fox You Meanie

Cut the alien some slack -- he's been here less than a week and already he's destroyed his own credibility.

sjh

by Class of 66 on Dec 8, 2007 10:13 AM PST up reply actions

ee gads

...what a bunchadicks, eh bluealien? This ain't cha gramma's blog! JAJAJAJA!

GO BRUIN BLUE.

by theREAL_LOGAN5 on Dec 8, 2007 2:15 PM PST up reply actions

Not to pile on..

..but, wasn't there a run in the late 80s and 90s where "justSC" coaches couldn't get any traction against UCLA? As I remember, three of them "timed out", didn't they?

This stuff goes in cycles. It's Guerrero's mission to exacerbate the pendulum swing in our direction and the new UCLA coach's job to catch it and hold it when it's reached our side again..

..geez! What a tortured metaphor! I gotta resume my meds.

by whp68 on Dec 8, 2007 12:33 PM PST up reply actions

I'm so sick of this guy

Why do we have to keep responding to this idiot?

I'm thinking of starting up a DumpDohn blog. Anyone interested?

greg in denver

by gbruin on Dec 8, 2007 11:20 AM PST reply actions

That is a great idea

And if you start it we will supplement your efforts just like we did with DumpDorrell.com

by Nestor on Dec 8, 2007 12:19 PM PST up reply actions

Who you gonna trust?

"There could be concern Jones would use UCLA to get a better deal at Hawaii."

Like this is something new, that no one has ever thought of before? And just to counter the point, it could also be that Jones is pursuing UCLA because he really wants the job. Me, I'm going to trust that DG has the perceptiveness to weed out phony desire.

"It's an ok job. Nothing great. The facilities still are a problem, I question whether the priority is basketball, the fan base and fickle and often whines,..."

Gotta disagree here. If you measure a job's greatness by its exemplary run of recent greatness, then, yes, the job isn't so great. But, if you measure the job by its POTENTIAL, well, that's another story. Great location, big time division 1 programs, beautiful campus, overall history of athletic excellence, some even in football.

I would think that a sharp coach who's living, working, and succeeding at a school without a reasonable chance to break on through to the other side (apologies to Jim Morrison) would see the potential and go after the job.

Are you kidding? The recruiting potential, alone, makes it a great job for the right coach. The right guy would recognize that all that's needed to turn current mediocrity into excellence is continued recruiting and good ol' solid teaching. Coaching, that is (with apologies to Foghorn Leghorn).

I'm not saying Jones is the guy. But, he might be. I don't think we should dismiss him out of hand the way Dohn seems to be for being desirous of the job. That's why DG gets paid his salary, to see through the phonies and to find a great match. Apparently, Dohn doesn't agree that DG has this ability, and so offers his own helpful insights. Thanks, Brian. Myself, I'm gonna trust the AD.

p.s. Can someone point to instructions on how to put quotes and excerpts in neat little blue boxes?

by Bruinut on Dec 8, 2007 1:45 PM PST reply actions

I still like the June Jones idea.

Does he have family on the mainland's west coast? One thing that I seem to remember from Howland's hiring was that he had family in the SoCal area and that was a draw (and I think will help keep him). As for June Jones, UCLA at least keeps him in arm reach of any Hawaii family. Do any of the other suggested HC have ties to SoCal?

by lunabruin on Dec 8, 2007 4:03 PM PST reply actions

June Jones

I would love to see that offense in the Pac-10. If you doubled his salary it would still be reasonable compared to some of the salaries out there for top guys. I hope his interest is sincere.

I also like the fact that the guy doesn't speak in coach-speak. You can't do boring any more spot on than Dorrell. A guy who says what's on his mind would send the MSM around here into a swoon. Listening to Dorrell speak was coma-inducing.

by BruinAl on Dec 8, 2007 7:51 PM PST reply actions

I can't figure out what's happening.

I was disappointed that we lost today's game to Colorado, so I started listening to that new guy -can't remember his name, but he took over for Coach Toledo - start talking about what happened in the game. I heard about turning corners and installations and movements, and then things started getting foggy. My wife tells me that was five years ago and I've been in a coma. Nah - can't be.

by Fox 71 on Dec 8, 2007 8:54 PM PST up reply actions