"Departure" of the WR Coach: Something is Off

by Nestor on Feb 23, 2007 5:13 AM PST in Football Comment 12 comments

Sorry to post this note on Dorrell's football program while we are all euphoric over another Ben Ball victory, but I wanted to put this up before this week was over. I don't know how we all missed this. If you haven't yet make sure to read Dohn's post on former WR coach D.J. McCarthy's taking the same position with L.S.U. Check out this from McCarthy (emphasis mine):

McCarthy, who accepted the receivers coaching job a LSU. He said a big reason for the move is off the football field, and the quality of life for his family.

"If and when we make it to a BCS bowl, I'll have a chance to double my UCLA salary,'' McCarthy said. "That's why coach (Karl) Dorrell has lost a lot of good coaches.''

Huh? This doesn't make any sense at all. Is McCarthy implying that KD has lost a "lot of good coaches" because they didn't see the opportunity to increase their salary by going to a BCS bowl game at UCLA? If that is what he is saying then that is one of the more scathing indictments yet on Karl Dorrell's tenure at UCLA? A HT goes out to commenter Stan Gomez on DD for bringing attention to that comment.

Also keep in mind as DD pointed out that LSU wasn't the only job McCarthy was pursuing. He was also pursuing a similar position at his alma mater - Washington - which probably wouldn't offer him a marked increase in salary. Not to mention cost of living in Seattle is not all that cheap compared to that in LA.

Something is really off here. DD zeroes in on this point in bluestreet diary's comment thread:

In today's hyper branded and scripted world, no one should take anything a public official or institution, or any public figure, says at face value. they have an image and brand to protect. it is entirely reasonable to make the assumption that 3 coaches gone on the offensive side of the ball, when the offense sucked last year, was a systematic purge. who would it benefit to say it was so?? our competitors. who would it hurt? our football program (or those who benefit from the status quo - i.e. Dorrell), the coaches who were ousted, and our institution (who those in charge think it would hurt).

The incentives for Colletto, McCarthy, Dorrell, Morgan Center, and the powers that be who want to maintain the status quo are fully aligned towards saying both Colletto and McCarthy left for "beter opportunities." it's a fine line they are straddling, one they couldn't toe with Svoboda. if they had said Svoboda was leaving for better opportunities even their newsletter, the Daily Bruin, would have to call them on such a lie. not so much with Colletto and McCarthy.

But the evidence is obvious. the only 3 coaches gone were part of the big problem Dorrell was criticized for this past season, the offense. Colletto had been back and forth in the NFL many times, and Detroit is no step up for him - it is retread. a potential national championship at UCLA would be far more glorious. McCarthy interviewed with expensive-Seattle-based Washington before he interview with LSU, so the cheaper city excuse doesn't jive. Plus, Washington doesn't pay SEC money. Plus, why again would he leave a potential national champion after just 1 year?

Scapegoating is an obvious conclusion that is supported by the evidence.

People may want to be in denial about the fact this wasn't just another case of scape-goating and getting a coach pushed out of the program. But there is something really fishy about a coach leaving a program, just one year after he was brought with a lot of hype. I mean how many of you remember this from Karl Dorrell a little more than a year ago:

But the biggest impact McCarthy might make would be to tap into the talent-rich recruiting base in Florida. McCarthy played at Washington, but attended Boca Raton High and coached at Fort Lauderdale High before moving to the college ranks.

"I think D.J. is a great fit for our staff. He has a great track record of developing productive receivers and he is an outstanding, energetic recruiter," Dorrell said. "He is very familiar with Florida and the surrounding states and I think that will be a big plus for our recruiting efforts."

Uhm I wonder what happened? He turned out to be such a "great fit" that he started looking for lateral positions just a year after coming into Westwood?

I guess someone had to take the blame for our WR unit being one of the most underachieving unit of an overall boring and predictable offense. Not to mention once against KD and his staff failed to sign a single 5 star WR recruit in another class. Given the scenario it is not that unreasonable for one to infer something is off and just maybe another coach is taking the fall (or high tailing out of Westwood) because of Dorrell's under achievements at UCLA.

GO BRUINS.

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Re:: Why can't KD recuit elite WR's

It might be because his offense doesn't allow talented WR's to shine.
They don't get many opportunities to catch the ball.

Look at how the WR's have stacked up under KD.
This listing shows the top 2 WR's each season,
and where they rank in the Pac-10 for receptions per game.

2003
Craig Bragg 6th
Ryan Smith 25th
2004
Craig Bragg 10th
Junior Taylor 22nd
2005
Joe Cowan 23rd
Marcus Everett 24th
2006
Marcus Everett (not in the top 25 in the conference)
Junior Taylor (not in the top 25 in the conference)

So, except for Craig Bragg (3 & 4 years ago) KD hasn't had a receiver in the top 20 in the Pac-10.

Why would elite WR's want to come here for that...

by McCloskey on Feb 23, 2007 1:42 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

typical

typical fact-based "extremist" criticism ...

by DumpDorrell on Feb 23, 2007 2:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's also typically racist and fascist

It's also typically everything if one were to suggest that the rhetoric coming out of the Athletic Department is now way, way beyond simple spin. It's just flat out lies. Sure, no one's agenda is advanced if the truth is told, but why not simply say nothing. Frankly, it's insulting to the Bruin fan base to think that we are such blithering idiots that we would believe this crap. So no more "spin" - just don't say anything.

I believe the press releases about the football program about as much as I believe that the NCAA is ever going to do anything about justsc.

by Fox 71 on Feb 23, 2007 2:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i'm confused...

first, in order to scapegoat, don't you need to place blame? if the spin was that he was fired, and blame for our offensive woes last season (specifically with our wide receivers) was placed on him on his way out, that would be typical "scapegoating".

call me naive, but couldn't it be true that a wide receivers coach at a school like ucla, which typically doesn't pay its assistant football coaches a staggering amount of money, could have been offered a higher paying position at an sec football factory? look at what happened with bienemy...its not unheard of for coaches to leave for more money at lower cost-of-living locations.

finally, terrence austin was a highly touted recruit, and discounting recruits because some random recruiting service only gave them 4 stars instead of the magical 5 seems like you're just trying to convince yourself to get pissed off.

by roney85 on Feb 23, 2007 4:11 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

This was the point I was making in the diaries

The fact that the WR coach is leaving for the same job at LSU is very bad when factored with all the other coaches who have left the program. Why don't they want to stay? It suggests there is a problem in the program itself. Also the situation suggests, when you look at each of the other coaches who have left this year, that it may not have been totally voluntary. But to say with out question this is a case of scapegoating makes all of us look unreasonable, because we are not making the proper qualifications on our statements. That is not to say it isn't the case, just that we don't have actual proof. We need to focus on verifiable facts like McCloskey does. Our extrapolations based on them should not be stated as fact. That sort of attitude is what our detractors will use against us, be they SC or KD supporters (or both).

I just hope our new WR coach will get our receivers ready and the Offensive scheme will work. If not, we know the common factor. This past year was sad in that regard.

by isodore on Feb 23, 2007 5:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yes it's the same job

But far from a lateral move. LSU is the real deal with GREAT players (probable #1 draft pick this year) and their WR's are fast! The Tigers compete on the national stage and for national championships and generally kick ass. They get the players, exposure and experience coaches need to move up. You can't compare UCLA football to LSU and coaches know that.

Does McCarthy think KD is the reason UCLA won't get to a BCS game? Probably. But he also certainly knows that the academic requirements and the stadium issues will also be there and keep the Bruins from being successful.

The real question is if UCLA went to a BCS game would McC get the same bonus he would at LSU? Because that's a big FU. Anyone know his contract?

And draft ratings are meaningless... what's more important is how they grow under the program... uh-oh.

by greatgymnasticsschool on Feb 23, 2007 8:55 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

what is confusing?

to scapegoat you dont need place blame publicly. just because they make a coach leaving look good in a pr doesn't mean it's what they say it is. how many times have coaches or players left teams saying all the right things when everyone knows things went down differently?! purging the offense of coaches is evidence enough to make a valid analysis of scapegoating, especially when nearly every starter is returning, and most are senior returning starters, and we have a favorable schedule!

and youre overlooking the fact that McCarthy FIRST interviewed with Washington NOT LSU. just because coaches do legitimately leave for better paying jobs in cheaper locales doesn't mean that was why McCarthy LOOKED for a job. as the post points out he was supposed to be the great recruiter and the great fit. what happened in just one year to change that??? and again, he was thinking about expensive Seattle before Baton Rouge.

as far as recruiting rankings, its the Dorrellistas that keep bringing up the "great recruiting class." live by the sword, die by the sword.

by DumpDorrell on Feb 23, 2007 6:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

One thing will "unconfuse" the situation

and that is Coach Dorrell doing what he was hired to do -- compete for the Pac-10 title, beat justsc, and get to a BCS bowl game.

Based on his track record, he will finish in the middle of the Pac-10, will not beat justsc, and will get blown out in another Earl Scheib "I'll Paint Any Car Any Color For $29.95" Bowl game. We will be exactly where we are now, with the Dorrellistas coming up with all sorts of reasons why he should not be canned, and those of us out here opening our veins to put ourselves out of our misery.

And Dan Guerrero will maintain radio silence while on whatever secret mission he is on.

by Fox 71 on Feb 23, 2007 8:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks DD

saved me a response.

by Nestor on Feb 24, 2007 7:23 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

another part...

that ive bitched about as well is that dorrell for some reason rotates 4-5 receivers all the time almost like a 1st team and 2nd team, that would rotate in and out every play. thats why we never saw taylor and everett on the field on the same time cause they both play the "x" receiver or whatever the terminolgy is. why couldn't they just put one at the "x" and "y." thats why are receivers never accumulate enough catches, going back to the point, why would a receiver want to come here if he couldnt play every down.

by redsand514 on Feb 24, 2007 9:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

run like the wind

It just goes to show you how out of control this train wreck is when coaches are willing to leave for far off places just to get away.
This coach know he wants to be part of something special.

This coach wants to coach in front of 90,000 screaming fans, rather than the 40,000 mannequins afraid to get off their ass and make a little noise at the Rose Bowl. That's right, I'm calling out the Alumni with all the cash. When your team is on defense, get off your ass and make noise!!!

This coach knows this train wreck has a one way ticket to the Fresno Bowl rather than a legitimate shot at a BCS bid.

This coach knows if he wants job satisfaction and decent pay, it's time to hit the road like all the other coaches before him.

Coach McCarthy smells what's Bruin in the Nation. When is Dan G. going to finally catch a whiff of it? I'll answer my own question, not only does Dan smell it, he has the nasty taste in his mouth.
Hopefully after this season, the mandatory five year quota is finished and we can find a staff that has the desire and commitment to be in the BCS bowl game promised to us years ago.

by bcrack on Feb 24, 2007 1:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

DJ Leaving is Understandable

Wouldn't you leave for a program like LSU that is poised to compete for a national championship next year and also be promised a nice fat bonus if your team actually does win the NC? It is a no brainer. Leave a team with mediocre talent (especially at the WR) for a team with first rate, NFL bound talent? Not have to work for head coach who can't lead, manage a game, recruit or hire and retain good coaches? Can't blame DJ. Good luck and send us a post card in January from LA when you're playing for the NC and we're home blogging to get Dorrell canned.

by Bald Eagle on Mar 1, 2007 4:41 PM PST reply actions 0 recs