Back in May Karl Dorrell spoke at "Sports at Lunch" at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park, San Diego. As usual he didn't make sunset. Tom Shanahan, who is the media coordinator for the San Diego Hall of Champions, and also a sports columnist has an article on Karl Dorrell and Bruin football recruiting in San Diego. It's a mixed bag. Let's start with the bad, which is as usual Karl Dorrell sounding incoherent in public. Here is Dorrell on his first year:
"I came back to college from the NFL, where it's more Xs and Os than relationships with the players," Dorrell said. "In the NFL, it's get the job done -- your focus is on the result. That first year at UCLA, I was entrenched with getting in the offense and defense. I forgot about the individual players. I got the cart before the horse.
Hmmm where to start? First, Dorrell was a "wide receiver?s coach" in Mike Shanahan's coaching staff. In terms of dealing with the Xs and Os - it was Mike Shanahan and his then OC - Gary Kubiak - who were in total control. If anything considering he was a position coach his job was to work closely with Broncos receiving corps, develop close relationships with them, and make sure they were well versed in Broncos Xs and Os. So Dorrell's line about his experience in the NFL is total nonsense.Second, he admits how he "forgot" about individual players in his first year at UCLA (i.e. he forgot to use Manny White in his first game against Colorado). In other words he is openly admitting he was unqualified to take over the job as the UCLA head coach. You'd think an aspiring college head coach before taking over the program would learn and memorize his roster and get to know his players before the first season. Seems like it is one of the most fundamental aspects of college head coach's job description. But Dorrell apparently was not well versed in those basic fundamental job descriptions when he was hired by UCLA admins. to take over in Westwood.
Anyways Dorrell wasn't done. He went on and said this about his second year in Westwood:
"The second year I spent a great deal of time getting to know the players. I noticed a tremendous difference between year one and year two, and I revisited it again last year. The result was we had a very good football team."
I guess only in Dorrell's world going from a 6-7 season to a 6-7 season is considered a "tremendous difference."Anyways there is a sliver of good news in the column. Guess UCLA is currently edging SC in recruiting in - San Diego:
The only San Diegan on USC's roster is a backup junior college transfer who has yet to play a down for the Trojans, Mozique McCurtis of St. Augustine High and Grossmont College.
Cotton Warburton and Russ Saunders, pre-World War II All-American Trojans from San Diego High, must be rolling over in their graves. Saunders was the model for the Tommy Trojan statue outside Heritage Hall.
UCLA, meanwhile, has early oral commitments from St. Augustine High quarterback Chris Forcier and Mira Mesa High tight end Nate Chandler to go with returning players and a high-profile incoming freshman.
Forcier is one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation who threw for 31 touchdowns with only eight interceptions last year. He was sitting on 25 scholarship offers when he announced his commitment in April.
"I think Karl Dorrell is a great coach who has the program back on track," Forcier said. "I like how he has an even-keeled demeanor. He's someone I felt comfortable with."
Chandler, a big body as a 6-foot-6, 225-pounder, plays the position like Marcedes Lewis. You remember Lewis. He's the tall, rangy UCLA tight end who ran roughshod over San Diego State's secondary last year and was drafted in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
UCLA's incoming freshmen include Morse High's Darius Savage. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound offensive and defensive lineman swept the CIF State track and field titles in June in the shot put, an event requiring brute strength, and the discus, an event requiring agility and quickness.
UCLA, which begins practice Monday, has a roster that features two starters, a backup and two promising redshirt freshmen from San Diego.
That's nice and all. But we'd like to UCLA pull even with USC in rest of the Southland because judging by Dorrell's three years in Westwood it's clear he hasn't gotten the job done. If he can show discernible progress this season then UCLA will truly be back in the recruiting wars far beyond San Diego.Cotton Warburton and Russ Saunders, pre-World War II All-American Trojans from San Diego High, must be rolling over in their graves. Saunders was the model for the Tommy Trojan statue outside Heritage Hall.
UCLA, meanwhile, has early oral commitments from St. Augustine High quarterback Chris Forcier and Mira Mesa High tight end Nate Chandler to go with returning players and a high-profile incoming freshman.
Forcier is one of the top quarterback recruits in the nation who threw for 31 touchdowns with only eight interceptions last year. He was sitting on 25 scholarship offers when he announced his commitment in April.
"I think Karl Dorrell is a great coach who has the program back on track," Forcier said. "I like how he has an even-keeled demeanor. He's someone I felt comfortable with."
Chandler, a big body as a 6-foot-6, 225-pounder, plays the position like Marcedes Lewis. You remember Lewis. He's the tall, rangy UCLA tight end who ran roughshod over San Diego State's secondary last year and was drafted in the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
UCLA's incoming freshmen include Morse High's Darius Savage. The 6-foot-3, 320-pound offensive and defensive lineman swept the CIF State track and field titles in June in the shot put, an event requiring brute strength, and the discus, an event requiring agility and quickness.
UCLA, which begins practice Monday, has a roster that features two starters, a backup and two promising redshirt freshmen from San Diego.
GO BRUINS.