While the local leaders were busy this week campaigning for DeWayne Walker and busy weaving a narrative that coaches are falling off UCLA's coaching search, it looks like the national sports reporters are hearing different information. From SportingNews.com's Tom Dienhart who earlier this year accurately reported on mid-season meeting b/w DG and DyNoMite (which Dohn worked over time to disspell and then being proven wrong on) it sounds like neither Leach nor Mariucci is off the table:
UCLA
Ex-NFL coach Steve Mariucci and Texas Tech's Mike Leach are still the names I hear. I also was told today that Hawaii's June Jones could get involved. And Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow is said to be interested.
One source told me UCLA will talk to Chow on Monday, Leach on Tuesday and Mariucci on Wednesday.
So if were to believe that it sounds like Dohn's chracterization of UCLA's interest in Leach being "lukewarm" as total BS. And remember this is not the first time this season Dohn has served up total BS when it comes to UCLA football. There is enough info in our archive now to create one of those lists for Dohn that will expose him as one of the most unreliable reporters when it comes to college football.Ex-NFL coach Steve Mariucci and Texas Tech's Mike Leach are still the names I hear. I also was told today that Hawaii's June Jones could get involved. And Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow is said to be interested.
One source told me UCLA will talk to Chow on Monday, Leach on Tuesday and Mariucci on Wednesday.
Yet Walker is working these unreliable reporters and doing his best to create the narrative what a terrific job he is doing as an interim coach. Chris Foster is quoting the Mouth - Bruce Davis - to describe the `different vibe' in practice:
"There was a different vibe, a different energy," senior Bruce Davis said. "That's what Coach Walker brings to the table."
And BD is arguing the next game should be an audition for Walker:
One thing Walker should be able to rely on is complete focus from his players. At least that was the rally cry Saturday.
"We're ready to go out there and show everybody that this guy should have an opportunity to be a head coach," Davis said.
Whatever. Just like UCLA had to fire Dorrell no matter what happened in the last regular season game, UCLA should not hire the DyNoMite no matter what happens against a BYU team, a program that UCLA should always be able to beat because of having the talent advantage. Beating BYU should mean nothing in terms of whether Walker should be the head coach."We're ready to go out there and show everybody that this guy should have an opportunity to be a head coach," Davis said.
Anyway, more glowing report on Walker from the OC Register:
"I feel pretty comfortable," Walker said. "I'm sure when I'm in the office tonight by myself just reflecting, (I'll think), I wish I had done this, I probably need to do a better job of this tomorrow."
He spent much of the morning practice making his way around Spaulding Field, paying close attention to how other position coaches ran their drills.
"It looked like he's been doing it for a while," quarterback Ben Olson said. "He has his hand in the offense and has given us some of the wrinkles he thinks will be beneficial. To have his input, being a defensive coordinator, is really going to help us out."
And of course from Brian Dohn:
He spent much of the morning practice making his way around Spaulding Field, paying close attention to how other position coaches ran their drills.
"It looked like he's been doing it for a while," quarterback Ben Olson said. "He has his hand in the offense and has given us some of the wrinkles he thinks will be beneficial. To have his input, being a defensive coordinator, is really going to help us out."
Lingering on the sideline, watching Walker and the practice, was UCLA associate athletic director Bob Field, a liaison between the football program and athletic director Dan Guerrero, who said Walker will interview for the job.
"It was (different), in a fun way," Walker said. "I was trying not change everything but just trying to tweak a thing here, tweak a thing there."
Aaah yes Brian. Thanks for sharing that detail on Bob Field, the Donahue loser who saddled us with Dorrell, is now out there giving you thoughts on DeWayne Walker."It was (different), in a fun way," Walker said. "I was trying not change everything but just trying to tweak a thing here, tweak a thing there."
The more I read the Walker lovefest, the more I want this guy gone from UCLA football. I have never seen so much ogling over an above average assistant coach with two years of experience. If these losers had any sense of history (recent UCLA football history) they'd know Walker isn't even the most dynamic UCLA DC in last twenty years. That title would go to Rocky Long, whose defense was unpredictable, dynamic, played with a relentless attacking mode that made us wanted to watch defense. Yet if we were to believe the losers covering the UCLA beat or race baiting shills like Kurt Streeter than UCLA is obligated to plunge into another "experiment" hoping and praying that an assistant coach with zero head coaching experience grows into the job. No thanks. We will keep repeating again and again until we know for sure that Walker will not be our next HC, that he will not be an acceptable option as the next UCLA head coach.
GO BRUINS.