Just got this via email from Morgan Center (emphasis added):
Norm Chow, perhaps the top offensive coordinator in college football, will continue in that role at UCLA, it was announced today.
“I appreciate the interest from USC and Lane Kiffin, but I feel we are building something special here at UCLA and I am excited about our future,” said Chow, who has coached three Heisman Trophy winners during his illustrious career. “We have some outstanding young players in the program and we are working hard on finishing strong in recruiting.”
“We are thrilled that Norm is going to continue as our offensive coordinator,” said head coach Rick Neuheisel. “As Norm said, we are building something special at UCLA and he is certainly a very important part of the package. We have unfinished business here at UCLA and our coaches and players are very excited about our future. I’m glad Norm wants to finish what he’s started. UCLA is a special place to call home.”
So it's official (now posted on the official site). Rick Neuheisel and UCLA just gut punched the entire Trojan football machine in less than 24 hours of the Hello Kiffin era.
Let's put it in perspective again. Mike Garrett and his Trojan boosters put out a full court press going after UCLA's offensive coordinator by throwing millions of dollars at him. Millions. From all the reports it sure looks like it was Garrett's idea and it is telling about how much confidence the Trojan brass including Mike Garrett has in the playcalling abilities of Norm Chow. Now they just got thumped and humiliated in a very public manner by Neuheisel and Norm Chow. It couldn't work out any better for the Bruins as the public spectacle will validate to all the recruits why there is so much buzz (the positive kind) is going on in Westwood, while the Trojans slime themselves up in Lamey's sleazy muck.
Just a total embarrassment and humiliation for the Trojan empire. Who knows where will they look for their OC. It's not our problem. Our coaches can get back to recruiting while Chow, Neuheisel and UCLA can work out the long term picture in the coming months. I am not worried how that shapes up one way or another. What I am going to enjoy is the fact that Neueheisel, Chow and the Bruins just embarrassed the Trojan AD and his newly minted, pathetic, Man-Boy "head coach." Good times.
GO BRUINS.
UPDATE (N): Oh boy. It's getting dicey across town already:
Why didn't Norm Chow return to USC? I'm going to guess it had something to do with the fact you would be working for the person who tried to clean out your office before you quit your job at USC five years ago.
Yikes. Even Karl Dorrell made a better impression with his beat writers when he came back to LA (without a Rock Top mountain of baggage). GO BRUINS.