Darius Savage. What is your take on him? I thought he would crack the depth chart next year and maybe compete for garbage time this year.
I think Savage will crack the depth chart at some point this season, particularly if Brian Price doesn’t get his clearinghouse issues cleaned up soon. What held him back was missing spring practice to compete with the track and field team.

How have the all-everything freshman looked? Did anybody stand out? Carter, Price, Sloan, Love, Viney? I know you said they are red-shirting except for Price (carter due to medical) but how do they look to your seasoned eye? A good recruiting class?
Carter, in case you didn’t know, is out for the year with an ACL injury. Price has only practiced one day because of clearinghouse issues. Sloan is a heady player, but is learning the defense. Love will red-shirt because he is coming of shoulder surgery, although he is practicing in a non-contact jersey. Viney needs to get stronger, and shouldn’t play unless UCLA really needs him. As far as the class overall, ask me in two years, when these kids have a chance to develop.

Any chance Ware gets a look at RB? Wasn't he a star in High School at that spot?
I don’t think Aaron is interested in playing running back anymore. From what I understand, he feels he invested a lot of time in the secondary, and doesn’t want to waste it. Also, he had a nice spring and could get playing time this season at safety.

Why do you let idiots like DumpDorrell post? I know it's America, but do you let deranged lunatics into a Chuck E. Cheese too?
Because I believe in free speech. If you don’t like the person or what is posted by he/she, don’t respond to it and that will render the person silent.
what is the biggest position of need for the remaining scholies
I would say, at this point, maybe land a defensive tackle. Other than that, I think the class is pretty complete.

What is your opinion of the academic standards for CAL vs. UCLA? Shouldn't all UC schools follow the same guidelines for new applicants? Has UCLA ever mentioned off the record of their displeasure? Will UCLA's commitment to a new "holistic" approach help Dorrell and company to get kids in that are borderline recruits.
I believe the standards are different, that Cal can get kids in that UCLA cannot get in. As for the second part, no, I don’t think the standards for all UC schools should be the same. It’s about diversity, and offering different things to different people. As for UCLA mentioning things “off the record,’’ since it is off the record, I will not comment. However, through my discussions, I believe UCLA coaches are often frustrated by it, although I don’t know how much of the general population is frustrated by it. And finally, the “holistic’’ approach, I just think the better players do academically, the more it helps UCLA recruit borderline kids in the future.

how many more recruits do you think will be brought in for 08?
Right now UCLA has 23 commitments (counting Kemonte Bateman), and the limit is 25. And UCLA plans on bringing in 25 kids.

Who do you think is to blame for the wasting of DJ's freshman year? Dorrell says he did not authorize McCarthy to send him in against Utah. Do you believe Dorrell? Did this play a role in McCarthy leaving the program? Thanks.
I think McCarthy and Dorrell are both to blame. If the kid wasn’t supposed to play, that should have been communicated clearly well before the game. I believe Dorrell, mostly because he’s usually been honest (sometimes to a fault) about things that go on. He rarely passes the buck, even when I think he should. I think a bigger role in McCarthy leaving was the pitiful play of the receivers last season, and the asinine way receivers were rotated in and out of the game.

Will we see a lot of new formations and sets on offense this year? It appears that this is the case early on in practice, no?
I’m not going to get into what you will see because there is an understanding between reporters and coaches not to disclose new formations, but I think there will be plenty new going on with the offense. And it’s not secret the shot-gun will be part of it.

Does it seem strange to you that coach Norvell is planning on doing his play calling from the sidelines this season? Do many (if any) OC's work this way? Can you ask him more about this and what his thinking is on doing it this way rather than from the press box?
I find it peculiar Norvell will be on the sideline calling plays. I don’t know how many other OC’s do it that way. I have talked to him at length about his reasoning, and he said he wants to be on the field so he can talk to his offense, especially his quarterbacks. He said as long as there is great communication between the sideline and the press box, it can work. Remember, Tom Cable spent his first year on the sideline.