Answers, part IX

Any understanable reason for so many QB injuries over the last few years or is it just BAD LUCK?
Bad luck, a bad offensive line and brittle quarterbacks. Many of the injuries involved only two quarterbacks - Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson.

How often do coaches tell recruits, "Hey look we like you but we're waiting on this other guy we're recruiting to make up his mind before we offer you", and are the kids usually cool with that? (Example: UCLA and Anthony Marshall.) Especially with basketball there is a growing trend towards earlier offers so is this still viable?
The schools won't say that. They will make up another reason why they are not yet offering a kid because your scenario is like telling a kid, 'Hey, you're not as good as someone else, so we will wait.'

How important is it in recruiting to be the first or one of the first schools to offer a kid?
I think it depends on the kid. Some kids grow up rooting for a team, and will wait forever to get an offer from that team. Other kids feel a loyalty to a school who is on him early.

When does this musical chairs of the oline end?? Does it look like Palcic will finally settle on a starting five or does this go on throughout the season??
I know he's has 2/5th of the line settle but who's the other 3??
I think the musical chairs last until October, at the earliest. It could go all season. Right now, I think the line will settle out being RT Nick Ekbatani, RG Sonny Tevaga/Scott Glicksberg, C Micah Reed, LG Darius Savage and LT Micah Kia. But that is only for the opener.

Do you think Prince can beat out Forcier by the end of fall? or do you think he'll redshirt?
I don't know yet on either count. I don't think Prince will get enough reps to beat out Foricer, but injuries/ineffectiveness could force Prince to play this season.

sooooo, about ben olsen... isnt anyone raising any concern/suspicion about him re-breaking his toe? like is it the same toe, the same break? why was he cleared for practice??? brian, is this not incompetence on the part of the ucla doctors or something?
Well, I asked Olson those questions, and many similar to it, and he said x-rays were clear and that is what the doctors went off. At the end of the day, if Olson was in too much pain, he could have pulled himself from practice. But unless I get the medical tests or can have a doctor (or trainer) who looked at the medical reports say something different, I cannot write that story.

In your opinion, who is the best player UCLA has had in the time you have been covering UCLA football? Who was the most exciting to watch?
I would say they are the same person - Maurice Drew. He could score from anywhere on the field, and changed games just by lining up in the backfield.

I remember a while back - during the basketball season - that a player was going to transfer and it wasn't until the end of the season that, to everyone's surprise, it was Stanback. However, out of respect for him, you did not give us a reason as to why. Is "All I wanted was to be wanted" the reason??? Or is there more??
Stanback was not happy all season long and nearly left UCLA in December. From talking to sources, Stanback was not happy with how he was being treated by coach Ben Howland in practice, in the locker room, and in general.

Are you aware that Jon Wilner has a much larger (& nicer) picture of himself on his Mercury News College Sports blog? Can you negotiate for a bigger picture? Besides, your current one makes you look like a bit of a grump.
I wouldn't think you would want a bigger picture of me. I thought you would want it smaller, or to disappear.

I think you predicted 6 wins for UCLA this year. If the Bruins look good in beating Tennessee in Week 1, would you expect a better win-loss record?
No, I don't think the Tennessee game outcome changes it. It is based on talent level in UCLA's program and the schedule. A win against Tennessee would boost morale, but it is a long, long season.

Do Chow and Neuheisel want to name a starter at QB soon, or would they prefer let Craft and Forcier battle it out until the end of camp? How does this affect team chemistry?
Although a starter hasn't been named officially, it's pretty much a done deal Craft will be the starter. He is taking all the first-team reps and Neuheisel said he wasn't happy with Forcier's knowledge of the offense. As far as affecting team chemistry, it really does nothing to it.