Q&A time

1) Do you know Jeff Siegel of UCLA All Access? How did he get his job? He isn't that great of a reporter.

2)I know it has only been one practice, but can you tell if the players enjoying playing under the new coaching staff? I know some of the players last year seemed upset that Dorrell was fired, so what do they think now that the new staff is in place?

3) What's with the new practice jerseys? Wrong shade of blue. Was this something Adidas did?

4) How do you think UCLA will do against Tennessee?

Cowan is now a student coach/assistant. Is he assigned to a specific area, such as working with QBs?

Any significance to the fact that Bosworth now appears to be the starting weak side linebacker and not the starting strong side linebacker?

For basketball recruiting what are the differences between the official and unofficial visits. Can you elaborate on what sort of events or timeline happens for each. Thanks.

I read some articles in a Salt Lake newspaper that BYU has verbals from two of Manti Te'o's cousins, who are both 3-star recruits from HI. Have you heard any info on whether this is playing a major role in his recruiting to BYU. If so, and with SC taking over PSU as "linebacker U", do yo see us having any legit shot at landing him?

If Dasarte Yarnway goes to Oregon or Cal as expected, do you see UCLA offering Daniel Jenkins?

Also, thanks you not being me to your readers like Greg Hicks.

f Dasarte Yarnway goes to Oregon or Cal as expected, do you see UCLA offering Daniel Jenkins?

Also, thanks you not being mean to your readers like Greg Hicks.

so, ucla is practicing at a faster tempo?
could it be that you're a year older now and everything just looks faster?

i read in one of your stories that ucla is one of the premiere football programs in the pac-10. maybe it was a jill painter story, i don't remember. but do you really think that or were you just trying to be nice because they haven't been any good for so long?

Since it appears that Kevin Prince is getting into position to challenge for the starting job next year, what is the status on him taking his LDS mission?

Also, does he have any lingering effects from his knee injury?

Does UCLA have a realistic shot at any out-of-state DT prospects this year? CA appears to have a weak class.

Do you think Sean Westgate will see some playing time this year? What was the main reason he was moved from LB to S?

Does UCLA have its eye on any good JC O-Line prospects this year?

Neuheisel, Chow, Walker. Democrats or Republicans?

Brian, what is the latest with Morrell Pressley? Is he still interested in UCLA, and what about Fluornoy and Randall Carroll?

Do we have a realistic shot with John Martinez?

Can you give us an example of why and how Coach Chow's offense is simpler?

Thanks

Does Howland get one "silver bullet" with the admissions committee to bring in an ncaa-minimum qualifier (for example, perhaps Elijah Johnson) on account of the fact that all the rest of the players he's bringing in are excellent students (e.g. Brendan Lane's 4.2 gpa)?

There seems to be quite a few freshmen that could contribute this season. What's your feeling about our freshmen running backs Dean, Knox or Coleman playing some??

1. Earlier you mentioned (or mentioned somebody mentioning) that P. Cowan wasn't the student assistant type of personality. How has he taken to his new job? Is he taking it seriously or simply as a means to finish school?

2. I know this is primarily a basketball/football blog (based on reader feedback) .... but what the heck has happened to UCLA Track and Field. Some big name athletes came out of that program but the program didn't seem to have a very good showing at the last NCAA's and the number athletes at the olympics seems to be going down too. I remember 4 years ago noting how many athletes from around the world train in LA ... I would think that would play in to UCLA's hands. What's changed?

Why does UCLA have trouble recruiting outside the west in basketball, while schools like UNC, Georgetown and others are able to pull kids from anywhere including Southern California? Is this something you think will change?

Brian - Thanks for a great Blog. I like the audio clips, but they are often hard to understand. If you can post a short summary with the clip, it would be very helpful.

Brian - great job on the blog and your regular reports. Would you ever consider joining your readers/fans for a tailgate or are you too busy with other assignments to enjoy a nice, cool libation between your duties?

It is obvious that the hiring of Neuheisel/Chow has injected the Football program with more passion and energy. Do you feel that this hiring has had the same effect on your reporting?

Richard Brehaut was recently ranked number 34 on ESPN's Top 150 list, which was recently re-evaluated. I know he showed up big time at the Elite 11 Camp. I know you said in last weeks Q&A that UCLA first realistic shot at the Pac-10 title will be in 2010. That being said, do you believe that Brehaut has what it takes to shoulder UCLA back into conference and national contention?

How much reps would a transfer like Maiava get in practice if at all? If DWalker leaves at the end of this year, could you see one of the current defensive assistants (Bullough/Howard) getting the DC job?

Love the audio feeds. Adds a different dimension to the blog. Keep up the great work Dohnster!

How much pressure is neuheisal under to turn ucla around? Is he pressured to win the pac-10 title in a couple of years?

Glicksburg is listed in the media guide as weighing 300 pounds, 31 pounds heavier than his prior listing. Do you think he is actually that heavy at the present time? With Ekbatani practicing at tackle, does it now appear almost certain that Glicksburg will end fall practice as a starter at guard?

Did Nick Garibay (C) from Banning HS in Wilmington , Ca. make it into camp ? He was supposed to walk-on ?

So, as traditional media outlets continue to jump into the blogosphere, I see you now have some more competition, namely from the OC Register and ESPN, who have launched a UCLA blog and a Pac-10 blog, respectively. They are obviously trying to ride coat tails on your success here, and steal some hits. What do you think of the upstarts? Do you plan going Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan on those guys/gals at Spaulding?

In your analysis of each position heading into fall practice, you mentioned every incoming freshman except E.J. Woods. Was this inadvertant or was there a reason for leaving him out?

Of the walk-ons that you listed earlier in the week, who has a realistic chance of making the team? For those that do make the team, are they destined for the scout team?

Which players currently comprise the second team offensive line? Does UCLA have enough offensive linemen to fill out third and fourth team lines?

brian ...

i saw from your bio that you went to rutgers. my question is this - which is the tougher job, schiano taking over at your school or neuheisel at ucla?
part of me thinks rutgers, because it's in new jersey and there aren't as many athletes there. but part of me things ucla because when it recruits it has academic requirements that the players have to meet.

Thanks for the great job you do on this blog.

1) Do you have any info on the condition of Robert Kibble? He left school last year to concentrate on his condition.

2) Do you think there will be any surprise changes in the two-deep after fall camp?

3) How much input/control does Coach Neuheisel have on the offense? How well do he and Coach Chow interact?

Since Akeem Ayers is much faster and more athletic than John Hale, what is the primary reason why Hale remains ahead of Ayers on the depth chart? Is Ayers having trouble picking up the defensive schemes?

Does UCLA test football players and other athletes for steroids and other performance enhancement drugs? If so, what would happen if someone tests positive?

Brian, without giving away confidential info, in general, what is an offense's philosophy when an offensive line is considered weak or a "liability?" Is the philosophy, generally, for such things as quick slants and wide-receiver screens for passes, roll-outs and dump-offs to the backs, quick-hitting off-tackle runs, and runs to the offense's strong side - to make sure running plays have both a fullback and tight end to open holes for the back?

Hey brain, Hope ou don't bore of my "about your job..." questions. What was your major and minor in college, and where did you go after you graduated? If you could have done something differently in school, what would it have been?

Hey brian, Hope you don't bore of my "about your job..." questions. What was your major and minor in college, and where did you go after you graduated? If you could have done something differently in school, what would it have been?---had to make corrections from the previous post.

brian youve reported earlier about the tight bond between the recruits and their families of this season, throwing bbq's and whatnot. that was very insightful, thanks, i hope to hear more of this kind of inside slant on things, its very unique and refreshing, as opposed to just dry reporting that others do. have u seen this bond being maintained within this group, or have they just sorta blended into the rest of the team?

Brian,

Coach Howland is apparently looking to add a guard for the 09 class as evidenced by offers to several top PG's and SG's. Who in your opinion does UCLA have the best chance of landing?

Ultimately, how many players do you think UCLA will bring in for the 09 class?

How are the vets taking to the freshmen? Do the vets keep to themselves or do you seem camaraderie? Or is it "just football?"

What's Neuheisel's view on frosh hazing? Is there going to be some type of initiation ritual like singing in front of the team?

Any chance that one of the frosh DE's Jones or Holmes overtakes Tom Blake? By midseason?

What position do the Freshman safeties project to (Love, Moore, Woods, Westgate, possibly Franklin)? Are both Moore and Woods SS types?

How did the Tyler Honeycutt and Michael Snaer visits go?

If there is success on the field as well as at the gate this year, do you see the athletic dept/Dan Guerrero stepping up and further increasing the financial commitment to the coaching staff?

Have you heard any favorable comments from recruits about increased tempo of the practices?

Would you say there is a sense of urgency this year than in prior years?

How serious can Coach Neuheisel get? How would you describe his demeanor of the practice field? Or what is his coaching style?

Who do you think will be the starting O-line for the first game against Tennessee? Do you think Johnathan Franklin will get a shot at Kick Returner?

Legalsean

What is the latest on the BB recruiting front in general for the 2009 class. What is going on with visits from X Henry, N Jonhson? Why is Snaer now back in play? Will we offer Anthony Marshall? Will any of these guys including Stover or Honeycutt make a decision this month?

Could you give a rough estimate on the number of spectators who have turned out for the first few practices and could you compare it to last two years?

How hot is it on the field around 4pm?

You stated that coaches can start calling recruits on Sept. 1st which is the day UCLA plays Tenn. Is a big turnout of recruits expected?

I was at the tennis tournament on wednesday morning and noticed some football players on the field a little before noon, they didnt look to be apart of the "squad"... who were they?

When is your newborn going to commit to UCLA?

EJ Woods was allegedly taking a summer school class to make up a D+ grade, which is why he was absent at some of the 7-on-7's. How much does this affect his chance to play this year, and do you forsee him battling academic issues throughout his career?

To start let me say I love the new audio being posted and hope that you will continue to do so. Do you see Datone Jones overtaking Bosworth or Blake during camp or at least steaingl some snaps in time for UT?

Does Chows simplicity on offense allow for the freshmen to have a greater impact than in previous seasons? Since some of the incoming RB's and WR's are elite talents that UCLA hasn't seen in a while it seems to make for a great situation.

How did Rahim Moore jump Glenn Love so fast? Love was receiving rave reviews in spring ball for his size, speed, and athleticsm. Could we possibly see a Moore/Love combination against UT instead of Moore/Ware?

Are you getting a weird vibe from the upperclassmen considering it's so obvious that most of the freshmen are on another talent level? Or are they relieved to be getting some much needed help? I thought it was an interesting scenario and wanted to know if it's been felt at all by the players and coaches.

Who do you see getting the majority of the reps at WR on Sept. 1? Do the coaches plan on rotating al ot now with the current freshmen coming in or will it be more like the last couple years where 2-3 guys get the majority of the reps?

Have the coaches decided how they are going to split the carries in the backfield this year with so many talented guys to pick from? How has Knox been doing so far in fall camp? I just have the sense he's a darkhorse with so much talk focused on Bell, Carter, and Dean and he's almost being forgotten. Dude's a stud.

I've been hearing from people who have been attending fall camp so far that Norris is getting outperformed by Hester, and frankly that they don't even compare on a talent level. Pretty much the only card they're playing is Norris has experience but will it be enough to hold off Hester? Based on what i hear Hester is bigger and by far the better athlete.

Have you asked Coach Chow how much his offensive playcalling has changed if at all since his SC days?

Who are the walk on o-linemen in Camp?

Would you consider doing a post every so often on what former UCLA basketball and football players who are not in the NBA or NFL are up to?

Do you know or can you find out how prices for UCLA football and Basketball tickets compare to other big schools

Now that Eric Scott is gone, will UCLA have the same success recruiting the inner city players as when Scott was there?

Do you think it's better for UCLA to focus on getting the best players in California/SoCal each year, or to try for the big-name national recruits? Is a SoCal player always preferable to a national player, all other things (such as talent) being equal? (Applies to both basketball and football.)

Who do you think will have a better pro career: Mayo or Westbrook?

You quoted Micah Reed with "... Now, if we're changing the snap count in practice, when we get to a game it's going to help us out...."

Did you confirm with players that the snap count was never changed the whole year during the actual games, vs never changed during practices? Was this week the first time you were aware of the snap count issue?

Does Mike Schmidt, the JC transfer linebacker who redshirted last year, look like he can contribute this year and earn some playing time?

Tyler Embree has drawn praise as a surehanded pass catcher but has not generated the excitement that many people feel about Moutra and Rosario. Is the problem that Embree lacks the speed and athleticism to be a game breaker, and therefore has less potential than the other two receivers?

It has been reported that Kevin Craft has not thrown well in the first two practices. What seems to be the problem? Is he just too nervous? Does he risk being supplanted by Prince or Crissman if he continues to struggle?

So you are a Liverpool fan, huh? How far back do you think they are going to finish behind Manchester United this year?

Do you think my fellow Chaminade Eagle alum Logan Paulsen has a shot at a descent NFL career? In my opinion he was so under utilized last year and I think he can be a great weapon for the offense.

I appreciate all you work for us!

Lsst year, it was reported that each of the incoming freshmen football players passed their summer classes with good grades. How did this year's incoming freshmen perform in summer school? Unlike last year, I have not seen a press release from UCLA on the subject.

Do you know why we didn't recruit Jemari Roberts? He recently committed to Stanford. Can you write more stories about the differences between the coaches from last year to this year? I found the article about the snap counts very interesting. Thanks again for all your hard work covering UCLA sports.

How has Nate Chandler looked at offensive tackle in the practice sessions? Does he need to get bigger and stronger before he can contribute?

have u noticed a differnce in the way the team practices over the old coaching staff? If so, in what way(s)?

Brian, I know you spent some years following the Dodgers so you had the good fortune of visiting some cool cities. So I ask, best stadium\city, worst stadium\city. Also, favorite steakhouse or restaurant you visited through your travels and the most unusual travel experience you had in that time. Lastly, if you were only allowed one last meal but you had to share it with someone would it be a) Kevin Malone B)Tommy Lasorda C) Bobby K D)J Reid E) Starve alone
Continued success!

How did Sonny Tevaga look during his stint with the first team offensive line after Glicksburg became ill?

does the staff still have a shot at Brandon Sermons??

Do we have an offered Billy Sanders? Do you know what his interest level in UCLA is?

Do you have any idea when Kevin Prince plans to take his Mormon mission? I hope its not anytime soon.

Did the tempo remain up when team went to the combined practice on Thursday?

Do you think its a big deal for the players that the weather at the Rose Bowl is much more hot than in Westwood? Can you ask Coach if it would seem worth to practice in the valley or Pasadena more often so players get use to it?

Can you tell if the players are working harder under this coach than the past pre season camps? Also do the players seem more happy?