Here is the 12th set:

Do you think CRN’s speech that was online strained relationships w/ his current players? What can you say about current recruits’ impressions about the coaching staff?
Why would it strain relationships with current players? The team was terrible. I think the players know that. Nothing Neuheisel said was incorrect, and if it hurts the players’ feelings, so be it. They need to be tougher, then.

Any word on where Alfred Aboya will end up?
Somewhere in Europe, I suspect.

How often do you hear from a recruit that they are less interested in the school’s impact on their playing career and more interested in the school’s quality of education (i.e. more like a typical high school senior figuring out where to apply for college)?
They all say it, but I don’t think many believe it. It is usually lip service. However, if a player is high on academics, it shows in the school’s he is looking at.

Covering UCLA for 6 years now, on a scale 1-6, how good at least from “what you’ve seen thus far standpoint” is this year’s defense compared to past units? Though the coordinator is from the system, is him being new enough to drop them a spot or two?
How would I know? They are still six weeks away from their first practice. I haven’t seen anything yet to judge. All I can tell you is the defense should be good. Not great, but good.

is there any talk of allowing Eric Scott back on staff to recruit the inner city?
Absolutely no talk of it

Have you heard any recent updates on Coach Wooden’s health?
Have not. If anything was wrong and I heard, I would report it.

It seems USC is getting most of the “major” recruits on to their campus for football camp, so why can’t we get those same elite recruits to visit?
Because USC plays in BCS games every year and is a marquee destination in the world of college football. UCLA hasn’t been good in more than a decade.

Is it an NCAA violation for a current defensive player to communicate directly with a top flight defensive recruit to try and sway him to campus?
Nope.

Do the Bruins still have a recruiting interest in Leonard Rhodes (FB/DE) from Walnut HS ?
I know the staff is monitoring him, but nothing really more than that.