Weekly Answers, Pt. 3

By Jon Gold on December 24, 2009 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) |

1) We had two greyshirts last year, if they enroll, would count against this year's class. What's the status with Jared Koster and Taniela Maka? - rich in LA
Koster is good to go and will join the team for winter conditioning, I'm told. Maka is still waiting on a test score.

2) What are your impressions of Antwon Moutra? In your opinion, why hasn't he been able to get PT? Has the staff contemplated moving him to safety? In H.S., he was a ferocious hitter at the safety position. - calbruin
Unfortunately for Moutra, he's just buried on the depth chart. Moving him to safety would be even worse with the talent there too.

3) Do you have any info on how Lazeric Jones' visit went this past weekend? - Chillin' Bruin
His last message to me was, "Everything was really great. I really enjoyed myself." I assume that meant he enjoyed himself.

4) Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, Where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? - anonymous
The peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked is gone. No one likes pickled peppers. Come on now.

5) What would be the incentive for Brian Price to come back for his senior season? - Anonymous
Great question. The change in the collective bargaining agreement will throw a wrench in any comparison, because really, we have no idea if there's going to be a rookie salary cap in 2011. But if there is no rookie salary cap, and Price could theoretically earn the same in either the 2010 or 2011 Draft at the same spot, then the incentive for him to come back, in my opinion, is a big one. Right now, Price is No. 10 on the big board. Well, at No. 9 last year, B.J. Raji, a DT, got five years for $28.5 mil and 17.7 guaranteed. If Price were to go in the more-than-likely 18-25 range, simply because this class is loaded with defensive linemen, he'd get around $13 million and $7.5 mil guaranteed, like Peria Jerry got at No. 24 from Atlanta last season. With another great season, which I have no doubt he'd have next year, he locks himself into top six status. So the question really comes down to this: For a man, and a family, for which this kind of money is instantly life-changing, do you take less money now or more money later? Like I said, though, if the CBA thing kicks in, he'd have to leave because even top-six in a salary cap I doubt would be as good as 18-24 without.

6) Any insight to the Dragovic assault case? - Anonymous
Really just sounds like a bar fight that is being blown out of proportion. Dragovic's attorney claims that the other party said he was drunk and jealous. Dragovic said he was not the aggressor. All I know is that bar fights are bar fights, and unless the guy was seriously hurt, I don't think it should have gone this far. From what I've heard, he wasn't seriously hurt.

7) Is anthony barr being looked at for offense or defense? - MaltBaaI'd expect him to get his first look on offense, and then if he's not going to be a factor, quickly switch to defense.

8) With Hasiak gone, is Wade Yandall not a must get recruit? - Anonymous
Yes.

9) Jon Gold, you were really ruffling some feathers at the Howland Presser. I appreciate the tough questions about Jermie Anderson and offensive improvement, but I would advise you not to become a Simers. Howland would not be tolerant, I would imagine. - Anonymous
I'm no Simers, but I can press a little if I need to. I just think that Anderson has not been able to play the way he wants to play. There were moments in that CSU game where he sliced and kicked out. Looked great. And then he'll walk the ball up the court, it will be passed around the perimeter, and he'll appear to be a non-factor. I really think he'll grow into the role.

10) Mr. Gold, I've read from other sites that their might be a little friction between Coach Neuheisel and Coach Chow, any truths to these rumors and any chance that Coach Chow departs the UCLA program? Thank you in advance. - Gilligan
There is always friction between two competitive minds. Name me an offensive coaching staff that doesn't sometimes have friction, and I'll give you a bad offense.