The Other Brett's Decision: Hundley weighs in, Pt. 2
Here is the second half of my interview with Brett Hundley, UCLA's top quarterback target for the class of '11.
I know you're planning unofficial visits to both campuses; is that going to be a main aspect of the visit, just trying to figure out which school fits more? Which guys you fit with?
"You want to go somewhere where you can have friends, and you have to get to make sure you know the players. Those relationships last a lifetime. The people you meet in college stay your best friends forever. That's why I wanted to take a trip down. I want to get to check it out, see what the players are like."
What about the coaching staff? Is it just about coaching, or do you feel the need to have a personal relationship with the coaching staff?
"They have to have a good personality. I have to be able to go in there, and it might not be football, and be able to talk about anything. Not a father figure per se, but a good friend. Someone you can sit down and relax with. That's huge, to be able to feel comfortable. These two unofficials, I'm going to really get to know the coaches. I know them, I've talked to them, I've had good conversations with all of them. But I'm really going to sit down with them. I think I'm spending two days at each school, really get to chill with coaches and players, go to one day of practice, and get all of it. Those will be the things I look for. But that's not it. There's a lot of stuff that I'm going to be looking for."
Back to football, then we'll wrap it up: Do you have a preference for either coaching style? What about the new offense at UCLA?
"When I started with this, I didn't really know much about the Pistol. Still, I don't know as much about it as I do the pro-style, but I did look it up. It doesn't seem like a bad offense. Look, anything Norm Chow runs has to be good, he's a great offensive coordinator. But they run the pro-style, too, and it's a good system."
So last one. Rather than ask you which school you would pick today, how about this: What questions do you want answered at each school in your upcoming visits, and will they have to be answered for you to commit?
"There really aren't questions. I just have to feel it. Both schools are about tied. You know when you'll feel the right school. I'm looking for one to stand out."
Jon, your last question was perfectly phrased. Unfortuately, the answer is a little evasive. If he doesn't have any questions left to be answered by either school, then he has no criteria to break the tie. I guess what he is saying is the final decision will be based on a gut feeling.
How old is this kid? He sounds extremely mature.
Just for Hundley's information:
A Bruin cheerleader from a few years back graduated from UCLA and was accepted to John's Hopkins, the number one medical school in the country, and is now a surgeon in southern California.
One advantage for Hundley at UCLA is that it is on a quarter system. The school doesn't start until late September, which is about 5 games into the football season. This lets the players concentrate on nothing but football for almost half of the season. In addition, the winter and spring quarters are after football season, which allows a lot more free time to concentrate on studies. On a semester system starting in early September a player goes through half of an academic school year trying to juggle studies and football as opposed to 1/3 of the school year on the UCLA quarter system.
This is a huge advantage for someone who needs to pull down top grades.
All I have to say he represents himself very well in these interviews, and he just sounds like he has his act together. Looking for CRN to pull out all the stops..
Bruin Fan:
I hate to break it to you, but the fact that UCLA is on the quarter system is meaningless as an advantage over UW. Why? Because UW is also on the quarter system, and does not start school until late September. There are really not many serious differences between UW and UCLA, and as Hundley has already admitted, this one will come down to a gut feel.
Nice try Bruin Fan. UW is a quarter system too.
"A Bruin cheerleader from a few years back graduated from UCLA and was accepted to John's Hopkins, the number one medical school in the country, and is now a surgeon in southern California."
A starting UW QB from 1985, when the team finished #2 in the country, was accepted to UW, the 6th best medical school in the country. He was phi beta kappa and then in medical school was AOA. He is now a radiologist in Seattle.
To be honest, if this kid is good enough to go to medical school, he's going to go irregardless of whether he's coming from UCLA or UW. Both will be fine premed educations, and neither will give him a significant advantage over the other in terms of admissions.
It's really silly to be arguing over which school will make him into a medical school applicant, since both will do an equivalent job. I personally think he should mainly look at the football side in making this decision...but admittedly, the two choices are pretty equivalent there too.
"Looking for CRN to pull out all the stops..."
No doubt he is. I hate to admit it, but he has been a very good closer, particulalry the last two years.
grammar tip to uw fan - use 'regardless' instead, you'll sound more like someone who graduated from a fine university.
"grammar tip to uw fan - use 'regardless' instead, you'll sound more like someone who graduated from a fine university."
Thanks. I'll consider the advice.
It looks like Phillip Rivers' younger brother just committed to LSU.
Anyone know if UCLA was still pursuing him very hard as a back-up plan?
@Anonymous Grammar Critic:
No need to be rude to our guest. Find something more meaningful to do than critique grammar in a post written in a conversational tone.
MW: "usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead"
(And no, my comment was not ironic, since reprimanding someone over rudeness is more meaningful than "correcting" someone writing conversationally.)
Here's a reason for Hundley to choose UCLA:
Hundley's laptop/iPod/cell phone/manbag won't be stolen by a teammate without that teammate being disciplined.
Or conversely:
Our coach doesn't sign other coaches' criminal cast-offs.
And finally:
If Hundley goes to UW, he'll have to watch his purse.
There's a reason Shirley didnt have a bond and the other two had its kinda funny becuase ucla is saying that we sign all the criminals but where did they all come from
Sure you're not thinking about Oregon, there fella?
What does a Bruin cheerleader being a doctor have anything to with this article? UW is on the quarter system too...
Hundley will choose UW because UCLA students are squares. To the genius talking about how UCLA being on quarters will help, UW is on quarters too. Plus the Huskies are getting brand new facilities next season. Can't wait til Neu-Weasel starts committing violations and ruins your program like he's done at his 2 other schools.