Weekly Answers, Pt. 4
Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...
1) I liked your recent 7-on-07 reports and reading about the stand-out athletes. Will you be doing more of these kinds of reports now that football season is gearing up? - TXBruin
I was told there were no more 7-on-7s planned for the offseason as the team prepares for fall camp. Starting Monday, there will be daily updates, including video.
2) Once more, I appreciate the work you put into this blog. As for my question: with Darius Bell joining the team, does that change the recruiting priorities a bit for this class? In other words, will UCLA continue to go after two QBs this year, or go after one, and use the additional scholarship for another position. Any info would be greatly appreciated. - bruwin5931
I believe they are targeting one prime quarterback, and possibly two second-tier recruits. If they land Hundley, I think they'll stop there, knowing Jerry Neuheisel is likely to come in as a greyshirt for 2012. With Bell, there is now some adequate class separation, and I think one QB is sufficient for the 2011 class.
3) How is Damien Thigpen doing? I haven't heard much about him. I'm excited about the guys we are bringing in at RB but this kid has the electrifying game breaking speed that UCLA has lacked since MJD went to the NFL. What kind of role do you expect him to have this year? I think we need to get him at least 5-7 touches a game. - Anonymous
I was actually thinking about Thigpen earlier today - you're right, he is going largely unmentioned. I agree that he needs 5-7 touches, but that's the key word: touches. Not handoffs. He should be sprinkled around the offense, lined up everywhere (including the backfield) and deployed as almost the trump card. That's really what the F-back is for anyway, but in his case he should get those touches no matter what.
4) Will the Kennedy Pola lawsuit against suc and Kiffin have any indirect impact on recruiting. Obviously, Pat Haden is not happy with Kiffin right now...does this sour their relationship, perhaps even having Kiffin fired? - gerry4ucla
I don't think it's anything more than an embarrassing foul-up. Kiffin definitely won't get fired for this, but yeah, I can't imagine Haden is too happy right now.
5) Is Sarkisian going to start out-recruiting Neuheisel and Kiffin in Los Angeles County? - Anonymous
He very well could. He has a great reputation, is known as a player's coach, and Washington is seen as being on the rise. Now, if they have another mediocre season, then no. But if they continue to improve rapidly, Sarkisian will be a real threat to both L.A. teams. That being said...USC and UCLA will always own Los Angeles.
what's up with the all bold? What kind of operation is this?
Obviously it's a BOLD operation.
Watched Neuheisel at Santa Fe passing tourney. Does not have a D-1 arm or D-1 size. Would be a waste of a scholarship
maybe the time has come to finally do away with the 'anonymous' posting privileges. make 'em use a consistent posting 'name' so we can track the trolls.
Wow Anonymous must be a big time college coach to figure out Jerry does not have a D1 arm and would be wasting a scholarship. Gee if I had been reading the blog, University employee kids can walk-on and not have to burn an athletic scholarship!!
As far as I know...the son of the coach does not count against the scholarship total.
he does if he's on scholarship, and CRN has offered him.
@Anon, "Watched Neuheisel at Santa Fe passing tourney. Does not have a D-1 arm or D-1 size. Would be a waste of a scholarship"
That's funny because I saw little Neu on a high school showcase and the announcers were really talking him up and he looked pretty solid. About his size, he is 6'2" 180 lbs. heading into his Senior season and he can bulk up to 200 easy. I am not saying he deserves a scholarship based on the number available but he can be a good D-1 back-up.
Also, my brother lives in Bakersfield and he saw Cody Kessler play many times and he said he was a stud in warm up's but under game pressure he cracked, he could not hit a receiver and the only completions he had were either short passes or the receiver made the adjustment to make the catch.
@Sid, As far as I know...the son of the coach does not count against the scholarship total.
I think you may be wrong on this, I though the same but I was told it would indeed count against the scholarship total.
i feel like the WORST thing that could happen to Ucla vis a vis Sc were if they - the Trojans - were to go ahead and replace Kiffin. His staff is very good. But with his - Kiffin's - ego - and seeming often to go off half-cocked - and his absolute lack of winning credentials as a HC as well as his and his recruiting coordinator's reps for ignoring the rules, on top of Sc's current probationary standards (and their ever-present boosters) just seems to add up to real problems for Heritage Hall.
Very much like when Ucla needed a new HC and Neuheisel was just too new at Colorado to take the Ucla job (at the time), it seems like Sc's best choice to run their program is running Washington's instead. (if he'd really consider Sc now with all that's gone on there) i think the real danger to Ucla would be the NEXT HC selected at Sc by the new management of their athletics program...
I watched Kessler play many times. He is the real deal. Had a bad high ankle sprain last year which affected him during the season. He didn't have any big time receivers. In the playoffs he rose to the occasion. He led his team to beat the undefeated top seed on the road with an Elway type drive in the 4th quarter and had a phenomenal CIF championship game on the road in the rain.
He had a very average team that he nearly took to the CIF championship. The UCLA coaches really messed up with Kessler. He was UCLA's for the taking and the coaches barely gave he or his parents the time of day until USC and Washington offered. He has put on about 20 pounds of muscle this year to about 225 and all state in basketball too.
I'm hoping he sees the light at USC and decides to switch to UCLA.
Lane Kiffin has been trying to "encourage" Cody Kessler to de-commit (because if he pulls the scholarship he looks bad to future recruits).
Kiffin is obviously is trying to use his scholarships wisely - not that Kessler is bad, just that there will be three QB's on the roster in Barkley, Scroggins and Mustain now (who is replaced by Wittek next year) through their sanctions period.
My point being, Kessler's best way to get revenge on USC for the insult is to go to UCLA or Notre Dame. Notre Dame isn't interested so I would think UCLA has the best shot.
I hope you are correct. Kessler is better than Hundley. Two sport all state. He is the next Cade McNown.