McClure picks Cal
No. 4 CB Stephan McClure just announced that he will be attending and playing for Cal next season, a big recruiting blow in what has become an off-season of big recruiting blows for UCLA.
McClure was long rumored to be a UCLA lock, and only in the last week has the buzz around the Bears picked up. Earlier this week, recruiting experts gradually saw the shift in tide, changing even a 60/40 UCLA lead to 50/50, and ultimately, many ended up predicting Cal.
While UCLA appears pretty set at the cornerback season for the next couple years, McClure is a special talent, and there is little doubt that new Cal coach Ashley Ambrose played a major factor in his decision.
At this point, most of UCLA's top-10 targets are either off the board or looking elsewhere, though the bright spot has been the reemergence of the Bruins as a player for long-time USC lock Jalen Grimble. Grimble will visit this weekend.
Not to worry. Flyweight CBs are plentiful and most don't work out. We can recover from this.
maybe it would help our cause if we HAD a defensive coordinator...ya think?
We didn't want McClure - we wanted Fred Wilson - the #105 CB who is visiting this weekend. Keep forking over the cash to the program Bruin alums. I just lost my checkbook.
Not sure what part of the recruiting cycle I like the most, tracking these largely unproven young athletes through their adolescent 'decision'-making or reading the asinine commentary of our 'fan base'.
Jon what about the WR recruit? Is he really tripping to Utah this weekend?
Those grapes were probably sour anyways localbruin. LOL
Hey Jon Gold? Now that the Bruins are "soaring", how is your potential "top 15 class" shaping up for you?
Oh, you gotta love all the "we didn't really want him anyway" comments.
What I'd like to know is why any recruit would choose Uclol over Cal, USC, Stanford, Oregon, or even Utah?
The Uclol program is in shambles, with a head coach who talks a great game but can't deliver on the field.
U-C-L-OL ... UCLOL Whine Whine Whine!
I'm inclined to agree w/ bruincheerleader. Jon, wouldn't you think not having a DC would have influenced McClure's decision more than anything else?
Time for all of us to flip to page 2 of the prospects page on Scout to see where our last 6-7 commitments will come from.
uclol asked "What I'd like to know is why any recruit would choose Uclol over Cal, USC, Stanford, Oregon, or even Utah?"
Answer: UCLA doesn't pay recruits and doesn't have hooker parties.
@ PUSC3 - Are you purporting that schools such as Stanford and Utah pay their players and have hooker parties? That is really a stretch.
Real classy PUSC.
The sad part of all this is that Cal is a bigger mess (coaching-wise) than we are (had to replace like 5 assistants), are coming off of an even more disappointing season (again, and again), have done nothing but disappoint and fall short of expectation,s and are still somehow recruiting well. Just amazes me.
Cal is putting together a monster class
This is getting painful.....
This is why you never retain coaches because "they can recruit." Unless Neuheisel has a good year, the talent is gone for good until a new coach is in there. The fall off in recruiting is Lavinesque.
Only a used-car salesman such as Neuheisel could get away with firing both his coordinators and somehow keep his job on the grounds that 'he can recruit' in the midst of a wretched go around.
But hey, we still have the Beatles' sing-along going for us -- we're awesome!
@ PUSC: I'm also a bit surprised at your bizarre comment. I mean, yes, I can envision where $C or Nike U may provide female companionship or a few extra dollars, but to think that Stanford, Utah, or Cal does is just dumb.
Try and maintain some level of class. We lost out on this recruit. It happens. Move on.
What's so wrong with a "hooker party?"
I thought when Grimble decided to visit it was the Randy Shannon effect and we'd be pulling in some D studs at the last minute. WTF. Now we're losing a DB?!?!
Why do I get the feeling that Grimble might be using us for a free steak dinner and party and he's tripping just because he has trips left to take.
I love it! Another swing and a miss for the bRUINS!!! You guys do realize NSD is only six days away and you only have eight commits to date, right? It kinda makes you wonder which school in So. Cal is actually on probation! LMAO
Coach Rick realizes this is his make or break season so he is concentrating on putting together his best possible coaching staff. Great recruits will sign on once he has his staff in place, even though that may be next year. He's looking at the Long Haul.
Coach Thom. If you honestly think CRN will be around in the future, you seriously are in denial of the state of ucla football or are just another dime-a-dozen "rah rah" type of football fan. The fact of the matter is simple: 8 conference wins in three years makes recruiting near impossible.
UCLA will be fine. Good coaches coming in, bad chemistry going out. Bruins will win 7 or 8 next year and improve incrementally each year from there. Quit all the whining, bashing, and second guessing. Rick may have his problems, but he is a bruin through and through. Plus, he has the tenacity and intelligence to get UCLA over the hump.
BruinInSeattle. What does being a "Bruin through and through" have to do with anything? This is just one example of the type of nonsensical observations that makes me want to vomit.
Rex Griswald and Ocean Blue
no man, just banging at the trojan bandwagoner. The other schools are just there because i copy and pasted that dude's statement.
Ocean Blue, i'm not here to cry about losing a recruit. When it comes to recruits, I totally agree, you win some you lose some, life goes on. But like i said earlier, i'm just giving trojan bandwagoner (Uclol) a hard time.
Anonymous 10:06am
thanks buddy!! anything that has the letters SUC is classy.
I'm going to withhold my criticism or praise until Signing Day. BUT if we fail I will blame the perceived instability of our entire program on this, from having 2 OCs for a few weeks, no DC or WR coach still, an HC who looks like he can't make a decision and stick with it -- and who just may not be around after next year, and an administration and athletic department who doesn't seem to understand that football is just as important as basketball in the grand scheme of things.
To recruits it must just look like UCLA's all-ajumble. And other schools are using that against us.