February 2011 Archives

From UCLA:

UCLA senior guard Darxia Morris (Pasadena, Calif.) was named the Pac-10 Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 21-27 after leading the No. 11/9 Bruins to a road sweep at the Arizona schools and a clinch of second place in the Pac-10 standings with a 24-3 overall and 14-2 conference record. The wins also gave UCLA a school-record 12 road wins on the year.

Morris scored 13 points in both games and totaled seven assists, three steals and zero turnovers. In the 74-70 win at Arizona, Morris had crucial plays down the stretch, hitting a big three-point shot with 1:18 to play to increase a tight UCLA lead to 66-61. She then had a steal, which led to a free throw by teammate Doreena Campbell to make it 67-61 at the 54-second mark. In the win at Arizona State, Morris had 11 second-half points as the Bruins pulled away to defeat the Sun Devils, 61-45. Her offensive burst sparked a game-changing 20-2 run that turned a 28-28 game into a 48-30 Bruin advantage. Morris averages a team-best 12.6 points per game and has a team-leading 53 steals.

Former UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers tested at the NFL Combine, and his 40-yard dash results leave a bit to be desired: 4.80 and 4.83. Ayers speed was never his biggest selling point - his freak athleticism and strength are - but that's not a good time for an NFL linebacker.

Ayers will have a chance to improve his times for scouts at UCLA's pro day, but I wonder how those numbers will affect his draft stock.

I think we can all agree that UCLA's 71-49 win over Arizona on Saturday opened a few eyes in the college basketball community. National writers are writing Twitter posts about UCLA being left out of the Top-25, some are saying the Bruins are sleepers.

What do you think?

Fire away with questions for this week's Q&A. Please don't post new questions on the answers section, because I don't always check the comments. Save them for next week.

Thanks
Jon

Check out Blair Angulo's awesome video of Tyler Trapani's basket at the end of UCLA's 71-49 win over Arizona on Saturday. Great stuff from Ben Howland, too.

Check it out

I'll have some more videos tomorrow, but this is a pretty special one for tonight.

Reeves Nelson walked into a throng of UCLA students a conquering hero, his arms thrown into the air, swallowed whole by the blue hole.

Tyler Trapani - John Wooden's great-grandson - hit a throw-away bucket with the seconds
ticking off, making head coach Ben Howland break down into tears.
The 1971 UCLA national championship team was honored, introduced by legendary coach Denny Crum.

Oh, and the Bruins just happened to play their most thoroughly dominant game of the year, a 71-49 demolition of Arizona that ties the team atop the Pac-10 conference.

Now Pauley Pavilion goes under wraps for a year, renovations sending UCLA on the road even for home games next year.

What a send-off.

"I told them, 'This is going to be our best win of the year,' (on Friday)," Howland said. "And it was."
In putting together two complete halves for the first time perhaps all season, the Bruins looked nothing like the team that lost at Arizona by 11 earlier this year.

On that Thursday night in late-January, Wildcat forward Derrick Williams had his way, scoring 22 points and generally looking like the Pac-10 player of the year favorite.

Reeves Nelson remembered that night, and he reminded Howland of it on Thursday, after the Bruins defeated Arizona State 71-53.

Nelson walked straight up Howland and demanded - well, "strongly requested," he said - to guard Williams on Saturday in the pivotal matchup.

Even Nelson, though, full of bravado and tattoos, could not have expected the performance he delivered. In addition to scoring a career-high 27 points and grabbing 16 rebounds, Nelson played full-throttle on Williams, holding the potential top-five NBA draft pick to 15 points, including just two in the second half.

"I've been told that some people say I can't play defense, really," Nelson said. "I just take that very personally. I'm still working on my help-side, but I've always been very confident in my man-to-man defense. If Derrick Williams is a top-five pick in the NBA, and I hold him to two points in the second half, then I'm proud of my own effort."

Nelson was at his best when UCLA needed it most.
After sophomore small forward Tyler Honeycutt threw down a slam dunk for two of his 15 points with just less than nine minutes to play in the first half, Nelson exploded, scoring the team's next seven points in less than two minutes.

Freshman center Joshua Smith took his lead, scoring seven quick points himself, and the Bruins went from three down to nine up in less than six minutes.

"I can't say enough about Reeves," Howland said. "This was an unbelievably complete game. To have that many rebounds, that many points, and to play that great defense against arguably the best player in the conference?"

UCLA (21-8, 12-4) parlayed the first-half success and a rousing crowd - most of the packed house delivered the "Blue Out" that the marketing department called for - into ruthless efficiency in the second half. The Bruins maintained a double-digit lead for much of the half, and after Arizona (23-6, 12-4) put on a mini-run, cutting the lead from 21 to nine with 4:36 left, UCLA closed things out with a 14-1 run the rest of the way.

"We've had trouble all year putting two halves together," Honeycutt said. "I think we made a statement. It boosts our confidence not winning by five. It lets us know how good we can be."
It also reminded quite a few in attendance of how good they once were.

As much as Saturday's game was about the present - and UCLA's present is pretty good, the team having won 18-of-22 games - it was just as much about the past.

The '71 team was serenaded by cheers, Pauley Pavilion erupting for Sidney Wicks and Co., and there were Wooden tributes aplenty.

None more fitting than at the end, when a 3-point attempt by walk-on Jack Haley dropped ever so softly into Trapani's hands. Trapani corralled the ball, and mustering as much composure as he could, gently lofted the ball off the glass and into the basket.

The last points in the venerated building, the House that Wooden Built, for more than a year.

"I pray a lot," Howland said, once more breaking into tears. "...and to have Trapani make that last shot means so much to me. You have no idea. And I know it does to his family. You couldn't have written it any better.
"This was a great day for us."

UCLA head coach Ben Howland was all tears, done in by the sheer emotion of the occasion.
His players were all smiles, simply elated because of a tremendous performance.
One grinned bigger, though, because of both.
The final basket in the current Pauley Pavilion was dropped in off the glass by John Wooden's great-grandson Tyler Trapani, and he basked in the attention of the post-game press conference, seemingly enjoying the talk about UCLA's win more than his own shot.
And what a win it was.
UCLA thoroughly dismantled No. 10 Arizona on Saturday, 71-49, to tie for the Pac-10 lead at 12-4 with two games to play.
In playing their most complete game of the season, the Bruins shook off an eary three-point deficit with a 33-11 run that stretched nearly 20 minutes.
That's when Reeves Nelson took over.
Nelson had a career-high 27 points and 16 rebounds and played sensational defense on Derrick Williams, after telling Howland he wanted the mano-a-mano matchup after UCLA's win over Arizona State on Thursday.
Williams had 15 points but only two in the second half as the Wildcats shot just 25 percent in the half, 31.5 percent for the game.
When it wasn't Nelson doing the dirty work, it was Joshua Smith and Tyler Honeyutt. Smith had 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and Honeycutt added 15, including eight early points.

This was the half Ben Howland spent the season dreaming about.

The visions danced around Howland's subconscious, R.E.M. never better: UCLA playing gritty defense, handling the glass, moving with efficiency and rhythm.

For the first 20 minutes today, the Bruins danced alright, waltzing right over Arizona for a 40-30 halftime advantage.

Reeves Nelson took the lead, scoring 16 first-half points and grabbing 10 rebounds while carrying UCLA back from a small deficit along with Joshua Smith.

Down 19-18 with 8:49 left in the half, Nelson scored 10 and Smith seven in a 5-plus minute stretch, the Bruins taking a 36-28 lead before going into the half up 40-30.

Before Nelson and Smith took charge, Tyler Honeycutt was having his way, scoring an early eight points, but more importantly, taking care of the ball.

Honeycutt had zero turnovers, the Bruins only had five as a team, and aside from foul trouble - Smith, Stover and Lazeric Jones each have two - UCLA played its best half of the season, despite 13 points from Arizona's Derrick Williams.

But here's the catch: Can they keep Howland's dreams alive?

From UCLA:

Basketball fans, we invite you to "Blue Out Sell Out" on Saturday, February 26th, at 1pm. This
event is the final men's basketball game in Pauley Pavilion before this legendary venue closes for renovation.

Looking for seats to a sold out game? Buy tickets direct from season ticket holders at Bruin TicketExchange by Ticketmaster, the official TicketExchange of the Bruins.

Promotions for this memorable occasion include:

Wear Blue: Calling all Bruins to wear blue! Show your school pride and provide the team with a great home court atmosphere in this pivotal conference game. Update your BLUE at the UCLA Store - Ackerman Union. Our last "Two 'til Tip Off" event gives all UCLA Bruin fans the opportunity to save 20% off all Bearwear two hours prior to the game. Doors open to Ackerman Union at 11 am.

Fan Appreciation - Photo On the Court: Fans will be provided the opportunity to take a photo on Nell and John Wooden Court after the game! Bruins, bring your camera and you can capture a memory of Pauley Pavilion that lasts a lifetime. Several photographers and Athletics Staff will be on hand at various court locations to facilitate this special gesture in appreciation for our fans.

As fans wait to take their photo, enjoy the AM570 KLAC Bruin Locker Room Report post-game show brought to you by IMG College over the public address system, watch all 15 former student-athletes' full interviews as they remember Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success blocks and all 20 of Pauley Pavilion's Greatest Moments on the videoboard.
Concessions and restrooms will also remain open post-game during the photograph promotion.

Can't stay after the game? Bring your men's basketball vs. Arizona ticket stub for free admission to one of the following events for an additional opportunity take a photo on Nell and John Wooden Court after the event:

Women's Basketball vs. Washington State: Saturday, March 5th, 2pm

Men's Volleyball vs. UC Irvine: Thursday, March 24th, 7pm

Pauley Pavilion's Legacy: Former assistant coach and great Denny Crum will speak to recognize the legacy and tradition of Pauley Pavilion.

Pauley Pavilion's Greatest Moments: In celebration of 45 years in Pauley Pavilion we will present you with the #1 Pauley Pavilion Greatest Moment (voted on by you the fans) on the videoboard.

Retro Uniforms: As we honor Pauley Pavilion's history, the players will participate too. Our Bruins will sport retro uniforms!

1971 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship: Bruins reunite for the 40th Anniversary of our 1971 NCAA Championship team. The coaches and players will be introduced on the court at halftime.

Giveaways:
Commemorative Pauley Pavilion ticket for all fans
John Wooden Pyramid of Success for all fans (courtesy of Fox Sports Net)
Rally Towel for all fans, presented by the Automobile Club of Southern California
Bruin Bucks Coupon books for all fans upon exit
Sunglasses to the first 1,500 UCLA students

"Blue Out" Contest: Show your fellow fans that you have the greatest Bruin passion! Wear
UCLA gear head-to-toe, blue face paint, blue hair, you get the picture!
Report (dressed in your "bluest" Bruin outfit) to either the marketing table located outside Gate 2 or on the floor-level near the visitors' bench between 12pm-12:30pm to enter. Five (5) finalists will receive a pair of 2011-12 Men's Basketball season tickets. Our grand prize winner will also receive two (2) all-session tickets to the 2011 Pac-10 Basketball Tournament & a $250 UCLA Store gift certificate!

Pyramid of Success: Rafer Johnson will recall his memories of Coach Wooden's Pyramid of Success top block, "Competitive Greatness" on the videoboard.

On keeping the team from getting over-hyped:
Howland: "They're all big games as far as I'm concerned. It will be an electric atmosphere, because it's the last game. I want our guys to be excited. This is what you play for. To play against a great team in Arizona."

On the conference having two powers - UCLA and Arizona - doing well:
Howland: "As far as I'm concerned, its great. I'm speaking for us. We've had a really good last two-thirds of our season. I'm excited for our players. This is the time of year that's very fun as we get towards the end."

On doing things different against Derrick Williams:
Howland: "He played well against us the first game. He had 22 points, really did a good job shooting the ball. He's a fantastic player - when you look at his stats, he's shooting 67 percent from 3 for the season. That is stunning. sixty-seven percent from 3? There's really no easy answer to solving him. He's really good. He leads the country in getting to the free throw line. He's just a great all-around player."

On Arizona's other shooters coming up big for them:
Howland: "They shoot 44 percent as a team from three in conference games. That is really an incredible stat. They're far and away the best 3-point shooting team. In conference games, the three top shooters are all from Arizona. If you try to double (Williams), he's passing out to a number of guys."

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

By Jon Gold
Staff Writer

After coming out asleep in the first half of its four-point overtime loss to Cal last Sunday, the UCLA men'/s basketball team vowed to set the tone early against Arizona State on Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Only the guitar was missing two strings, the strings that were left were made out of glass, and the whole thing was painfully out of tune.

The Bruins shot 1-for-10 to start the game as the Sun Devils got easy bucket after easy bucket, making 7-of-8 shots to take an 11-point lead.

But it was nothing to fret over, as the Bruins atoned for a brutal first 10 minutes with a brilliant run, closing the first half with a 30-8 run before going on to the 71-53 win, their 11th in 13 games.

"This doesn't feel like an 18-point win," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "I'm really happy we won by 18, but it just didn't feel like it."

For 10 minutes, UCLA wasn't just out of sorts, it was bankrupt.

There might as well have been a brick wall in front of the UCLA rim, built by the Bruins themselves. The Bruins missed more gimmes than a down-on-his-luck golfer. UCLA started 6-of-20 shooting, easy layups looking like half-court heaves.

First the Bruins got frustrated, then they got irritated, then they got downright pissed.

When freshman center Joshua Smith threw down a haymaker dunk as the first-half was about to expire - receiving an emphatic chest-bump from teammate Reeves Nelson as the team walked off the court - the Bruins had made seven-of-eight and capitalized on Sun Devil turnover after Sun Devil turnover.

"Whenever Josh dunks - especially when he's body to body with a guy - it's going to get us all hyped up," Nelson said. "I was glad he fought for position and executed the play. It was good to score into halftime. It gave us a good vibe going into the locker room."

After coming out asleep in the first half of its four-point overtime loss to Cal last Sunday, the UCLA mens basketball team vowed to set the tone early against Arizona State on Thursday night at Pauley Pavilion.

Only the guitar was missing two strings, the strings that were left were made out of glass, and the whole thing was painfully out of tune.

The Bruins shot 1-for-10 to start the game as the Sun Devils got easy bucket after easy bucket, making 7-of-8 shots to take an 11-point lead.

But it was nothing to fret over, as the Bruins atoned for a brutal first 10 minutes with a brilliant run, closing the first half with a 30-8 run to take a 39-29 halftime lead.

Before the game, head coach Ben Howland stressed the importance of the game after the dreadful performance at Cal.

"To me it's not because it's so important," Howland said, when asked if he considered the matchup with the Sun Devils a 'trap game.' "We have to win this game. That's the mentality we have to have. Every game in my heart is a must-win. It's already as high as it should be as far as im concerned. Sense of urgency is always high. That's what you have to be."

From UCLA:

LOS ANGELES - The UCLA baseball team's game against San Jose State on Friday has been moved to a 1 p.m. start time, due to impending rain in the weather forecast. Friday's contest had previously been scheduled for 6 p.m.

Fans are advised to continue checking uclabruins.com, as well as the UCLAAthletics Twitter page, for updates regarding game times and potential postponements on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Ranked No. 2 by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball, the UCLA baseball team has opened its season with a 4-0 start. The Bruins swept San Francisco last weekend and blanked Pepperdine, 9-0, on Tuesday evening.

The venerable Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times is reporting that former Washington quarterback and assistant strength coach Marques Tuiasosopo is headed to UCLA for an unspecified position: Check it out

Tuiasosopo played for head coach Rick Neuheisel while with the Huskies before an eight-year NFL career. Depending on his role, he should at least have a moderate impact on Brett Hundley, so this is good news for the Bruins.

From UCLA:

The UCLA football team has 18 starters returning on offense, defense and special teams plus three players who missed all of last year after starting throughout the 2009 season.
The Bruins will open Spring Practice on Thursday afternoon, March 31. All practice sessions are open to the public and will be held at Spaulding Field.

The annual Spring Scrimmage will be held on Saturday, April 23 at 5:00 pm at Drake Stadium. The event returns to campus this year due to the renovation project underway at the Rose Bowl.
Following is the schedule (tentative and subject to change):

Week One - March 31 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 1 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 2 (TBD).
Week Two - April 4 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 5 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 7 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 9 (TBD).
Week Three - April 11 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 12 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 14 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 15 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 17 (TBD).
Week Four - April 19 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 21 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 23 (5:00 pm Spring Scrimmage at Drake Stadium on UCLA campus).

Check out the first batch of weekly answers...

From UCLA:

UCLA running back Derrick Coleman has been named one of five finalists for the 2011 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Award. The honor is presented annually to recognize a leader in the world of college football who has realized their potential to make a positive and lasting impact on the rare disease community. More than 30 million Americans are affected by rare diseases.

The 3rd annual award winner will be determined by an online vote ending Monday, February 28th at noon (EST). The Champion will be announced on Global Rare Disease Day (February 28th) at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C. Uplifting Athletes will also honor the winner at a luncheon at the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana at a later date. Previous winners include American Football Coaches Association Executive Director, Grant Teaff (2009); and Dickinson College Quarterback, Ian Mitchell (2010).

Coleman's mom was concerned when his speech wasn't progressing as a small child. It was determined that Derrick was almost completely deaf. A missing gene was to blame and as a result, Derrick was fitted for hearing aids. His lack of hearing hasn't hindered Coleman in the least little bit. He was UCLA's second leading rusher this past season. Coleman knows he can be a role model and ever since his sophomore year of high school, he's spoken to groups about the challenges he's faced. "My message is `there's no excuse as to why they can't succeed,'" Coleman says. "If I can do it, they too can do it."

The other 2011 finalists: North Carolina State offensive coordinator Dana Bible; Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill; Princeton running back Jordan Culbreath; and Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien. To read each finalist's personal story and connection to the rare disease community as well as to cast your vote for this year's Champion, log onto:www.upliftingathletes.org/vote.

About Uplifting Athletes: Uplifting Athletes is a full service national nonprofit organization aligning college football with rare diseases and raising them as a national priority through research, outreach, education and advocacy. What makes Uplifting Athletes unique is that our university chapters are run by current football student-athletes, providing them with an opportunity to gain management and leadership skills while learning how to leverage their assets and abilities to make a positive and lasting impact. Each chapter adopts one out of approximately 7,000 rare diseases (such as ALS, Aplastic Anemia, CMT, cystic fibrosis, Ehlers-Danlos, Ewing's Sarcoma, Kidney Cancer, Leukemia, MS, Neimann Pick Type-C, Neuroblastoma, pancreatic cancer, etc.).

* UCLA head coach Ben Howland said during Tuesday's press conference that the Bruins would not go back into the zone, and that his decision to switch was dictated by foul trouble.
"They scored well against the zone, too," Howland said. "They made a couple really tough shots. Harper Kamp's jump hook, even though it's one of his best shots, that was tough. You have to give them credit, they did a good job."
Howland is still nervous to allow wide-open shots, which occurred a few times against the Bears in the team's loss on Sunday.
"Crabbe had a wide-open three against our zone, and he just missed it," Howland said. "The one thing I hate about zone, eventually if they're patient, they're going to get a good shot. We were fortunate there."
What if the team is in foul trouble again?
"No. No, we're not going to be playing zone," Howland said. "The reason I went to it was the foul trouble to Reeves and Josh. Josh played with four fouls for a while, and three fouls for a while."

* Given UCLA's rather lackadaisical effort against Cal, Howland was asked if anyone was sick prior to the game.
"No, we were sick after the game," Howland joked.
I was particularly curious about Tyler Lamb, who played a season-low three minutes, but Howland said it was just his fault that he didn't play the freshman guard more.
"I should've played him more," Howland said. "I talked to him about that. He gives us good defensive presence. That was my fault."

*Howland on Brendan Lane:
"I thought he did a good job in the Cal game. I was glad to see him score a couple baskets, along with that three. He had a couple baskets around the basket which were good."

"Howland on Arizona State being a trap game on Thursday:
"I don't think so. This is a huge game for us. They're coming off a win - and they've been close - they had Cal down seven with the ball with 6:20 to go. We know what it's like to play Cal at Cal. We're going to have to play really well Thursday to win."

You should have seen the looks on my colleagues' faces with around 15 minutes to play last night in UCLA's overtime loss to Cal.

There were looks of pure amazement, a little confusion, even a little smugness.

Finally, surprisingly, shockingly, UCLA switched into a zone defense. It's been a long time coming.

Despite constant questioning from the media about even testing a zone defense, UCLA head coach Ben Howland had been so steadfast in his opinion that, quite frankly, I never expected it.

Coach, will you use the zone?
"No."

Would you consider it?
"No."

Why not?
"We play man-to-man."

Do you ever practice it?
"Only when the other team uses it."

So when it happened, suffice to say, we were all blown away. So too, it appears, were the players.

"It caught me by surprise, to tell you the truth," Joshua Smith said. "I remember going in the huddle and he said we were going to run zone and I was kind of like "Oh, OK."

Game times have been set for UCLA's men's basketball trip to Washington on the final week of the Pac-10 regular season.
 
The game at Washington on March 3 will tip at 6:00 pm and will be televised live by ESPN or ESPN2.
 
The regular-season finale at Washington State on March 5 will tip at 2:30 pm and will be televised live by Fox Sports Net (Prime Ticket in Los Angeles).
 
 

ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi published his latest NCAA Tournament Bracketology, and he dropped UCLA to a nine-seed in the Southwest, where they would theoretically play Illinois and then perhaps Duke in the second round: Check it out

Fire away with questions for this week's Q&A. Please don't post new questions on the answers section, because I don't always check the comments. Save them for next week.

Thanks
Jon

BERKELEY -

UCLA head coach Ben Howland waved his head in disgust and then smacked his right hand directly on his forehead, his shoulders collapsing.

The Bruins chased Cal around the court all night, particularly spectacular guard Jorge Gutierrez, and couldn't catch the Bears.

Right when they needed to catch up the most - simply fouling a Bear, any Bear, as the dwindling seconds dripped off the clock in overtime - they couldn't. With a two-point lead, Cal dribbled out the clock after a Jerime Anderson layup, UCLA was not able to foul until just .7 seconds remained, and Gutierrez knocked down two free throws to give the Bears the 76-72 win at Haas Pavilion.
Howland was shaken to the core, simply heartbroken.

For all of UCLA's guts and heart down the stretch in Sunday's matchup at Cal to end like...this?

The Bruins were quiet and morbid after coming all the way back from a 13-point deficit but ultimately losing for the first time in seven games.

"We felt like it was meant to be for us to win that game," UCLA sophomore small forward Tyler Honeycutt said. "For us to lose like that probably hurts more."

Perhaps it's not a surprise Gutierrez outran the Bruins; he left them in his dust all night.

The Chihuahua, Mexico, product played like a Great Dane, scurrying all over the court for the Bears, weaving his way into traffic, darting into the post, leading all scorers with 34 points - the most UCLA has allowed all season - including nine points in overtime.

"Their coach found something that was working for them and they exploited it all night," said UCLA junior guard Malcolm Lee, who led the team with 19 points. "They were running him off of picks, high pick and rolls, doubles. Nothing broke, why fix it? ... We just have to get back in the lab and basically fix this problem."

Cal fed off the energy of the Haas Pavilion crowd and simply blitzed the Bruins throughout the first half, taking a 29-18 lead into the locker room.

UCLA is shooting 7-of-24 from the field and 1-of-12 from 3-point range, with 10 turnovers, limping to its worst first half of the season (the Bruins scored 17 in the second half against Pacific). With just over seven minutes left in the half, no UCLA player had more than two points.

Worse, the Bears are out-hustling the Bruins, racing to almost every loose ball, every 50-50 opportunity, every offensive rebounds. Cal has owned the glass with a 22-13 advantage, including eight offensive boards.

And it's not as if the Bears shot the lights out, either: Cal is only at 40 percent and has seven turnovers, too.

There's a reason UCLA's opponents are looking lean and trim, maybe even a bit gaunt.
The Bruins are giving them a very balanced diet.

UCLA is one of just six Division-I teams with five players currently scoring in double figures - junior guards Malcolm Lee and Lazeric Jones, sophomore forwards Reeves Nelson and Tyler Honeycutt, and freshman center Joshua Smith - and the Bruins are well aware of the fact that they can score from all five positions.

"It's huge - you can't just plan to stop one or two guys," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "Any night, any one of our players can go off and have a big game. It's critical to have that balance."

The Bruins aren't exactly rotating 30-point games, but with three or four players scoring anywhere from 12-20 points in any given game, they've found the path to success.

UCLA has won six straight, 10-of-11 and 16-of-19, and is 10-3 in Pac-10 play heading into its matchup at 7 p.m. Sunday at Cal's Haas Pavilion.

"Joshua (Smith) has been really coming on the last half of the season," Howland said, "but you look at Reeves and Honeycutt and Malcolm and Zeek, and they've been consistent all year long."

The consistency has led to a common acceptance amongst the players, who walk the tiny rope of trying to do too much and trying to do just enough.

In Thursday's 69-65 win over Stanford, Honeycutt got off to a scorching start, scoring eight points in the first four minutes with two quick 3-pointers. As he started to cool a bit - finishing with 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting but 4-of-8 3-pointers - Nelson and Smith got into the groove, finishing with 18 and 13 points, respectively.

"That's good for us; any of us is having the hot hand and we're going to look to him to keep shooting," Honeycutt said. "I'm not going to shoot myself out of the game or shoot it to where it's hurting us, but I'm going to stay aggressive. If I'm having a good night, I'm going to look to shoot."

At the end of the day, its about did you win or did you lose. Last night, we were up 13 when Brown hit the shot from the corner, but everything had to go just right for them to make all those thress and put the game in doubt. As I joked about, we're great for sponsors. If we keep winning - getting big leads, relinqisoghing them and hanging on - I'll be happy.

UCLA's RPI could take another leap soon, as one of the team's signature wins - over St. John's on Feb. 5 - looks better and better as the Red Storm keep winning. St. John's defeated No. 4 Pitt today at Madison Square Garden and have won six of seven - UCLA is the only loss.

The Bruins have two more potential RPI-boosting matchups against Arizona and at Washington, and BYU's matchup at SDSU next Saturday could be a boon for UCLA if the Aztecs are Jimmered.

From UCLA:

LOS ANGELES - The UCLA baseball team's game on Saturday has been moved to a 1 p.m. start time, due to impending rain in the afternoon's weather forecast. Saturday's contest had previously been scheduled for 2 p.m.

Admission to games on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.) is free at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Parking costs $7.

UCLA edged San Francisco, 1-0, in both teams' season-opening contest on Friday afternoon. Junior right-hander Gerrit Cole pitched a complete game shutout, striking out 11 batters, to lead the Bruins.

From UCLA:

The limited edition pink and white jerseys UCLA will be wearing at Friday's Pink Zone game will be auctioned off online until Feb. 25 at 2 pm PT. Proceeds from the sales of the jerseys will benefit the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the Revlon/UCLA Breast Center.

Fourteen player jerseys, along with a jersey signed by the 2011 Bruin team and head coach Nikki Caldwell, are being auctioned now at UCLABruins.com.

Click here to bid

The final piece of the puzzle is in place.

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel announced today the hire of former All-Pac-10 selection Inoke Breckterfield as defensive line coach, finally solidifying a staff that has been months in the making.

Breckterfield arrives in Westwood from Montana, where as defensive line coach, he guided the Grizzlies to a Big Sky Conference-leading 7.64 tackles for loss and 2.64 sacks per game, a massive improvement from the prior season. Breckterfield has previous experience at Weber State and Oregon State, and a brief stay at Portland State.

"Inoke is an outstanding young talent who I feel will have a great impact on our defensive linemen," Neuheisel said in a release. "(Oregon State head coach) Mike Riley and (Montana head coach) Robin Pflugrad were both effusive in their praise of Inoke and he really impressed me, Joe Tresey and the other defensive assistants during his interview. You can tell by listening to him that he is a real people person who will connect with our linemen and will be an outstanding recruiter as well."

The 33-year old was a force at Oregon State during his playing career, voted a third-team All-American as a senior. He played five years in the Canadian Football League following his college career.

For nearly an hour late last week, John Savage anxiously leaned forward in his nice chair in his beautiful office at Jackie Robinson Stadium, his leg frantically pumping away. Not once did he lean back.

The last time we saw Savage and his UCLA baseball team, they were slowly walking off the Rosenblatt Stadium Field for the last time, the venerable stadium bidding farewell to the College World Series, watching the South Carolina Gamecocks celebrate on the infield dirt as national champions.

"It seems like it's been a long time," Savage said. "We've been champing at the bit to get into this season, to build off of last year. There is still a memory of just being so proud and enjoying the moment, but for me as a coach, I need to get back into a game. I need to get back into the competition, dealing with umpires, dealing with the game itself. I need that. It's been a while."

Eight months, in fact.

In those eight months, Savage has replaced nearly an entire pitching staff - except for his two aces, Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer, who return for their junior seasons. He's brought in a recruiting class that could very well replenish that staff immediately and set to work instilling an attitude that he believes will keep the Bruins hungry, motivated, angry.

There is a sting, to be sure.

After a 27-29 2009, UCLA entered 2010 with a chip on its shoulder the size of Ohio. Maybe Texas. The Bruins, loaded with talent, were not an under-.500 team, and they knew it. Twenty-two games into the season, with 22 wins and zero losses, they started to prove it. A couple bumps in the road later, they kept proving it all the way to the playoffs.

Regionals? Check.
Super-Regionals? Check.
And then the College World Series, Omaha, the last go-round for Rosenblatt Stadium. Three wins in four games to set up the final series.
Then...disappointment.

"Yeah, we tasted it, but we didn't swallow it," UCLA catcher Steve Rodriguez said. "We kind of spit it back out. That's our mentality as a team. We could just say, 'Well, we made it last year, good for us' - but if you want to be the best you have to win it all. We didn't finish it. We're trying to get to the promise land and finish this time. No one is satisfied with last year. We came in second. At UCLA, second place? Second place isn't what we celebrate. We have 106 national championships. We want to get one for baseball."

UCLA junior pitchers Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole were named to the ESPN Preseason All-America team, and it's a pretty nice feature: Check it out

Stay tuned later today for my UCLA baseball season preview, as the Bruins kick off the season today at noon against San Francisco.

PALO ALTO -

Maybe all UCLA needed was a little quiet.
In a sparsely filled and nearly silent Maples Pavilion for much of the game's 40 minutes, the Bruins relied on drastically improved long-range shooting to defeat Stanford on Thursday night, 69-65, their 10th win in 11 games and 16th in 19.

The Bruins, who had been shooting just 32.5 percent as a team from 3-point range, made nine-of-17 3-pointers for the game and six-of-11 in the first half to jump to a 36-29 halftime lead.

"We're getting better; we're 18-0 with a 10-point lead," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "I know we're great for television. This is a great team for TV ratings. And keeping the fans involved for the sponsors all the way till the very end. So I think we should get some accommodation for that."

UCLA's outside shooting made it appear that the Bruins would cruise to an easy victory in Palo Alto.

Par for the course, turnovers assured a rougher finish.

The Bruins committed 16 turnovers, including 11 in the first half, as Stanford kept it close. Late-game long-range shooting made it even closer, as Stanford guard Jeremy Green hit two crucial 3-pointers in the final minute to close UCLA's lead to 66-62 with 1 minute, 10 seconds left.

But a Green turnover with 31.6 seconds left and three free-throws down the stretch by Reeves Nelson iced the game for the Bruins.

It was a surprising turn of events for UCLA - free throws icing the win - as the Bruins made just five-of-11 at one point as the Cardinal stayed in the game.

"We just have to do a better job at the foul line," Howland said. "We missed some foul shots late in the game. I thought Reeves did a great job stepping up."

At a quiet Maples Pavilion, UCLA is shooting the lights out in the first half, claiming a 36-29 lead.

The Bruins have had fantastic ball movement - aside from a four-straight-turnover stretch - that has led to 11-of-21 field goal shooting, 6-of-11 3-point shooting and even 80 percent free-throw shooting.

Tyler Honeycutt has been fantastic early, making up for four first-half turnovers with a game-high 13 points on 4-of-8 shooting Honeycutt started off hot with two quick 3-pointers and added another from long distance as the half wore on.

It is clear that a more liberal substitution pattern has paid off for the Bruins, as seven players have played more than six minutes, with Tyler Lamb getting seven in the first half.

Reeves Nelson and Lazeric Jones have each added six points and Joshua Smith five, with a beautiful rejection as the Stanford shot-clock expired with 2.8 seconds left in the half, and Malcolm Lee has three.

Stanford's scoring, meanwhile, has really come from only three: Anthony Brown has 10, Josh Owens has nine and Jeremy Green has six.

Both teams are staying out of foul trouble, but UCLA leads on the boards 16-10.

My old pal Andrew Howard of the Daily Bruin now works for NFL.com and passed along some quotes about Akeem Ayers and Rahim Moore from NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock:

On the prospects from the Southern California schools:
"Akeem Ayers, I've got him, I believe, as my No. 2 outside linebacker prospect. He's played both with his hand in the dirt and up. He played linebacker at UCLA. I think he's got first-round ability because of his natural ability to get to the quarterback. Most of the 3-4 teams are very interested in him, although I think he can play in a 4-3 scheme. So if you're scheme diverse, that's a good thing.
Secondly, Rahim Moore, the free safety at UCLA, in a bad, bad safety year, he's the best safety out there. Whether or not that gets him in the first round, I don't know. ... He reminded me on tape a little bit of Earl Tomas. Not quite as good, but he's got great range. I think he'll fit somewhere late one to mid two."

On if he were the Patriots at 17 and going at outside linebacker in the 3-4 defense:

"Akeem Ayers from UCLA is the most logical guy at 17, because Von Miller's going to be gone. I'm not sure Justin Houston from Georgia makes sense there. I think he's more of a second-round guy. So if you're trying to lock in on a guy, and obviously they need somebody who can get to the quarterback without a lot of help, I think Ayers is the guy that makes the most sense."

Scout.com's Brandon Huffman reported yesterday that Vanier College DB Anthony Thompson had officially committed to the UCLA football team, giving the Bruins their 17th commit for the 2011 class.

I was told last week that Thompson was just waiting on some final paperwork to clear, and now it appears he'll even be in town early enough for Spring ball.

Thompson also had interest in Oregon State and Cincinnati, with offers from both schools, so it's clear that his recruitment started picking up pretty late.

The Bruins certainly need more cornerback depth; after the defection of Marlon Pollard and Shaquille Richardson, UCLA has just four CBs from the classes of 2009-11.

Because of rain, the UCLA baseball team has moved its season-opener tomorrow against San Francisco to noon. The game was scheduled for 6 p.m., but the forecast is dour; Gerrit Cole will still start. Forecast is worse for the Dons.

Here's part two of a closer look at UCLA's basketball numbers this season...

Tyler Honeycutt
* No UCLA player fills out a stat sheet like Honeycutt, for good or for bad. Honeycutt's scoring is up five points from last year, from 7.5 ppg to 12.5, but his shooting has been brutal after a good freshman year, falling from 49.6 percent field-goal shooting to 41.2 percent. His body has been pretty banged up all year, affecting his shot to an extent, but his shot selection hasn't been the best.

* Honeycutt's rebounding numbers almost offset his prolonged shooting slump, though, as his eight rebounds per game rank fifth in the conference. The twosome of Honeycutt and Nelson ranks second in the Pac-10 in combined rebounds, to USC's Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stephenson, and third place isn't even close.

* Then there's Honeycutt's other defensive stats, blocks and steals, and those two are kind of intertwined. His blocks are up to a conference-leading 1.96 per game, from 1.2 last season, but his steals have gone from 1.5 per game to .8. Not coincidentally, his fouls have dropped from 60-43 in nearly 100 more minutes. That tells me Honeycutt is playing off his man more (and that has been an issue), but then catching up extremely fast. I can't help but wonder how much his sore shoulder is affecting his ability to man a guy up and take a risk, but I also can't help but wonder how much one more offseason in the weight room could do for a guy like him at the college level. We'll have to wait and see.

* ....Turnovers. There really isn't a pretty way to introduce it, but until a seven-turnover performance against Oregon State, it looked like the sophomore small forward had turned a corner. He had just five turnovers in his four previous games, all wins for UCLA, and there seemed to be a calm setting in that he hadn't displayed earlier in the season. Then it came back, in spades, with the seven turnovers matching his season high (the third time this year with seven). The first time, though, game one, was followed by 17 in his next four games. The key for Honeycutt will be to learn from his one-game flare-up and correct the mistake today against Stanford.

Guys,
Please, PLEASE, can it with the personal attacks on each other. This is sports. College sports. It's supposed to be fun.

I'm all for healthy discussion, but some of the crap being spewed is just getting ridiculous. Cut it out.

Thanks
Jon

Here are just some things I noticed tonight while looking at some UCLA basketball stats:

Malcolm Lee
* Lee's scoring is up from last year, as his recent tear has him 1.7 points per game better than last season. He has been UCLA's best perimeter stopper throughout the season - coach Ben Howland calls him one of the best in the country - and it's been a surprise to see him leap to the team lead in scoring at 13.8 points per game.

* After moving back to the off-guard spot full time, following a difficult sophomore season bouncing from the one to the two and back and forth, Lee's assists have dropped drastically (from 3.1 apg to 1.9), while his turnovers remain fairly high at 2.0 per game (down from 2.6) . Lee's assist-to-turnover ratio of .94 is subpar - for comparison, league-leading Jamelle McMillan of Arizona State is at 2.86 a/t, with 83 assists and 29 turnovers.

* Perhaps the most surprising downturn has been Lee's rebounding numbers, which have fallen from 4.4 as a sophomore to 3.1 as a junior, despite moving to the shooting guard spot, which you think would add more opportunities.

The great Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News chimes in on the Pac-12's exploration of a new TV deal, which obviously has huge implications on UCLA: Check it out

UCLA's perimeter defense has been much improved in recent games, even as the team has struggled to hold onto big leads.

The biggest benefactor? UCLA junior shooting guard Malcolm Lee.

The improved perimeter defense has afforded Lee more energy and freedom on offense, and he's responded with a flourish.

In his last seven games, Lee has averaged 17.6 points, raising his season average to a team-high 13.8 points per game. Meanwhile, the Bruins have won nine-of-10 and 15-of-18.

"It's helped not only me, but our whole defense," Lee said. "We're guarding a lot of good guys that can get to the rack. It's really good that we can have a lot of guys that can come out of nowhere and defend. It helps a lot."

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper has Akeem Ayers slotted at the No. 21 pick to the Kansas City Chiefs and Rahim Moore slotted at the No. 30 pick to the New York Jets in his latest installment of his mock draft.

Here's a link, though it requires an insider subscription: Stock Watch

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the first batch of weekly answers...

UCLA senior associate athletic director Mark Harlan told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that the program was now zeroing in on the Sports Arena, the Honda Center and Staples Center as part of what likely be a traveling roadshow for the men's basketball team next season, as Pauley Pavilion is being renovated and the Great Western Forum is not an option.

UCLA has sent out surveys to season-ticket holders about their preference for the 18 home games on the schedule next season. It is looking increasingly realistic, though, that UCLA will essentially be on a tour of Southern California, with games also potentially played in San Diego (Valley View Casino Center), Bakersfield (RaboBank Arena) and Ontario (Citizens Business Bank Arena).

"We're going to play wherever they tell us to play," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "It doesn't matter what my preference is. What matters is we're going to be out of there for a year. It's obviously going to be more dififcult traveling to a home game. But for the long-term health of the program, the facility being redone the way it is is great. Much needed."

Of concern to Howland is the possible transportation of students to and from games, but that is being discussed along with game locations.

"It's going to be like going to the Rose Bowl; the school will provide transportation to and from," Howland said. "Hopefully it can be turned into a road show for a year."

With two crucial Bay Area road games this week - two wins would put the Bruins at 11-3 in league play - Howland has is thoughts elsewhere.

"What I'm realy worried about is the game on Thursday," Howland said. "It's so far down the list of things I think about, it's not even funny."

From UCLA:

LOS ANGELES - UCLA head baseball coach John Savage and the University have agreed to a contract extension running through the 2015 season, athletic director Dan Guerrero announced Tuesday.

Entering his seventh year as head coach when the college baseball season opens this Friday, Savage has led UCLA to four NCAA postseason appearances in six seasons in Westwood. He guided the Bruins to their third appearance at the College World Series last summer, advancing to the best-of-three finals for the first time in school history.

"We are very excited about the success of this program," Guerrero said. "Under John's exceptional and passionate leadership, UCLA baseball is poised for long-term excellence. Just last season, he guided the team to its first-ever appearance in the finals of the College World Series and set a school record for single-season wins. I have enjoyed the distinct pleasure of working with John for almost a decade. UCLA has a bright and promising future with him at the helm."

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel announced the hiring of defensive coordinator Joe Tresey on Tuesday afternoon, bringing to a close what he called a "long and exhaustive" search.
Beginning with the firing of former defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough, who has since been hired by the Cleveland Browns as a defensive assistant, the 59-day ordeal was full of near-misses and increasing fan angst.

Ultimately, Neuheisel circled back to a candidate whom he interviewed early in the process and continued to keep abreast of the situation, despite public interest in Vic Fangio, Rocky Long and Randy Shannon and the eventual would-be hire of former USC assistant Rocky Seto.

In comes Tresey, who coached defensive backs for the United Football League's Omaha Nighthawks in 2010, after stints as defensive coordinator at South Florida and Cincinnati.

"I met Joe early on in the process," Neuheisel said. "I was very impressed with his package, his defense, how he would install it. He's very organized, very attentive to detail. I believe that he exhibited the kind of passion that you look for in a coach and a leader. ... He's got a great belief in the system that he'll teach and coach and also the numbers back him up."

Tresey's South Florida defense in 2009 ranked 24th nationally in total defense at 321.8 yards per game and tied for 19th in scoring defense, using an aggressive base 4-3 defensive package. Neuheisel stressed through the process that he wanted a coach who could be flexible with his gameplan, and Tresey said that his defense is pliable, dictated by game and health situations.

In 2008 at Cincinnati, Tresey's Bearcats finished 31st nationally total defense (321.9) and 25th in scoring defense (20.1 points per game), after finishing 50th in total defense (368.2) and 13th in scoring defense (18.77) in 2007, when the team led the country in turnovers and interceptions.

"You have to understand their strengths, accentuate their strengths and diminish their weaknesses," Tresey said. "If the question is, 'Are you a pressure guy, what are you?' I think you evolve with your players. ...At the end of the day it's about pursuit, it's about tackling, it's about staying on your feet, it's about meeting and defeating blocks. You know, it's about when they hit the green, man, they're going 100 miles an hour and they're playing their rear ends off for 60 minutes."

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel said that new defensive coordinator Joe Tresey would not coach the defensive line, and that it would be a joint decision to fill the position moving forward. Neuheisel said defensive backs coach Tim Hundley could move to defensive line coach because of Tresey's experience with defensive backs, but Neuheisel also said that they could possibly hire outside of the program.

"Joe and I will confer and figure out who we want to bring to add to our defensive staff," Neuheisel said. "Probably a defensive line coach, although there are different ways to maneuver things and when Joe gets here, we'll sit down and talk about exactly how to go forward in that regard."

Here is what Rick Neuheisel had to say when introducing new UCLA defensive coordinator Joe Tresey:

"Obviously after a long and exhaustive search, I have settled on who I think will be a great leader for our defense, a guy that has proven that he can lead top-flight defenses in each of the last three seasons, minus this last one where he was in the UFL for some extenuating circumstances, but a guy that I believe has got the energy, got the vision and got the package to take us where we need to go defensively, and I'm excited to name Joe Tresey the next defensive coordinator for UCLA.

I met Joe early on in the process. I was very impressed with his package, his defense, how he would install it. He's very organized, very attentive to detail. I believe that he exhibited the kind of passion that you look for in a coach and a leader.

He exhibited a kind of passion for kids - as he was looking at film he was naming the kids by their first names and this was four-year old tape that we were watching. This guy has relationships. He likes what does, he likes young people. He's got a great belief in the system that he'll teach and coach and also the numbers back him up.

There were some great candidates out there. There were some guys that were very bright and certainly had my attention, but at the end of the day I think this is the right choice for UCLA, it's the right choice for the kids that are on our defense currently and I think Tim Hundley and Clark Lea will work really well with Joe and I'm excited about now putting the last piece of the defensive puzzle by getting a defensive line coach to go along with these guys. It's a thrill to name Joe Tresey the next defensive coordinator at UCLA."

Just got off the conference call with new UCLA defensive coordinator Joe Tresey and Rick Neuheisel, and I'll have tidbits throughout the day.

Joe Tresey on his defensive philosophy:
"It's a multiple 4-3 and within the package, we have the ability to play a 3-4. We're going to play a match-up defense, maybe a nickel, with five DBs, or a dime. At the end of the day, it's all about playing fast, and fundamentally, you have to be very sound. You have to be able to attack protections. You have to be able to put your kids in a position to be successful, understand your strengths and accentuate them, and diminish your weaknesses. You evolve with your players. Some teams we pressured a lot with because I had kids with a great knack at it, there were some teams we didn't. We stuck our feet in the ground and played fast.
It's about pursuit, its about tackling when they hit the green man, their going 100 miles an hour."

From UCLA:
 
Joe Tresey, who has served as defensive coordinator at both Cincinnati and South Florida, has been named defensive coordinator at UCLA, Bruin head coach Rick Neuheisel announced today.
 
"Joe has had outstanding success at both Cincinnati and South Florida and I know he is going to be successful here at UCLA," said Neuheisel. "He has an aggressive style that forces turnovers and negative-yardage plays and I feel our players, especially our youngsters, will benefit greatly from his style of play. He is a fine teacher and I can't wait for him to get started."
 
In 2009, South Florida ranked 24th nationally in total defense (321.8 yards) and 19th (tied) in scoring defense (19.8 points) while compiling a record of 8-5. The Bulls forced 23 turnovers that season.
 
Tresey spent two seasons (2007-08) as defensive coordinator at Cincinnati under current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly. In 2007, he authored a Bearcat defense that led the nation in turnovers gained (42) and interceptions (26). A pair of Bearcat defenders earned All-America honors and two others were selected in the 2008 NFL Draft. UC finished 13th nationally in scoring defense (18.8) and 19th in rush defense (114.2) and put five of 11 defensive starters on the All-Big East team.
 
In 2008, Cincinnati ranked 31st nationally in total defense (321.9 yards), 19th in rushing defense (115.0) and 25th in scoring defense (20.1 points).
 
Tresey, 52, spent the 2010 season as defensive backs coach for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League.
 
Tresey joined Kelly's staff at Central Michigan in 2006 and quickly implemented a style that forced 29 turnovers and 31 sacks in 14 games. His MAC Championship defense registered four players with all-league plaudits.
 
For two seasons (2004-05) prior to joining the CMU staff, Tresey was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Georgia Southern. The Eagles' defense ranked fourth nationally in total defense in 2004. While in Statesboro, Tresey helped lead the Eagles to back-to-back NCAA Division I-AA Playoff appearances. He also mentored a pair of all-Southern Conference linebackers.
 
Tresey coordinated the defense and coached defensive backs at Akron during the 2002-03 seasons. He served the previous three years (1999- 2001) as defensive secondary coach at Virginia Military Institute. Tresey began his college coaching career as the defensive coordinator at Otterbein in 1995.
 
Tresey moved to the collegiate ranks after serving as a decorated high school mentor. After leading Fredericktown to Ohio's Division IV state semifinals in 1989, Tresey was voted the UPI Ohio Division IV Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Fredericktown High School Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.
 
No stranger to Southwest Ohio, Tresey served four seasons as head coach at Middletown High School. He also has prior head coaching stops at New Philadelphia (Ohio) High School and Mechanicsburg (Pa.) High School.
 
Tresey is a 1982 graduate of Ohio State with a Bachelor's degree in Education. He earned his Master's of Education in Sports Science from Ashland University in 1997.
 

From UCLA:

ESPN announced today that UCLA's football game at Arizona on October 20, 2011 will be televised nationally by the network. The Thursday night contest will kick off at 6 pm MST/PDT.

UCLA will play six home games in the first season of Pac-12 competition. Here is the home schedule:

Sept. 10 - San Jose State
Sept. 17 - Texas
Oct. 8 - Washington State
Oct. 29 - California
Nov. 5 - Arizona State
Nov. 19 - Colorado

The 2011 Bruins feature eight returning starters on each side of the line of scrimmage, plus three returning starters from the 2009 season. Tailback Johnathan Franklin, who rushed for 1,129 yards a year ago, the highest total by a Bruin in over a decade, leads the offense while safety Tony Dye, who ranked fourth (tied) in the Pac-10 in tackles, leads the defensive unit.

ESPN.com's Joe Lunardi came out with his latest Bracketology NCAA Tournament predictor, and he has UCLA as a nine-seed: Check it out

I would think that if the Bruins finish the way they *should*, with anywhere from 21-24 wins, they would get higher than a nine-seed.

A source close to UCLA indicated that the Bruins got a visit from Anthony Thompson of the Vanier Cheetas in Montreal this weekend, and there is a chance he could sign soon.

I don't know much about him, but he looks to be a good-sized cornerback with pretty good speed, although who knows the competition level in Canada?

Here's some video on him, but I can't find much else out there:

Had a chance to chat with Jayson Allmond this morning, after he decided yesterday to attend Northern Arizona following his choice to transfer from UCLA.

JG: Why did you decide to leave UCLA?
JA: "Well, I came in as a fullback and I redshirted, came back to spring and moved to F-back in the Pistol. Then moved to running back, then during camp I was moved to tight end."

JG: So it was more about just not ever really finding a spot for you?
JA: "Yea, it just didn't work out. But I understood that sometimes things just dont work out. I came in as a fullback and we took it out, so I just got the raw end of the stick."

JG: How hard was it to make the decision? I know you love UCLA...
JA: "It was a really hard decision because I've been a Bruin since I was 7 years old, playing little league. My high school was called the Bruins. So to know that I wasn't going to be a Bruin anymore... it hurt sometimes because my mom is a big UCLA fan."

JG: When you came to your decision, what were you looking for out of the next program
and I guess tied to that, why NAU?
JA: "Of course education was a big part because UCLA is one of the top schools when it comes to education, so I had to find a school that can almost match up. I picked NAU because i was recruited by them coming out of high school but never got an offer - I committed to UCLA very early so I never got a chance to get any offers beside UCLA and Nevada.:

JG: Does NAU feature a fullback?
JA: "Yes, they do."

JG: What's the one thing youre going to miss most about UCLA?
JA: "(long pause) Hanging out with my friends on the football team, like Sheldon Price, Dalton Hilliard, Darius Bell, Brandon Willis, Isaiah Bowens, Stan Mckay, Damien Thigpen,Datone Jones, Jerry Rice and Keenan Graham."

JG: How hard is it to leave?
JA: "It's very hard, because I've made so many friends. UCLA is my dream school, and I'm leaving my mom behind and she is my biggest fan. She has never missed any of my games, so to know I won't be able to hug her after every game is going to be hard."

JG: Any final thoughts?
JA: "I just want to thank Coach Neuheisel and the coaching staff for allowing me to be part of the UCLA family, and I also would like to thank the fans for all the support and for staying behind me. Also to Coach Linn, I thank him for making me a better player and teaching me the right way to lift and take care of my body. I have no hard feeling towards any coaches and I wish the team the best of luck. I will always be a UCLA Bruin."

Fire away with questions for this week's Q&A. Please don't post new questions on the answers section, because I don't always check the comments. Save them for next week.

Thanks
Jon

After UCLA's 10-point win over Oregon on Thursday - a game in which the Bruins went down big only to storm back just as quick - head coach Ben Howland said he wanted one breather this season, a season that has been filled with more yo-yos than a novelty store.

Ten minutes into the Bruins' matchup with Oregon State on Saturday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion it looked like Howland could finally relax during a game.

And then the string dropped once more, Howland started sweating it out once more, and UCLA needed to gather itself once more, before winning its fifth straight with a 69-61 victory at Pauley Pavilion in front of 8,534.

But after a 14-18 record last year, Howland's more than happy to dip down if the Bruins ultimately come back up, and they have, picking up their 15th win out of the last 18 games.

"We're 17-0 when we have a ten-point lead," Howland said. "The bottom line, at the end here, we're trying to win the game."

The Bruins got off to a scorching start, sprinting to a 24-6 lead while holding Oregon State to 2-of-16 shooting to open the game.
And then UCLA started to get fancy, and the Bruins lost control.
Then they tried to get clean, and still they lost control.

Fourteen first-half turnovers wiped away the huge lead, and it would've been even worse if not for Malcolm Lee's nine points.

Tyler Honeycutt had an uneven half - six points, four assists, three rebounds, two blocks but five turnovers - and Reeves Nelson added seven rebounds and three points, but three turnovers.

Brendan Lane was the most pleasant surprise for UCLA fans, coming back from his grandmother's funeral in Boston to score four points and grab four rebounds in six minutes.

chat after the jump now...

UCLA's first matchup with Oregon State in mid-January was a low-scoring affair, but packed full of drama, as UCLA needed a 5-0 spurt in the final minute to eke out the 62-57 win.

Much has changed since then. The Bruins, who were coming off a 63-52 loss to USC at the Galen Center the first time they met the Beavers, are now one of the Pac-10's hottest teams.

Oregon State is a bit different now, too, having inserted guard Ahmad Starks into the starting lineup for Calvin Haynes. Starks played just three minutes and scored zero points in the first matchup. During the past four games, though, he's averaged 25.5 minutes and more than nine points, starting the past three.

Howland does not expect a repeat of the first matchup, when the Bruins held the Beavers to just one player in double-figures, forward Roberto Nelson.

"I don't expect that will happen again (today)," Howland said. "That'd be great if it did. They're playing a little differently now."

I asked Ben Howland last night about the team seemingly finding a 'fifth gear,' the ability to not just get back into a game but to sail past the other team, like the Bruins did last night, and his answer was very revealing about the wear-and-tear of the season.

"I sure hope so," Howland responded. "But I'd love to have an easy game where we're in control the whole game. I'm just praying we have a game like that sometime. Every one is tooth and nail. I just thought this was a trap game coming into it. I'm just really thankful that we're able to come back and win the game tonight."

What spurred the question?

After back-to-back impressive wins over USC and St. John's, the Bruins came out flatter than a sheet of paper against Oregon, trailing by eight at one point. But UCLA did not only come back, they soared right past the Ducks, outscoring Oregon 39-26 in the second half.

It appeared to me that the Bruins are finding another level, not just meandering around and hoping for a win, as it seemed they did earlier in the year.

From UCLA: The UCLA football team has 18 starters returning on offense, defense and special teams plus three players who missed all of last year after starting throughout the 2009 season.

The Bruins will open Spring Practice on Thursday afternoon, March 31. All practice sessions are open to the public and will be held at Spaulding Field.

The annual Spring Scrimmage will be held on Saturday, April 23 at 5:00 pm at Drake Stadium.
The event returns to campus this year due to the renovation project underway at the Rose Bowl.

Following is the schedule (tentative and subject to change):
Week One - March 31 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 1 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 2 (TBD).

Week Two - April 4 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 5 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 7 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 9 (TBD).

Week Three - April 11 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 12 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 14 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 15 (4:00 - 6:00 pm).

Week Four - April 18 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 19 (4:00 - 6:00 pm), April 21 (4:00 - 6:00 pm) and April 23 (5:00 pm Spring Scrimmage at Drake Stadium on UCLA campus).

UCLA has been dominating the boards recently, and the fact has not been lost on Ben Howland.

The Bruins outrebounded Oregon 40-28 last night after beating St. John's on the glass by 12, USC by 14, Arizona State by four and Arizona by five.

Last night in the 64-54 win over Oregon, Tyler Honeycutt had 13 rebounds, Reeves Nelson had nine, and Anthony Stover had eight boards and two blocks in 14 minutes.

"Honeycutt and Reeves in particular have been really consistent on the glass, and they're two of the best in the league," said Howland of his two sophomore forwards, who rank third and fifth, respectively in the Pac-10. "But I was really pleased by Anthony Stover's eight rebounds tonight. That's a huge factor going forward."

Nelson echoed his coach's comments and fully understands that the team needs to exploit its size in the post.

"I just think Stover came in and did a really good job," Nelson said. "He definitely earned his minutes and his start. Then with me and Tyler, coach always expects us to get close to 10 rebounds a game. It helped us out.""

Just so everyone knows, Charlie Sheen was not invited to speak to the UCLA baseball team yesterday. He at Jackie Robinson Stadium hitting along with former several major leaguers and strolled over to the UCLA baseball team, which was about to practice, and congratulated the team for its season and spoke for about 20 seconds.

He did not get a standing ovation. The players were already standing.

From The Pac-10:

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.-- After a comprehensive review of the officiating program and a request by Dave Cutaia to step down as the Coordinator of Football Officiating, the Pac-10 Conference will restructure its football officiating program it was announced today. Enhancements to the officiating program will include a new organizational structure, new resources, best practices and training tools.

"Dave Cutaia has been an integral part of the Pac-10 Conference for 27 years as an official and as our Coordinator of Football Officiating," Commissioner Larry Scott said. "His professionalism and dedication are first class and we thank him for all of his efforts and devotion to the Pac-10."

"Like in other high priority areas, we have taken a fresh look at our program, and will be implementing a series of changes that are forward-looking, innovative and take our program to the next level," Scott said. "The game and level of play is always improving, so it's essential that in the critical area of officiating, the program continue to evolve and improve as well."

Sorry guys, I thought this posted last night, and I accidentally didn't publish)

"Sometimes we play in spurts, but when we're on, we're on," Anderson said. "Hopefully we can continue to stay on and not need to worry about getting back on."

Another sleepy effort by the Bruins in the first half has them trailing Oregon by three at Pauley Pavilion.

Without Malcolm Lee, the number would be a whole lot bigger.

Lee had 11 points but no other UCLA player had more than four as the team shot 9-for-26 from the field and just 4-for-8 from the free-throw line. Turnovers again have hurt the Bruins, who have eight, but not as much as Oregon's Jay-R Strowbridge and Joevan Catron.

The two have teamed for 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 10 for Strowbridge off the bench after starting guard Johnathan Loyd was called for two early fouls and played just two minutes in the first half.

Umm...

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing

How's your tan?
Neuheisel: "Wasn't there long enough to get a tan. Wife set up party for me so I had to go."

Opening statement:
Neuheisel: "We're excited to announce the addition of Jim Mastro to our staff. Jim will coach tight ends and F-backs and will be a real asset to run game bringing expertise garnered over the years with Nevada. ... I'm very appreciative that Chris Ault was amenable to me talking to Jim. With Mike Johnson working on the throw game and Jim helping in the run dept, we're going to put together and offense we're all going to be excited about."

On defensive coordinator search:
Neuheisel: "I'm still working through it. I have a list of candidates, I've talked to all of them, and I've let most of them know that I'm going to make a decision by this weekend. I'm trying hard to be done. I want to be thorough because I have to be right. I understand the scrutiny and the perception. At the end of the day, none of that matters. What matters is we play well next year."

Neuheisel on Todd Howard:
"I just felt like we needed to make a change. I also wanted whoever is the new coordinator to have the opportunity to help with another staff member (hire)."

Neuheisel on sticking with the pistol:
"We're going to use a lot of the stuff within the Pistol that has been successful. But it will be a portion of our offense, not be all, end all. Jim and I have talked about that. We need to use
what he knows about formations so we can get to what we need, and then get to put that all together with the throw game. His ability to use all his experiences and all his knowledge of how to get that done via formationing will be hugely beneficial."

Mastro on what he sees out of UCLA:
"I've looked at all the tape. They're on the right page. The Pistol is a process, and the thing appealing is they already have the foundation laid. I've made all the mistakes you can make in this offense. I'm talking from experience. I think its a plus to have more knowledge on how its supposed to work. I like the team, I like the talent, I like the offense. I look forward to making that better."

Mastro on leaving Nevada:
"It's time. There's really nothing left for me to do there. When I walked into (Coach Ault's) office it was a nervous time. Ricky asked for permisson to talk, and when I went in to tell coach I was taking the job, he stood up and said, 'You take this job. You have to go. You can't pass this opportunity up."

Mastro on Mike Johnson:
"I heard a lot of things. I did my homework on this. Heard nothing but outstanding things about him. Football is all about knowledge. Once you think you know it all, you're done."

Neuheisel on Howard:
"I just think that as you get on and you're trying to make changes, defensive phlisophy, there's just a time to make subtle changes. I have great respect for Todd, I think he's a great guy to be around. This is not as much dissatisfaction as a breath of fresh air."

Neuheisel on how long the Howard firing has been discussed, now that Howard has already been hired by Washington State.
"Todd and I talked about this in December. I just wanted him to know that as I was looking for a new coordinator, that maybe he be ready to make the next move. One thing I admire about Todd is there's never any. Extremely professional, worked diligently through recruiting. I think he'll be a great addition to the Cougar staff."

Neuheisel on the DC search having more than two names left:
"Won't divulge any names, but the answer to how many is yes. I wouldn't rule out one more interview."

Neuheisel on the frustration of the delay:
"Oh yeah, no question. I've had the guy picked three times now. Circumstances have led to continue. It's a complicated deal, but once again it doesn't matter how long it takes, but what the results are."

Neuheisel on the Rocky Seto situation:
"I was clear with my version of what happened with Rocky. I asked him for his commitment if I decided to go forward, I wanted to make sure he was ready, and before it reached regents approval which was necessary, other factors came to light that made it probably not the right time. I don't want to divulge (those factors). I have to be wary of everything. It just became not the right time. For obvious reasons, I can't divulge all that."

Neuheisel on Randy Shannon:
"I talked to randy and am impressed with Randy."

Neuheisel on the future of Tim Hundley and Clark Lea:
"Those conversations will be had at the appropriate tiem, but my sense is yes, they're safe."

Neuheisel on what made Howard different:
"I felt where we were at the time it was time to consider a change. I didn't make the ultimate decision at the time, but I wanted him to be wary and have an opportunity to take care of himself. (It was) a combination of things. It was just something I felt was the appropriate conversation to have."

The shakeup continues.

UCLA announced on Thursday the hiring of former Nevada running backs coach Jim Mastro as tight ends and F-backs coach and the firing of defensive line coach Todd Howard, while the defensive coordinator search continues.

Mastro was reported to have been offered the position - which also includes what the official release called "a key role in the continued development of the running component of UCLA's offense that incorporates elements of the Pistol schemes" - earlier this week, and needed time to consider.

"Jim has a wealth of knowledge and experience with the Pistol and will be a great asset as we incorporate many of its run-game principles into our offense," UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel said in the official release. "He has enjoyed great success in the running game and I feel he will work well alongside (new offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach) Mike Johnson, (running backs coach) Wayne Moses and (offensive line coach) Bob Palcic to give us a very cohesive offensive staff."

Mastro spent 11 seasons with the Wolf Pack and played a primary role in the success of the Pistol offense. Nevada ranked third in the country in rushing in 2010 after leading the nation in 2009.

Mastro, who was Nevada's recruiting coordinator, has also coached at Idaho, San Jose State and Cal Poly, where he played in the late 1980's.

His hire seems to solidify the UCLA offensive staff, which added Johnson in January after a parting of ways with now-Utah offensive coordinator Norm Chow. The defensive side is in even more turmoil.

With the defensive coordinator position still open and Neuheisel still interviewing candidates, Howard has now been relieved of his duties.

"Todd knew that this was a possibility," said Neuheisel. "We discussed the situation back in December and decided to wait until after recruiting to make a final decision. I feel that it is in the best interest of our program and also in Todd's best interest that we part ways at this time. I appreciate all that he has done for UCLA football and I know that he will be successful in his next position."

Howard had been instrumental in the recruitment of several highly rated defensive linemen, including former Pac-10 defensive player of the year Brian Price and current Bruins Cassius Marsh, Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Kevin McReynolds.

"I appreciate the opportunity Coach Neuheisel gave me by allowing me to stay on staff when he was hired," said Howard, who was a holdover from Karl Dorrell's staff. "I knew this might happen and have been planning for this situation."

Check out this feature today in USA Today on Nicki Caldwell and the UCLA women's basketball team...

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I'm sitting here in my bed, my eyes swollen, less than a block away from Thousand Oaks High, and I can see the lights from my backyard. I live within a quarter-mile of the high school football field that I miss more than anything in the world - live with two of my former teammates, no less - and I can see the lights.
Those lights...

They meant everything to me, still do, will always, and I was reminded of them tonight as I watched the series finale of Friday Night Lights. And by watched, I mean sniffled through, because that was one hell of an episode.

I won't spoil anything specific, but I will say that it was a perfect ending to a perfect show. It is now the end of FNL as a pop culture entity, following the book and the movie. I am completely devastated.

I bought the book for my father as a father's day present in high school. I saw the movie the day it came out. I flew to Midland, Texas, for a story for ESPN, coming back with the Permian jacket that I wear to UCLA practices almost on a daily basis.

So, yeah, the show means a lot to me.

I'm just writing this because I feel compelled to, if only to convince one more person to watch this show from start to finish. It will be a wild ride. There will be some weird dips, but you will always come back there, to the field, to those lights.

I can see them now.

Clear Eyes, Full Hearts...

UCLA offensive line commit Ben Wysocki has joined our live chat:

Check it out here

Hey guys,

Just a reminder that we're having a live chat with new UCLA defensive tackle Kevin McReynolds at 7 p.m.

Check back in about one hour.

UCLA head coach Ben Howland took umbrage with a recent New York Post article that followed the Bruins' win over St. John's on Saturday.

After UCLA went to the free-throw line 41 times to St. John's' seven, Lenn Robbins of the Post took the officials to task, and Howland wasn't happy.

"I really didn't feel that was fair," Howland said. "I saw it actually. I was getting my car washed Sunday after church, go into this NY pizzeria and they had the NY Post laying out there. If you go back and watch the game, which I did Sunday, it was very agressive. They fouled. They were fouls. It was not any kind of homer situation."

After a relatively down 2011 recruiting class, UCLA's next effort must be more efficient, both in identifying talent and securing commitments.

As I wrote in my 2011 analysis, I believe one of the UCLA coaching staff's big problems last season was not tempering expectations and adjusting the local recruiting because of it.

With a very strong West region in 2012, UCLA really won't have to look too far to secure a solid class, but obviously there are some national targets that they should go after.

Ranking the units in terms of need, based on both quality and quantity of players at the position, I would expect coaches to go a little something like this:

Offensive Line
Defensive Back
Defensive Line
Wide Receiver
Linebacker
Quarterback
Running Back
Tight End
Special Teams

Here is a preliminary list of some top targets:

S Shaquille Thompson

RB Byron Marshall

RB Barry Sanders Jr.

WR Bryce Treggs

OL Freddie Tagaloa

OL Jordan Simmons

CB Tee Shepard

RB Ishmael Adams

DE Jeremy Castro

OL Ellis McCarthy

WR Derrick Woods

Here is a more complete list of current UCLA offers: Check it out

The Bruins have been climbing up the RPI list in recent weeks, but Ben Howland says he's not paying too much attention.

Not with his point guard's wrist banged up and his sophomore power forward's ankle still swelled and his other sophomore power forward unavailable on Thursday night.

The Bruins are No. 41 in the latest RealTimeRPI.com rankings, one slot ahead of Washington, but hust as Howland might be starting to relax, he wisens up. He has other things to worry about.

"I haven't been following that much," Howland said. "I just know that if we take care of what we need to do, it'll fall into line. We've got eight games left in regular season, and we have to continue to improve and do well. I'm worried about Zeek's wrist, I'm worried about Brendan not being there Thursday.

UCLA's confidence is rightfully soaring after wins over USC and St. John's last week, and the Bruins will need to feed off that confidence in the next few weeks.
With this team, that's easier said than done.

The confidence game has been a difficult one for several Bruins, who are starting to come into their own. Tyler Lamb had two big 3-pointers against St. John's; Joshua Smith seems to be comprehending his abilities; even Jerime Anderson has looked consistent lately.

"(Our confidence) was obviously buyoed by this past week," Howland said. "Those were two important wins against two good teams. USC is a hard matchup for us because of their size, and to turn around and beat St. John's, with an RPI of 20, who week before had beaten Duke pretty well, that was a good win for us."

UCLA knows its next matchup with Oregon is going to be a bit tougher than its last one. And the last one was pretty tough.

The Ducks will have leading scorer Joevan Catron on Thursday at Pauley Pavilion, after he missed the teams' first game with a calf injury.

Catron is averaging over 16 points for the sizzling Ducks, who've won five-of-seven, with wins over Washington, Washington State and USC in that time.

Catron has been a primary reason, averaging almost 19 points per game over the last four.

"He's their best player, their inside threat and a matchup nightmare," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "He has all sorts of game around the basket - up and under moves, spin - and he's shooting the ball well."

UCLA junior guard Lazeric Jones had an MRI on his injured wrist, Ben Howland said, and the result is still just a sprain. He's been fitted with a special cast for non-basketball activities, much like a walking boot, but Howland said he'll be playing through it.

Also, Brendan Lane won't be available for Thursday's game because of his grandmother's funeral. Howland is hopeful he'll be back Saturday.

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UCLA is predicted as a No. 8 seed in the NCAA Tournament by Sports Illustrated, but with an ominous kicker: The Bruins are in the same bracket as undefeated Ohio State, rated No. 1.

Former UCLA defensive grad assistant Daronte Jones has been hired as defensive backs coach for the Montreal Allouettes of the Canadian Football League.

I thought Jones brought some good energy in practices last season, and he and Clark Lea were like two players sometimes with their enthusiasm. UCLA will need to find another good gem like him, because that energy is hard to come by.

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Fire away with questions for this week's Q&A. Please don't post new questions on the answers section, because I don't always check the comments. Save them for next week.

Thanks
Jon

It has now been 49 days that UCLA has been without a defensive coordinator, and with the looks of things, there might not be a resolution any time soon.

The latest news send the Bruins right back to square one, as they have broken off talks with Rocky Seto, according to sources. How far those talks went appears to be up for debate, as I have heard it is essentially semantics: Rick Neuheisel was reported to have "offered" the job, but sources tell me the offer was never concrete and that Seto's text message response in the Daily Trojan that he had accepted the job was not only premature, but helped lead to his withdrawal of consideration.

This is only the latest snag in what has been a complex situation.

I've been told the Bruins have interviewed roughly 10 coaches, but even before the interview process began, there was tumult.

UCLA fans clamored for Vic Fangio, then Dwayne Walker and Rocky Long and Chuck Heater and Teryl Austin. Fangio quickly left for the NFL along with head coach Jim Harbaugh, Long was promoted to San Diego State head coach when Brady Hoke jumped to Michigan, and Heater and Austin also got new jobs and were never truly considered candidates.

Neuheisel is being said to be considering candidates he has already interviewed and possibly interviewing more candidates, in what continues to be a long saga. The one public name still out there is Randy Shannon, the former Miami head coach who turned up on ESPN's signing day coverage, to the chagrin of fans who expected him to be introduced that day.

Joshua Smith looked down, tugged down at his shirt and grinned when asked if he had any chest hair.

"A little bit," he said, laughing while taking stock of his small tuft.

After that game, he has a little more.

The UCLA freshman center was a beast against the Big East's St. John's Red Storm, throwing down dunk after dunk as the Bruins spoiled Steve Lavin's return to Pauley Pavilion with a 66-59 win on Saturday morning in front of 8,592.

Smith had a team-high 19 points and added eight rebounds and three blocks in 27 minutes in a physical matchup against the ultra-aggressive Red Storm, which beat Duke last week 93-78.

While his teammates struggled against a flustering full-court press, ultimately committing 22 turnovers, Smith set the tone for his physicality early, slamming home four dunks in the first 10 minutes.

"I just think any time an east-coast school comes into the west, they're going to try to bully you," said Reeves Nelson, who had 12 points and 17 rebounds. "We don't really have any little sissies on this team. You could just tell that they knew they were going to try to - the term we used today was 'punk us' - and we just weren't having that."

They were early.

The Red Storm blitzed the Bruins from the onset, forcing four turnovers and jumping to leads of 13-4 and 19-11. UCLA's backcourt of juniors Lazeric Jones, playing with a sprained left wrist, Malcolm Lee and Jerime Anderson had trouble simply advancing the ball past the half-court line. The Bruins were flagged with two 10-second violations and looked simply lost.
Then Smith and fellow freshman Tyler Lamb found themselves.

Lamb hit two crucial 3-pointers in the first half to help UCLA weather the Storm and the Bruins lead 29-26 at the half, ultimately going up by as many as 10 early in the second half.

"That is obviously a very important win for us," UCLA head coach Ben Howland said. "They are an excellent team that creates a lot of match-up problems with their veteran guards."

With senior Dwight Hardy leading the way offensively - he had 32 points on 13-of-24 shooting - the Red Storm (13-9) clawed back despite a murky foul situation, as UCLA shot 41 free throws, making 27, to St. John's' seven.

If the Bruins could have hit a bit more down the stretch, a desperation 3-pointer from Nelson would not have been needed. But the sophomore power forward hit a fading, off-balance heave falling out of bounds from the left corner with the shot clock running out and 34 seconds left that sealed the deal.

"The play was for Malcolm and Josh, but I told Jerime that if those two weren't open, I was just going to pop out to the three and shoot it," Nelson said. "I got a pretty decent look at it, and I knocked it down, and that was the game really."

UCLA, 16-7 and winners of 13-of-16, made up for its porous late-game foul shooting - the Bruins made just 3-of-10 free throws in the final four minutes - with crucial offensive rebounding. Nelson and sophomore forward Tyler Honeycutt teamed for three big boards following missed free throw attempts down the stretch that chewed up clock and let UCLA control the tempo.

"As a coach - and I'm thinking about Steve - that just kills you as a coach when they have inside positioning," Howland said. "That happened to us against ASU twice, down the stretch, and it allowed them to get back into the game. ...That was great, I was so pleased to be on the other side of that."

Just chatted with Jayson Allmond, who said he is going to be taking a visit soon to Northern Arizona and is considering several schools: Idaho, Cal Poly, Portland State, Montana State, Western State, Richmond and Sac State.

If a half of basketball can make a man out of someone, the first half of UCLA's matchup this morning with St. John's just might have done it.

Freshman center Joshua Smith beasted the Red Storm for 12 first-half points, including four powerful dunks, and the Bruins rode a rough start to take a 29-26 lead into halftime.

St. John's' harrying defense - the Storm came out in a 2-2-1 with full-court pressure - absolutely killed UCLA early, St. John's building a 13-4 lead and forcing a bevy of early turnovers. UCLA had seven early turnovers, including two three-turnover streaks, the Red Storm again capitalizing with a 19-11 lead.

But better defense, better hustle, and more importantly, better passing, turned things around, as the Bruins went on an 18-7 run over the last 8:08 to take the three-point lead.

UCLA has made 7-of-8 free throws, but just 2-of-8 3-pointers, though both were crucial shots by freshman Tyler Lamb.

Dwight Hardy has 16 points for St. John's, but he's the only one who's done any damage.

Recently signed UCLA incoming freshman defensive tackle Kevin McReynolds will join me for a live chat with fans next week, likely on Wednesday. We're still working out the details, but he's very eager to introduce himself to Bruin fans. Stay posted.

UCLA has offered Nevada running backs coach Jim Mastro to be "running game coordinator," or in other words, Pistol pusher, but Mastro is considering the offer, says the Reno Gazette-Journal: Check it out

As part of their evolution as a young basketball team, the UCLA players are starting to learn some incontrovertable truths.

The latest lesson to be learned? There is no perfect.

The Bruins defeated USC on Wednesday night, 64-50, but once again it was not without its peaks and valleys.

UCLA got off to a quick start, bolstered by frenetic energy and downright dogged hustle. The Bruins led by six points less than four minutes into the game and maintained around an eight point lead until the Trojans made their charge with 3 minutes, 14 seconds left in the first half.

USC center Alex Stephenson threw down a dunk to cut the Bruins' lead to four, and UCLA would score just one more basket, while letting the Trojans cut the lead to one, ultimately taking an early second-half lead.

But this is where it gets interesting, the Bruins slow and steady growth perhaps taking a leap.
UCLA recapped its energy, gradually taking the lead up to eight, nine, 10 and eventually 14 points.

"I don't think any team can play the perfect 40 minutes," said UCLA freshman center Joshua Smith. "A lot of the good teams, they ride the storms. They'll get an early lead, they'll hold their composure, and when the other team makes a small run, they kind of group together and say, 'Hey, they're on a 6-0 run, we're alright.' That's the teams like Duke and Ohio State - when their confident they just ride together.

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The thought started gnawing at Richard Brehaut as far back as freshman year, as he sat in his dorm room, watching the College Baseball World Series.

It was a constant poke of what could have been, and it subsisted for the UCLA rising junior quarterback, and it ate at him, and finally in December, it won out.

Brehaut started thinking about joining the UCLA baseball team, picked up a bat again for really the first time in three years and started hacking around. Rudimentary discussions with head football coach Rick Neuheisel blossomed into a full-blown, "Can I really do this?" By mid-January the steps were in place to turn the nagging feeling into an actuality, and now, six weeks later, it has.

Brehaut has joined the UCLA baseball team, which was recently ranked No. 2 in Baseball America's preseason poll, but will still participate with the football team during spring ball.

Brehaut was rumored to be joining the team as far back as two weeks ago, but head baseball coach John Savage wanted to have him try out first. Brehaut has made the team as a designated hitter and backup catcher and participated in his first practice on Wednesday.

"It's always been in the back of my head, 'Maybe I could do this, maybe I could still play," Brehaut said. "If I was going to take advantage, it was this year or never. I haven't played in a live game since June of '08. But I gave it some serious thought, and coming back from the break, when I asked Coach Neuheisel, he said if that's something you really want to do and your heart desires, go ahead, go for it. He's the reason why I even gave it consideration. He gave me the green light, and it was a matter of him getting in touch with Savage, telling them that I had interest."

JG: How did the initial Richard Brehaut baseball talks start?
Rick Neuheisel: "It goes back to recruiting. One of the things when I was in Richard's home, there was the question whether or not if he came, would he have the freedom to try out for the baseball team. My standard answer with dual-sport athletes, once they've established themselves as a playing member of the football team, I have zero problem with a player participating in another sport. Nelson Rosario, Damien Thigpen, we have guys who run track.
Richard came to me and asked if he could give it a whirl. I said, 'Absolutely.' But he also understands I have to make the determination of starting quarterback by who's there. Makes him have a cost-benefit analysis. But it would've been disengenuous to tell him he couldn't try.

JG: The news leaked a few weeks ago that he would join the team, but there seemed to be a back-and-forth on the details...
RN: "The only back and forth was Coach Savage making the opportunity available. He wanted to have Richard try out. John and I talked the other day, and he has a darn good bat, a little behind in defense, so they're going to take the step."

JG: How will the arrangement work out? Will he practice fully and then spend extra time for baseball?
RN: "I'm hopeful he won't lose any football time. It's up to Richard to see how he manages the rest of hours. I hope for him to be at every spring practice and competing. If he's spending other time doing other things, what will it mean for his chances? I want to put the best quarterback out there."

Just got off the phone with Kevin McReynolds, Scout.com's No. 24 defensive tackle, and...whoa. Check it out.

JG: Take me through your Signing Day...
Kevin McReynolds: "It was a tremendous opportunity. The whole day was really hectic. The thing was, I came down in purple, I threw everyone off in the morning. But it wasn't staged that way by any means. My mom said she wanted me to match her. I kept saying, 'Mom, this is purple.' She would just stare, just wasn't putting it together. I was like, 'Kansas State...purple...wildcats." She says, 'Oh, oooooh yeah.' About five minutes before I was going on air I was changing clothes."

JG: What was it about UCLA that helped you come to your decision?
KM: "Coach Neuheisel was a tremendous asset to me the whole year. He wasn't pressuring at all. We could talk about life and everything. For me, it felt like it was just home. God has blessed me with many opportunities, and I sat in my room a couple nights before and said this just feels right, this feels like home. I'm really close to Brett (Hundley) already, AO, Zumwalt. I'm happy to be in this position. This is definitely a great opportunity."

Ben Howland just said that Zeek Jones' wrist is sore, but that the official reading of the X-ray on his left wrist has not been completed.

Howland said he was not sure if Jones would practice at 3 p.m., and added that Reeves Nelson is sore too.

Sometimes it's really funny to watch UCLA fans go through the roller-coaster of emotions.

UCLA's 2011 class ran the gamut - utter jubilation at times, downright depression at other, probably even the five stages of grief. Throughout yesterday, which started on a sour note with the commitment of Jalen Grimble to Miami - and to be clear, yes, UCLA was still in on Grimble when I made the "Just a note" post, and many experts were saying the same thing - the tenor of the fan reaction dropped and rose and dropped and rose and dropped and ultimately rose once more, settling into a sort of a nervous calm.

Call it fans being resigned to their fate, but I guess my question all along was, why were you surprised?

I had one UCLA fan on Facebook go from calling Rick Neuheisel "The Big Whiffer" to the "Best closer in the game" in a span of a week. And right back the other way, too. When Torian White "committed" to USC yesterday, you would've thought the Hindenberg crashed into Spaulding Field.

And I just didn't get it.

This was a 4-8 team...the second in four years...without a defensive coordinator...after a downright baffling situation with the offensive coordinator spot...and an embattled coach who is fending off a ton of scorn from fans and media.

What did you expect?

To get Brett Hundley, and to get him to become the "face" of the recruiting class was alone a coup. But to also add guys like Kevin McReynolds and Devin Lucien on signing day was critical. Ultimately, I can understand the frustration of signing day, especially with USC cleaning up, with the exception of DeAnthony Thomas (Wow!, might I add). Coming after a couple years of massive signing day success must sting. I get it.

But the problem was NOT with how UCLA closed, but with how it opened.

Just got the heads up that X-rays on Lazeric Jones' left *wrist were negative, but there is a sprain.

This is an unofficial reading, and it will be read officially in the morning, but as of now, one huge sigh of relief for Ben Howland, and Jones.

UCLA sophomore quarterback Richard Brehaut will join the baseball team this spring as a catcher and DH. Brehaut tried out for the team last week but details of the practice arrangement had to be worked out. Props to Perfect Game's Kendall Rogers for being ahead of the game on this, as John Savage leaked the news a few weeks ago.

I'll have more on this tomorrow hopefully.

UPDATE: Just to clarify, yes, Brehaut is playing football still. The two head coaches have come to an agreement, and I'll try to find more details in the upcoming days.

UCLA head coach Ben Howland said Lazerc Jones would need xrays n his left wrist after a bad fall against USC tonight. Howland said the word "broken," and pretty much sucked the air from press conference.

Daily News columnist Vinny Bonsignore is with me covering the UCLA/USC game tonight, but I'll have some more thoughts tomorrow. Big win for the Bruins, 64-50, over the Trojans, and it might just be a turning point.

If, that is, they can harness that energy and feed off it.

More thoughts tomorrow. What a day.

My former Daily Aztec cohort Justin Lafferty, who tipped me off to the Will Oliver commitment, has a nice signing-day story on Oliver: Check it here

Tracy Pierson of Scout.com and I had a big laugh over the video of Torian White (one down on the right) choosing the USC hat today during his signing ceremony, and the reaction of his little brother, who looks petrified: A Family Affair

Name: Torian White
Position: Offensive Tackle
Rank: 41(S) / N/R(R) / 110(E)
Positional Need: 8/10
Outlook:
Well, that was fun.

White, a soft verbal to UCLA for months, originally committed to USC today on live television, only to reverse course and sign with the Bruins later in the day. Apparently, White was sold on UCLA for the duration but took the advice of some family members who favored USC. They saw his disappointment and told him to follow his heart.

UCLA is lucky he did.

With White, the Bruins class moves ever more slightly to respectability, though the group is still ranked seventh in the Pac-10. White is still somewhat of a project because he missed all of his junior year and really blew up on the camp circuit, but there is a lot to like.

White could benefit from a redshirt year to improve his upper-body strength and technique, but he could end up being a solid complement to Xavier Su'a-Filo, when he returns.

Immediate Impact: 1/10 - White should and will likely redshirt, so unless he has a Wade Yandall-type summer and just blows coaches away, I'd expect him on scout team.

Overall Impact: 7/10 - UCLA proved over the last few years that offensive line depth is crucial, and while White does not project as an all-conference-type talent, he has a very high ceiling.

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:
N/A

Name: Devin Lucien
Position: Wide Receiver
Rank: 44(S) / 22(R) / 63(E)
Positional Need: 9/10
Outlook:
Lucien confirmed the long-awaited rumor today for UCLA, signing with the Bruins over a host of other teams.

After somewhat whiffing on wideout last season - the Bruins got Paul Richardson, who was quickly booted - the position was desperately in need of a playmaker, and UCLA got one of the best in the state.

The first-team all-CIF selection had 70 catches for 1,270 yards and 18 touchdowns last season and came on particularly strong as the season progressed, moving up the rankings on most recruiting sites.

Lucien has great hands and gets up for the ball, but more importantly, scouts have called his route-running some of the best they've seen.

Immediate Impact: 6/10 - Lucien has a tenacious work ethic - he reminds a lot of Ricky Marvray, but with better measurables - and I won't count him out from making an early contribution.

Overall Impact: 8/10 - Lucien was ultra-productive in camps and during the season, and he appears to be the kind of wideout UCLA needs right now.

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Conor McDermott
Position: Offensive Lineman
Rank: N/R(S) / N/R(R) / N/R(E)
Positional Need: 8/10
Outlook:
McDermott's signing came from absolutely nowhere on signing day, and some recruiting services didn't even have a recruiting profile up for the 6-foot-8, 245-pound offensive lineman/tight end.

McDermott, younger brother of UCLA walk-on tight end Kevin McDermott, is said to have been considering Virginia Tech, but he was also thought of more as a basketball prospect.

Immediate Impact: 1/10 - Like Will Oliver, McDermott is a project in the truest sense of the word.

Overall Impact: Who Knows?/10 - Like Oliver, also an unknown.

Profiles:
Scout

http://rivals.yahoo.com/oklahoma/football/recruiting/player-Conor-McDermott-115312;_ylt=AhdboOtOFtuR1oRCJB8d7LiWtJB4

ESPN

Video:

Name: Will Oliver
Position: Offensive Lineman
Rank: N/R(S) / N/R(R) / N/R(E)
Positional Need: 8/10
Outlook: Oliver flipped from Sac State only a few days ago, and there really is little very information on him out there.

He has what cannot be taught - size, and plenty of it - but his coach at Heritage High, Jeff Haagenson, told me a couple days ago that Oliver had a great senior year and really blossomed. Oliver didn't play much as a junior behind three all-league starters but got all-league honors as a senior in high school.

A brief look at some of his film reveals that he is indeed a project, but one with a workable base. From an offensive lineman's perspective, he keeps his pads too high, though at 6-foot-8, maybe that's to be expected, and he relied a bit too much on his size last year.

But Bob Palcic is a great coach, and I think Oliver could really benefit under his tutelage.

Immediate Impact: 1/10 - Oliver is a project in the truest sense of the word.

Overall Impact: Who Knows?/10 - At 6-foot-8, and anywhere from 265-to-290 pounds based on reports, you have to like the size. Whether that can be developed is anyone's guess.

Notable Quotables:
"Will is kind of a late-bloomer. He was 6-4 as a freshman, so it wasn't like he grew a foot, but he was a little overweight at that time, and not just soft physically, but mentally. He was always bigger, he was never bullied, he never had to be a tough guy. Came into high school a little soft, played football and wrestled, got into much better condition. The only problem was, wrestling took him away from the weight room. But he's been getting much better.
I don't know if his heart was into football until after his junior year. He didn't start, we were a really good line, three returning all-league guys. He sat for a year, didn't get a lot of looks, but he had a great senior year, started a little slow but by the end, he was killing guys. This scholarship is probably based on the last three games of his career. We played Deer Valley, Pittsburg and De La Salle, and he was just crushing those guys. And those are solid defensive linemen. Once Fresno State was interested, Reno was in and word kind of spreads." - Jeff Haagenson, Oliver's coach at Heritage High.

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Steven Manfro
Position: Running Back
Rank: N/R(S) / N/R(R) / 133(E)
Positional Need: 2/10
Outlook:
I have a different opinion than most because I favor smaller, shiftier backs, but I just don't know how so many have ignored Manfro's production at Valencia High. Scoring 50 touchdowns in a season in Delaware might not be too earth-shattering, but the Vikings are in a good league, in an ultra-competitive division, and Manfro produced. Not just a little, a lot.

Manfro broke the Foothill League record owned by Manuel White with 3,578 rushing yards last season, finishing with 50 total touchdowns.

He is small, that cannot be ignored, measuring at just 5-10, 187 pounds, but smaller running backs have become en vogue in college football, and I wonder if the Bruins realize that, with Jordon James joining the team last season.

I'm not saying he's a future All-American, but I like his game a lot, and I'm surprised he didn't have more interest.

Immediate Impact: 1/10 - Manfro will almost certainly redshirt.

Overall Impact: 4/10 - Manfro likens himself to Danny Woodhead, and if he has even a 10th of the success he had in high school - or Woodhead had in college - he would be a huge steal.

Notable Quotables:
"I got a call a few months ago from Coach Neuheisel saying that they were interested. He loved that i had the catching ability and the running ability, being a dual-threat helped. Whenever we talked he said I was a taller Danny Woodhead." - Manfro, in January

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel just introduced two official new recruits: Torian White and Jerry Neuheisel, whom he expects to grayshirt. More coming after the press conference.

Name: Mike Orloff
Position: Outside Linebacker/Athlete
Rank: N/R(S) / N/R(R) / N/R(E)
Positional Need: 3/10
Outlook:
Orloff, who played all over the field at Lawrence Academy (Mass.), spurned Iowa late in the game and chose UCLA over the Hawkeyes and Louisville. Though he arrives with little fanfare - his recruitment went under the radar until his official visit over the weekend - Orloff appears to be a legit prospect.

Playing against inferior competition in Massachusetts, granted, but Orloff looks like a big hitter who initiates contact.

He appeared very solid to Iowa for months, which apparently scared many teams off, but apparently Rick Neuheisel pursued him until the very end.

Immediate Impact: 2/10 - Doubt Orloff sees any action as a freshman.

Overall Impact: 5/10 - Orloff looks like a strong hitter with good form, and someone with a nose for the ball.

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

And the world continues to turn...

Scout.com's Tracy Pierson is reporting that Torian White has ultimately decided to sign with UCLA and informed the staff of his decision.

This is just...nuts.

Crespi wideout Devin Lucien just announced he will attend UCLA. Lucien was a crucial get for the Bruins in a position of need.

Name: Ryan Hofmeister
Position: Outside Linebacker
Rank: N/R(S) / N/R(R) / N/R(E)
Positional Need: 3/10
Outlook:
Hofmeister has been incredibly productive the last two years, the first year at Vista Murrieta High and last season at Riverside CC. Hofmeister had 127 tackles last season at Riverside, including 10 for loss, and 126 tackles and nine sacks as a high school senior.

The biggest difference between those two seasons? Hofmeister grew, though he still has some growing to do to make a contribution for UCLA. He verbally committed to the Bruins in December over Colorado and Kansas State, after only receiving an offer from Navy out of high school.

He will enroll early, scheduled to arrive for the spring quarter, and the extra time in the weight room should better prepare him for the college game, but he still has a redshirt year that could be put to use.

Immediate Impact: 2/10 - Hofmeister needs to put on weight, but he has a chance to be a major special teams contributor early.

Overall Impact: 5/10 - With UCLA's young talent at the linebacker position, Hofmeister will have to beat out several highly touted players for playing time.

Notable Quotable:
"Ryan is a versatile athlete who can help us in several areas. He can play linebacker but can also play safety, giving us flexibility for different alignments. In addition, he is an outstanding special teams performer." - Rick Neuheisel on Hofmeister, in December

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Kevin McReynolds
Position: Defensive Tackle
Rank: 24(S) / 28(R) / 26(E)
Positional Need: 7/10
Outlook: McReynolds was UCLA's biggest signing-day coup, as he chose the Bruins over Kansas State and Syracuse, despite offers from over 40 schools.

McReynolds suffered a high ankle sprain that cost him a large chunk of his senior season, and he's still working his way back into good shape, but McReynolds could play a role next season for the Bruins.

While there is a strong defensive tackle corps rounding into shape, McReynolds is ready for the college game and has very solid "measurables."

A look at his video, mainly from his junior year, shows that he has good upper body moves, not just a bull rush, and he finishes his tackles. UCLA has struggled with tackling from the defensive tackle position, so perhaps McReynolds is a step in the right direction.

Immediate Impact: 6/10 - Even with a stockpile of young talent, McReynolds has the size and strength to compete early.

Overall Impact: 9/10 - McReynolds has the talent to be a high-impact player for the Bruins, long-term.

Profiles:

Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Brandon Tuliaupupu
Position: Offensive/Defensive Tackle
Rank: 101(S) / 52(R) / 77(E)
Positional Need: 7/10
Outlook:
Tuliaupupu only flipped from Washington State in recent days, but UCLA coaches have been on the Claremont product for some time.

The offensive and defensive lineman - Washington State offered him as a DL, UCLA reportedly as an OL - is big but athletic, listed anywhere from 275 pounds to 290. His video reveals a good burst, but I actually think he gets off the line faster on offense than defense, and he doesn't stop until the whistle.

Immediate Impact: 3/10 - Tuliaupupu has good size and strength but doesn't figure to contribute immediately to either side.

Overall Impact: 6/10 - Could be a big find for UCLA, and a big in-conference flip.

Profiles:

Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Former UCLA verbal commitment Torian White has flipped to USC on Signing Day on Fox Sports West. Big loss for the Bruins, who thought they had a good chance of solidifying the commitment today.

Crespi wide receiver Devin Lucien is the next UCLA target, and perhaps the last, to announce today, coming up in the next hour.

Name: Sam Tai
Position: Defensive End
Rank: 65(S) / N/R(R) / 126(E)
Positional Need: 6/10
Outlook: You don't see too many quarterback/defensive ends, but Tai played both over the last couple years for Liberty High.

He'll only be sacking QBs for UCLA, though.

Tai had 10 sacks in his last seven games and turned into one of Nevada's top prospects as the season went on, ultimately picking UCLA over Arkansas. He appears tenacious as a defender, with a very good motor.

Tai, though, is nowhere near where he needs to be physically for the Bruins yet. I met him a few weeks ago on campus, and he looked like more of a big, albeit tall, linebacker than a defensive end.

Immediate Impact: 1/10 - Not only does Tai need to put on a ton of weight and strength, but UCLA has a very deep defensive line over the next couple years.

Overall Impact: 5/10 - Unless he bulks up a ton, he won't move into the rotation.

Notable Quotables:
"Being able to spend time with Coach Neuheisel and the staff, getting more comfortable with them. These are guys I'll be with for years. The thing that hit me the most is Neuheisel taking us on the campus tour on game day. A lot of coaches I've been to have stopped in periodically, but he took us on his own." - Tai, in early December

Profiles:

Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Ben Wysocki
Position: Offensive Guard
Rank: 46(S) / N/R(R) / 40(E)
Positional Need: 8/10
Outlook: Wysocki was an early UCLA commit, verbally committing in early July, but the Bruins needed to fend off offers from Stanford and Oregon State, among others.

From what I'm told, there's a reason for that.

I chatted with Brandon Huffman last night about UCLA's class, and he said that Wysocki had the most potential outside of Brett Hundley, and he thinks he's the kind of player who really grows later in his career.

Wysocki had a very good career at Los Alamitos, primarily as a tackle, but he'll likely play guard in college. He's strong but not freakishly strong for his size - about 6-4, 280 - but he pulls well.

Immediate Impact: 3/10 - Wysocki could be a Wade Yandall type who forces his way into the two deep but doesn't see game action and redshirts.

Overall Impact: 8/10 - Wysocki has a ton of potential and could be a valuable two-year starter down the road.

Notable Quotables:
"At first, I went into the recruiting process not having a favorite school. I just wanted to see what happened. I said I would wait it out, go through all the official visits, and make my decision going into league. But I came to realize, where else would I want to go? I want to play for this awesome program. I want to go to UCLA. It's such a relief now that I know where I'm going." - Wysocki, in July

Profiles:

Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Aaron Wallace
Position: Outside Linebacker
Rank: 40(S) / 66(R) / 106(E)
Positional Need: 3/10
Outlook: UCLA hauled in an outstanding linebacker class last season, but Wallace is a player that many inside the program are hyped up about.

Wallace committed to UCLA in late July over Texas A&M and Washington, though he was getting interest from Stanford, USC and Cal as well.

Wallace is a good player with a solid frame, but he needs a little more nasty in him, and he worked on that last decision.

UCLA has so much young linebacker talent though - between Jordan Zumwalt and redshirt freshmen Aramide Olaniyan and Eric Kendricks, who Clark Lea raves about - that Wallace should be able to develop over time.

Immediate Impact: 1/10 - Wallace will almost certainly redshirt.

Overall Impact: 6/10 - Wallace looks like he's about 25 pound from being an absolute beast.

Notable Quotables:
"I just really like UCLA. It's a good fit for me in terms of the education they offer and how close it is to home for my family to see me play. Playing time did play a factor, just a little bit in the decision, and I was told I'd have a good chance to play early depending on what (linebacker) Akeem Ayers (redshirt junior) does if he ends up deciding to go to the NFL. I also either want to study business or something in the medical field - or possibly even sports journalism." - Wallace to Scout.com's Allen Wallace in July

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Washington D.C. DT Kevin McReynolds has just announced that he will play for UCLA next season, giving the Bruins at least one major target on signing day. Defensive tackle is always a position of need, and McReynolds is a great prospect. More on him later.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Name: Raymond Nelson
Position: Tight End
Rank: 26(S) / N/R(R) / N/R (E)
Positional Need: 4/10
Outlook: This is no case of nepotism.
Raymond Nelson is out to prove he's a lot more than Reeves' younger brother.

The younger Nelson had a standout career at Modesto Christian, as both a tight end and defensive end, and he blew UCLA coaches away at summer camps, ending up with a rather quick offer.

His receiving abilities are very advanced, and he could turn into a Ryan Moya-type tight end for the Bruins. He runs very good routes for a tight end, and the word is he needs to improve his run blocking.

Nelson rose up the rankings throughout last preseason and early in the season, and had offers from Oregon, Cal, Washington and Oregon State, among others.

Immediate Impact: 3/10 - With entrenched upper-classmen Cory Harkey and Joseph Fauria in the lineup and John Young returning from injury that sidelined him the whole year, Nelson could benefit from a redshirt year.

Overall Impact: 6/10 - Very solid pass-catcher who could be grow into tweener role if he doesn't put on a ton of weight.

Notable Quotables:
"All of the talks I've had with Coach Neuheisel and the other coaches, they said I have the potential to play a lot as long as I keep my weight training. I want to come in at 250, so that's 10 more pounds. I'm 6-5 right now. I think my 4-5 years there will be the best years of my life. We're trying to convince my mom to move down there." - Nelson, to Scout.com's Brandon Huffman in January

Profiles:
Scout

Rivals

ESPN

Video:

Name: Jacob Brendel
Position: Center
Rank: 8(S) / 15(R) / 46(E, as an OG)
Positional Need: 7/10
Outlook: Brendel was among UCLA's first verbal commitments, and he has appeared unwavering since early July.

When I talked to Brendel after his commitment, he was extremely candid and very intelligent, and quite frankly, I was blown away by his mental framework. The kid just seemed to get it.

I've seen some video on him, and what stands out is his footwork and drive - he seems to get out of his stance quickly, even from the shotgun position - and his aggressiveness. In the video I link to on his ESPN profile (see below), there is one play early in the film where he just smashes the crap out of a guy 15 yards deep. That can't be taught.

Immediate Impact: 3/10 - With Kai Maiava returning from a leg injury and Greg Capella seemingly entrenched as the backup, Brendel will likely redshirt, but could develop into an important scout player early.

Overall Impact: 7/10 - Needs to develop physically, but could become a valuable piece.

Notable Quotables:
"In the back of my mind, I know that college football is a business, and I realize that the only reason colleges have sports is to bring in money," Brendel said. "That's part of the reason why they're trying to recruit the best players, sure. But to me, I didn't look for how impressive the school is or how amazing they used to be. It was about how well I could bond with the coaches and the students who are already there. I'm that type of person. That's what set my mind on UCLA." - Brendel, July 2010

Profiles:
Scout
Rivals
ESPN

Video:
ESPN Video

DT Brandon Tuliaupupu, OG Ben Wysocki, TE Raymond Nelson, OT Will Oliver, RB Steven Manfro and OL Conor McDermott, UCLA TE Kevin McDermott's little brother, have faxed their letters of intent into UCLA, giving the Bruins eight signees so far today.

UCLA has received letters of intent from C Jacob Brendel and LB Mike Orloff.

A rough start to the morning for UCLA, which just lost No. 3 LB Tony Steward to Clemson.

Steward was long rumored as a Florida State/Clemson battle, with UCLA running third, but the Seminoles were expected to come out on top for a while.

The Bruins put in a late push for him, but he wanted to stay close to his family, as was expected.

Name: Brett Hundley
Position: Quarterback
Rank: 3(S) / 2(R) / 6(E)
Positional Need: 10/10
Outlook: UCLA needed a top-tier quarterback in the worst way, and they may just have gotten the best. The reports on Hundley are positively glowing, and in my limited interaction with him, he has exuded a remarkable amount of charisma and maturity. He had a phenomenal senior season, throwing for more than 2,300 yards and 20 touchdowns with just two interceptions, while rushing for nearly 900 and nine scores.

He lit it up at the Under Armour All-American Bowl, winning the passing skills competition and throwing for a 58-yard touchdown bomb in the game itself.

He is a dual-threat quarterback who should thrive in what is expected to be a more open offense under new offensive coordinator Mike Johnson, and he will likely have the chance to compete for a starting spot.

Immediate Impact: 7/10 - simply because UCLA has two juniors returning with at least marginal experience, and true freshmen rarely start at quarterback.

Overall Impact: 10/10 - Undoubtedly Rick Neuheisel's most important recruit, and quite possibly UCLA's biggest recruit in a decade.

Notable Quotables:
"There's a lot of hype going around, and to me, it's all cool. But I'm not a savior. I'm not anything like that. I'm another football player coming in trying to help the program. I'm trying to play, trying to compete, trying to learn some things. I'm not coming in as the savior in my mind. I'm not a real big guy looking into forums. I just like to stay relaxed and do what I do." - Brett Hundley, early December

Profiles:
Scout
Rivals
ESPN

Video:

UCLA target Jalen Grimble will reportedly announce that he will be attending Miami at a press conference today at 7 a.m., says Tristan Aird of my former newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

I was hearing yesterday that Grimble was looking good for UCLA from people back in Vegas, but Miami was hot on his tail, as well. Grimble had been a USC verbal commit for a long time, but recently backed out of the commitment, so that is a small win for the Bruins, at least.

I'll be up for his official announcement, and with the way this recruiting season has gone, I am waiting to hear it directly from him. Tomorrow should be interesting.

Sources close to the UCLA football program have confirmed earlier reports that former USC defensive coordinator and Seattle assistant coach Rocky Seto has interviewed with UCLA for its defensive coordinator position.

I've been told around 10 or so candidates have interviewed for the position, including former Miami head coach Randy Shannon, who has been much-discussed as the potential hire to replace former defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough.

Seto started as a volunteer assistant with the Trojans in 1999 and ascended to the top defensive spot in Pete Carroll's last season.

Shannon, meanwhile, will appear on ESPNU's Signing Day coverage tomorrow throughout the day.

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel has scheduled a press conference with reporters at 4 p.m. tomorrow. For comparison, last season, only a conference call was set up.

UCLA incoming freshman quarterback Brett Hundley, who enrolled and began taking classes a few weeks ago, will be featured during Wednesday's ESPNU Signing Day Special around 2:40 p.m. PT.

I'm hearing more and more that Jalen Grimble is going to announce UCLA tomorrow. A few of my old Las Vegas friends - I used to write for the Las Vegas Review-Journal - say that the Grimble-to-UCLA chatter is picking up a ton of steam out there.

With the verbal commitments of former Washington State commit Brandon Tuliaupupu, former Sac State commit Will Oliver, and former Iowa commit Mike Orloff, UCLA is up to 12 verbals.

With signing day tomorrow, the Bruins are still in the mix for:

#3 LB Tony Steward, #24 DT Kevin McReynolds, #44 WR Devin Lucien, No. 56 DE Faigame Lopa and possibly Jalen Grimble, though the Bishop Gorman (Nev.) star has pretty much gone underground.

There will be a lot of movement tomorrow, but not the same excitement as last year, certainly. I'll have posts throughout Signing Day, so stay tuned.

Who would have thought that the UCLA basketball team would be driven - or stalled - by a junior college transfer, the smallest guy on the team?

Who would have thought that as Lazeric Jones goes, so goes UCLA?

But here the Bruins are, winners of five-of-six and 11-of-14, led by a Chicago-bred sociology major who was hardened by two years in junior college, a kid with a chip on his shoulder as big as his smile.

"I know since I'm one of the captains, I have to get us going a little more," Jones said. "I have to make sure every day that I approach the game the right way and come out strong. I know my teammates go as I go."

He is all too right.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Hey guys,

Just a reminder to follow me on Twitter and Facebook during the next few days, if interested. I post more often there than on this so you can stay up to date easier.

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