April 2011 Archives

The Shriners are known for their charitable acts across the world, their donation of time and money.

In David Carter's case, they just gave him a chance. And that chance paid off.

Following a monster performance in the East-West Shrine Game following the season, the UCLA senior defensive tackle was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals with the 19th pick of the 6th round of the NFL Draft on Saturday, 184th overall. UCLA senior kicker Kai Forbath, the 2009 Lou Groza Award winner, was not drafted.

After consulting with a new personal coach who helped refine his hand placement, leverage and point of attack in December, Carter drew raves during Shrine Game practices and got on the draft radar.

"I showed my newfound tools," Carter said. "That's where everybody saw how I could do it. I was taught how to play the position, I had a good time, and made me some money, as my coach said."

Carter, who had 41 tackles and 3.5 sacks during his senior year, his lone season as a starter, said the Carter household was lively on Saturday as first his brother, Chris, was selected with the 31st pick of the fifth round, 22 picks ahead of David.

"It was overwhelming to see him go, to see his emotions, and sure enough I went right after," Carter said. "It was great. Everyone in the house was passing out. My girlfriend passed out, my mom fainted.

"Both her baby boys were drafted today."

Opening statement: "I'm excited to be in Denver, I'm excited to be playing with Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey, DJ Williams, man I can't wait.

On being a Bronco:
"This is perfect for me, learning from guys like Brian Dawkins, Champ Bailey, a place I can go easily in and learn and be one of the next Hall of Famers."

On where he was drafted, and why he went to the draft:
"I knew I was pretty much what range I was going to, I knew it was a possibility yesterday. I never trained to be a 1st rounder, I trained to be in NFL. I'm proud to contribute and be a part of the legacy of the Broncos."

On his emotions:
"I was emotional because this is going to change my whole life. This is my dream. I'm excited. It's the favorite part of my life so far. It's funny how you go from nothing to something."

On the Broncos:
"They have a legacy with John Elway, Rod Smith, Atwater. I know a lot about Denver. I'm a big fan, I can't wait to contribute. The first thing John Fox said was, 'Are you ready to win a Super Bowl? I said yes sir."

On being at the draft with his mom:
"My mom she's excited. This is one of the better days of her life. I'm glad she's hear to experience with me. She's my no. 1. she's my pride. She's happy, I'm happy. I'm going to move her out there. I want her there every step of the way."

On being drafted in the second round:
"The thing about the rounds, if there was no one interested or money wasn't an issue, the rounds wouldn't matter. It's not about when you get drafted or where, its whats you do when you get there. The main objective is you're in the NFL. Look how many guys don't get to come to New York?"

On draft day and not being picked in the first round:
"I knew there was really nothing else I could do much more. All the work put in, all the meetings done, at that moment, it was on teams. I'd put the work in, done everything I could do up to that point."

On deciding to return from New York this morning and not stay at the Draft:
"I just felt like it was the best at the time. I didn't really honestly plan on being there an extra day. As far as my family - my flight was already booked. Everything was already set up for the plane to leave. I thought it was best for me to come home and spend the time with my family."

On being drafted by Tennessee:
"I'm real excited to have the opportunity to play there. I think I fit into the scheme well. I'm happy they took me and excited, ready to get to work."

On talking to Alterraun Verner, former UCLA DB and current Titan:
"I texted Alterraun, but I haven't had time to call him. I'll probably call him after this."

On having Verner in the pros:
"It helps out a lot. Someone from my same background, grew up in L.A., experienced same things, same college. Adjusting to Tennessee and the coaches, it'll be great to have someone out there."

On Jevon Kearse announcing his pick:
"I've seen him a lot, just being a monster off the edge. Just making plays and as a pass rusher. I've seen him a lot growing up. It was pretty cool. I didn't get to see it because I was on the car on my way home. Just missed it by about 10 minutes.

On the excitement being dampened by the fact he didn't go in round 1:
"I was still excited, probably even better because it was a surprise. I didn't know who was picking. Driving home, random call, didn't know who it was. It was equal, maybe a greater feeling answering the phone and not knowing who it is."

On the next few months:
"It's going to be a lot where I have to really be focused and dedicated to do a lot on my own. I'm not sure how it's going to work out. Knowing for sure I can control what I can control, which is my effort, i'll be able to really participate."

On Rahim Moore:
"We didn't really get a chance to talk. It was late last night, people had a lot going through their minds. Didn't get a chance to talk to him."

UCLA junior safety Rahim Moore was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 13th pick in the NFL Draft, 45th overall.

I'll have more on Moore's selection later, but we have a conference call with Akeem Ayers coming up.

UCLA junior linebacker Akeem Ayers has just been selected with the seventh pick in the second round, pick 39 overall. Ayers will be a strong fit for the Titans, who need an outside linebacker or two, after getting just 5.5 sacks from linebacker last year.

Ayers will join former UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner with the Titans. Junior safety Rahim Moore is projected to be picked up shortly in the draft.

A conference call with Ayers is planned for later today.

* DL Hugely: Gotta say, I was pretty surprised by the performance of the defensive line, which looks markedly improved from last season, particularly in the middle. After a rocky start to spring camp, Cassius Marsh looked great for most of his reps, and as he continues to put on weight, he'll be a force. But the veteran trio of Nate Chandler, Justin Edison and Donovan Carter makes it appear that the defensive tackle position can go two-deep with relatively little drop-off, as a guy at 100 percent is usually better than a guy at 70 percent. Joe Tresey talked extensively about using heavy rotation, and I think he has the guys to do it. Look, it's pretty simple: If there's any possible way to redshirt Kevin McReynolds or to use Sealii Epenesa and him on the scout team, you do it. Get them the reps against the first team, and you start getting that depth at the position, churning players in and out yearly. Very important.

* From the Outside in: I'm still not sold on the F-back position as a whole, and a bit confused as to what they're doing with Anthony Barr. So much of Barr's usage toward the end of spring ball was in the backfield, yet they called mostly outside runs for him. I get using him as a running back, and I definitely get the idea of getting the ball into his hands often, but he's an upfield runner, and the line - particularly the second unit, or the first unit, when three guys are hurt - is not good enough to get the edge. I cannot remember a single outside run of his that made me raise an eyebrow, but at least four or five times he showed real moxie up the middle. I mean, the first time he ran outside I said to myself, 'They shouldn't do that again." Use Damien Thigpen or Franklin or Jordon James to hit the edge. Makes no sense to me.

* Running on Full: Jim Mastro told me emphatically during spring ball that he needed four running backs to execute the Pistol properly, and he just might have that. Derrick Coleman was a force in his limited reps, and like Franklin, he doesn't get enough credit for what he did last year. Look, 5.9 yards per carry is good ANYWHERE. He and Franklin will form a very potent 1-2 punch. I expect the rotational enigma to be improved - tell me again, why did he have just one carry in the second half against USC? - and for the carries to be more situational. That being said, James and Jones looked great toward the end of spring, and they should get some meaningful action in every game.

Just got off the phone with Downey running back/safety Kyle Lewis, who confirmed that he is heading to UCLA in the fall after giving a verbal commitment to Rick Neuheisel, who offered Lewis last week.

Lewis was an All-CIF 1st team pick for the Vikings after a 1,200-yard, 11-touchdown performance in 2010 and he
won the SPARQ competition at the Long Beach Nike combine last April. Poor grades, though, put Lewis' future in doubt, and most Division-1 schools held off on offering him after it took Lewis until after signing day to get the grades up.

"Freshman and sophomore year were really tough for me," said Lewis, who was clocked at 4.49 at the combine. "I got off-track with school, with football. I really didn't care at the time. I didn't think I could play D-1. But after junior year I was No. 1 out of 1000s in the nation at the SPARQ combine, and it turned me back on to football and how great life is. It got me right there."

Lewis said that UCLA regarded him more for his free safety abilities, but he's considered a true athlete, and that he will sign after he graduates in June.He said he chose the Bruins primarily because of the academics, as he's back on track in the classroom and has turned a corner after hitting the books.

"I love UCLA man," Lewis said. "There isn't a higher ranked school for me. Academics is going to come first, I've been picking up my school work the last two years. I knew if I went to UCLA, I'd have a good future."

Former UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers and junior safety Rahim Moore were not selected tonight in the first round of the NFL Draft at New York City's Radio Music Hall.

Ayers, who is in New York City for the draft, was projected to go in the first round for much of the draft process, even as he slipped on the boards following a poor NFL combine showing. But in recent days, talk of Ayers falling to the second round started to creep in, and Ayers joined teammate Rahim Moore as one of only a few players left in the green room.

Ayers had 68 tackles, including 10 for loss, four sacks and two interceptions as a junior, after a breakout sophomore season. Saddled by myriad injuries for much of the second half of 2010, Ayers was not able to replicate the production of his sophomore season, when he had 75 tackles, six sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions.

Moore was not projected in the first round but thought he had a chance to sneak in, he said on Tuesday. Moore had 77 tackles but only one interception as a junior in 2010, a year after leading the nation in interceptions with 10.

* Franklin's Bends: While the potential of Jordon James and Malcolm Jones is undeniable - and we'll get to them later - it really is clear who the first option is at running back, and why: Johnathan Franklin proved during spring ball that he can be a game-changing back. His burst is markedly different from last season, and last season he had 1,127 yards. His was a relatively quiet 1,100-yard performance, downplayed because of bigger names in the conference - LaMichael James, Shane Vereen, Jacquizz Rodgers - and because the offense as a whole was so poor. I've followed his progress intently, and so much of his maturation is because he's just now starting to learn the intricacies of the position, the little bends and jukes that carry you in and out of the hole. But the big difference is the burst from the hole, the way he just skipped past guys at times. We didn't see a lot of Franklin, but there's enough to believe that he's primed for a big season.

* An Upfront Affront: As has been heavily discussed, the offensive line needs a lot of work. The amount of attrition up front is just stunning, and this unit has the chance to be a real difference-maker, even looking forward. But the line cannot afford, just really cannot afford, more than one injury at a time up front. Reminds me of 2009, when only Eddie Williams missed significant time. If whole, this is a top-4, top-5 line in the conference. If not...watch out.

* DB Sweetly:The defensive backfield appears deeper than anticipated, particularly with the emergence of Tevin McDonald and Alex Mascarenas. The corner spots seem to be in pretty good hands - though I still wonder why Courtney Viney doesn't get more action, even a starting nod - and will only get better with the return of Anthony Jefferson. I hear more about him from random UCLA reporters and fans than perhaps anyone on the defense.

* Hands Up?: The wide receiver position remains an enigma, plagued by indecisiveness and mistakes. Yes, wide receivers can be indecisive. The decision, though, is not where to go, but how hard to go for it. The best wide receivers dig into the ground with their front foot and plant and go and then go beat the corner to the ball. I don't see that fight yet, aside from Ricky Marvray and sometimes Nelson Rosario and Taylor Embree. Actually, no, Morrell Presley has that instinct, but he just needs better hands.
But when you hear Mike Johnson talk about confidence, he's not talking about just the idea of believing that you are good enough to catch a pass coming your way. There's a reason that the wide receiver position is the diva position in the NFL. You have to have some swagger, some juice, and for one reason or another, UCLA's group just doesn't have that. Even in how they look in practice, jerseys untucked, sloppy, too casual. I had a talk with a former Bruin recently about how UCLA wideouts need to just look and act crisper on the field. That's why Johnson is in.

Akeem Ayers
Junior
Linebacker
Ht: 6-3
Wt: 255
Projected: 1st
The Skinny: Even despite a questionable combine performance, it's hard to imagine Ayers not going in the first round. The ball-hawking linebacker is rated 27th overall in the Scouts Inc. Top 32 and performed well enough on UCLA's pro day to likely keep him in the first round. Most mock drafts currently place Ayers anywhere from No. 21 to Kansas City to 32 for the Green Bay Packers.

Rahim Moore
Junior
Safety
6'0
207
2nd
The Skinny: Despite lofty statistics and a quality pre-draft performance, Moore lacks two things that NFL scouts drool over: size at safety and speed at corner. Many teams have made inquiries into his cornerback abilities, but Moore's numbers as UCLA's starting free safety - nation-leading 10 interceptions in 2009, 77 tackles in 2010 - show versatility and range. Moore should end up early-to-mid second round.

David Carter
Senior
Defensive Tackle
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 293
Projected: 5th-undrafted
The Skinny: One of the big surprises out of the East-West Shrine Game was the performance of Carter, who wowed scouts during the week of practice and might have pushed himself into the draft. Carter started only one his senior year but became a vocal leader and was one perhaps the team's only defensive linemen last year. Carter was featured on SI.com as a potential draft sleeper, and some have him as high as the fifth round.

Kai Forbath
Senior
Kicker
Ht: 5-11
Wt: 197
Projected: 6th-undrafted
The Skinny: Forbath enters the draft hoping to have answered the many questions tossed his way, questions about his range, his kickoff abilities and his durability. Plagued by a nagging groin injury for much of the year, Forbath's production slipped from his Lou Groza Award-winning 2009 season. But a booming leg and tremendous consistency when healthy - not to mention a tie for the UCLA career field goal record - should put him in the draft.

Had a chance to speak with Rahim Moore today as he prepares for the NFL Draft this weekend. As always, a great conversation with the former mouthpiece of the Bruins:

Jon Gold: How are you feeling today man, you ready for this?
Rahim Moore: "Aw man. I'm excited man. I'm nervous, but it's a good nervous."

You say you're nervous, but you know you're going to be drafted high, know you're going to be a millionaire, know you're going to be playing int he NFL - are you nervous just to find out where you're going, or because of the whole life change?
RM: "It's both - the nervous thing is about being ready to chomp up the whole lifestyle. I'm not going to be the regular Rahim anymore. I'm an NFL player. It's here. I know I have to grow up and be a man. This Thursday, my whole life changes."

Any target draft area?
RM: "I know I'll be in a good place, a high pick. But it was tough for me trading a Baldwin Park Pop Warner helmet to a Dorsey helmet, and to trade my Dorsey helmet for my UCLA helmet. This could be the last time I put on a new helmet."

A lot of players look at the draft as a culmination of all their hard work. The ones who succeed realize it's just the first step. What does this day mean to you?
RM: "I'll be happy, crying, but the minute I get drafted, an hour later, I'll be trying to find a weight room. I'm going to be happy, but this is only the beginning. Now I'm a target, now I'm a rookie. You have to be able to show what you're about. Some people get patient, 'Yeah I made it.' I haven't made a tackle, I haven't made a dollar."

Any feeling about where you'll end up?
RM: "I'll watch the draft, and the No. 1 team can drop down to the 25th team and pick you up. Sometimes people think you're going some place and you go nowhere near there. A lot of teams love my character, my passion for the game. It's kind of like gambling. Should I get him now? Should I trade down for him? It is scary. My main thing is, if you pick me you won't regret it. I became one of Coach Neuheisel's players. He didnt regret me. I cherished him and he cherished me. I'm going to be that same guy at Dorsey, same guy at UCLA. It's kind of scary. But when it is all said and done, it's in God's hands. Now it's all about character and how you carry yourself. I know that my hard work will pay off."

So you're leaving for New York tomorrow, what are your plans?
Moore: "Check into my hotel and then go get a workout in. Tomorrow I'm going to prepare for a game, head over to Dr. Pine's office, work out. Take my mom to Times Square, go to Aldo store, get some shoes. But I'm going to be off tomorrow. I'm going to be praying for the moment. I'm going to be quiet. I'm going to be doing a lot of thinking. Thinking about how all this started. I was at Army Bowl, and the two who came out of there were me and Patrick Peterson. I'm going to sit there and see these guys I've done it all with. Go to the ESPN party, spend some time with my family, and no lie, around 4 or 5, I'll probably take a jog around the whole city. Put my jogging suit on and get a run in. Got to get on that Mayweather tip."

What is that exact moment going to be like?
Moore: "Oh man. I'll probably think about the first time someone called me an insignificant, an average L.A. person, a no one in life. I'm going to think about that, and how much it hurt me, and how much it changed my life when I was 7 years old. I'm going to think about those late nights, gowing up in L.A., seeing a lot of things. This feels like a dream. Everyone calls me Rahim the Dream. The dream means the draft. The dream means being successful, being the best man I can be. My mind is going to go blank. I'm going to be sweating. I'm going to be sitting there, and I'm going to tell the team, thank you so much. They're going to feel my pain. When I get there, I realize, Jon, this is the last line of football. After this, there's no more football. There is no NFL 2. This is the highest level. I have to give it all I got. The more I get asked questions, the more I visualize that and feel that."

WHAT WE LEARNED: UCLA's margin-for-error is slim, but the payoff could be big. Injuries on the offensive line caused a disjointed effort in the spring game, but the running game looks electric and the defensive is inspired. If the Bruins can stay relatively healthy in the fall - and get improved quarterback play - this is a bowl team.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: After the departure of Brian Price left a gaping hole in the UCLA defensive line last season, things are looking up once more in the front four. The return of defensive end Datone Jones cannot be understated, and junior Damien Holmes had a fantastic spring. In the middle, Cassius Marsh is blossoming into a potential star, and the Bruins are counting on improved play from the veteran trio of Nate Chandler, Justin Edison and Donovan Carter.

CAUSE FOR CONCERN: The Spring Game showed just how precarious the UCLA offensive line situation is, as the absence of seniors Sean Sheller and Kai Maiava and junior Jeff Baca was striking. With those three in the lineup - and joined by sophomore guard Chris Ward and senior tackle Mike Harris - the line is among the best in the conference. But precious little depth exists, and the Bruins need all hands on deck.

COMING THIS FALL: The UCLA coaches made it loud and clear following the spring game - the quarterback position is up for grabs. Junior Richard Brehaut has a leg up on junior Kevin Prince, if only because Brehaut's right knee is healthy, unlike Prince, who missed all of spring ball after major knee surgery. Freshman sensation Brett Hundley is nipping at both of their heels, though, and he's coming fast.

Ah, the annual spring game; for the fans an oasis, football at last after four long months, but for the team, a mirage.

Especially at UCLA, where there was little to be gleaned from a sloppy offensive performance with three starting offensive linemen out and the quarterbacks running for their lives.

No Jeff Baca, Sean Sheller and Kai Maiva meant little time for Richard Brehaut, Brett Hundley and Nick Crissman, and the results were mixed. Brehaut had a pretty touchdown pass to Nelson Rosario on a fade route to the back of the end zone and Hundley showed off the dual-threat ability that has drawn him praise. Brehaut, though, finished 11-for-20 for 102 yards and Hundley managed just 57 yards on 7-of-13 completions.

The running game had an impressive effort behind Johnathan Franklin's four carries for 50 yards, including a breakaway 39-yard run that showed a major hike in speed.

But the offense managed just three scores for the day - aside from the Brehaut touchdown throw, Hundley had a 16-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Jones and kicker Kip Smith hit one of two field goals - while generally looking disjointed.
Offensive coordinator Mike Johnson was not pleased.

"No, not at all," a stern Johnson said after the scrimmage, which took place at UCLA's Drake Stadium with the Rose Bowl under renovation. "I don't think we carried what we had been doing in practice to the game-like situation. ... I don't think we played on offense with the sense of urgency and the tempo with which we've been practicing. That's part of the process we have to go through. We have to make sure we carry what we do from the practice field to the game."

Upon addressing the crowd following play, head coach Rick Neuheisel was quick to point out that the team was down four offensive linemen, including backup guard Wade Yandall, out with a concussion. But this was not an excuse, it was fact, and the fact remains that UCLA's second- and third-team defense is far ahead of their offensive counterparts. With emerging players in backup linebacker Eric Kendricks - who had three tackles and two pass breakups - defensive back Tevin McDonald and a loaded defensive line that goes three deep, the Bruins defense toyed with a much more raw offense.

"I felt like our defense really played well," senior linebacker Sean Westgate said. "Our ones did really well - minus a few run plays that gashed us - and our twos and threes played phenomenally."

RUSHING NO. NET TD LONG AVG
Franklin, Jonathan 4 50 0 39 12.5
James, Jordan 7 45 0 17 6.4
Jones, Malcolm 3 25 0 18 8.3
Barr, Anthony 6 22 0 8 3.7
Brehaut, Richard 4 20 0 7 5.0
Coleman, Derrick 2 12 0 8 6.0
Crissman, Nick 2 5 0 3 2.5
Hundley, Brett 5 3 0 7 0.6
Awe, Kola 2 -3 0 2 -1.5

PASSING ATT CMP INT YDS TD SACK

Hundley, Brett 13 7 0 57 1 2-7
Brehaut, Richard 20 11 0 102 1 0
Crissman, Nick 4 2 0 17 0 0
Schuh, Maxwell 8 3 1 9 0 0

RECEIVING NO. YDS TD LONG AVG
Embree, Tyler 5 24 0 14 4.8
Marvray, Ricky 4 26 0 17 6.5
Carroll, Randall 2 27 0 18 13.5
Smith, Josh 2 22 0 11 11.0
Presley, Morrell 2 15 0 9 7.5
Rosario, Nelson 2 14 1 11 7.0
Coleman, Derrick 1 18 0 18 18.0
Jones, Malcolm 1 16 1 16 16.0
Barr, Anthony 1 11 0 11 11.0
Rice, Jr., Jerry 1 5 0 5 5.0
Barrett, Jordan 1 4 0 4 4.0
James, Jordan 1 3 0 3 3.0

UCLA's spring game went off with a rather resounding thud, a disjointed offensive effort that stems from a relative lack of depth up front.

With senior offensive linemen Sean Sheller, Jeff Baca and Kai Maiava each out for the spring game, UCLA quarterbacks Richard Brehaut, Brett Hundley and Nick Crissman struggled to gain rhythm. But when they did, there was a noticeable difference from last year.

First of all, the Bruins debuted an offense heavy on creativity and shifting, with multiple formations and some intriguing lineups, including some things we haven't seen during spring ball.

Secondly, Brehaut and Hundley threw the ball well, for the most part. Brehaut hit a nice fade to Nelson Rosario for a touchdown in the back of the end zone over Sheldon Price and delivered some good balls to Ricky Marvray and Taylor Embree.

Hundley had a throw on his second or third series on a sideline route to Nelson Rosario that was a perfect ball, and the timing was precise. Like, exact. Haven't seen a lot of that recently.

The running game was a little off-and-on, but Johnathan Franklin looked great. Franklin had four carries for 50 yards, including a 39-yard jolt that included two perfect cuts and a lot of speed. Jordan James added seven carries for 45 yards and Malcolm Jones had three carries for 25 yards, including a plowing 18-yard run. Perhaps the biggest surprise was the amount of action that Anthony Barr saw, getting six carries for 22 yards. He was in the game an extensive amount, and it's pretty clear to see that he's someone that they want to see succeed.

Not much to say about the offensive line, other than it needs to improve. Of course, this was a unit missing three starters, and Sheller and Maiava probably could've played if it was a game situation. But the snapping of Greg Capella and Kody Innes was poor, and the line had troubles with stunts and blitzes.

The defense played generally well, but the linebackers were a bit lost in the pass defense. I expect that to be shored up by the beginning of the year. The defensive backs played pretty well, and Alex Mascarenas, Courtney Viney and Dietrich Riley all played very well. Riley delivered some nice hits, but also admittedly missed some tackles. Tony Dye was just dejected that he couldn't participate today.

The biggest thing I got out of today: Once this offense gets any sense of itself - and that includes tempo and rhythm and swagger and fun - things could change for UCLA. The running game is twice as good as it was in 2009, when the team went 7-6, and if the passing game looks even a modicum better than it did today, and today is much better than the end of last year, then things are on track.

We've seen many different package groups during spring; is that a product of just getting to know them as players, or do you expect to play more situationally that UCLA has in the past?

Mike Johnson: "You have to change personnel groupings to make a defense defend all. The more guys we have who can do more things, the more personnel packages you can use. It is my job as offensive coordinator to put these guys into position to succeed, to not ask them to do things that they're not capable of doing. We have to find roles for our players, and they have to understand what those roles are and how they fit. That is what we are trying to do. We're using a lot of guys right now, trying to find out what they do well. As we get to training camp, get closer to the season, now you see who the playmakers are and taper it down just a little bit. My job right now is to find out who can do what."

Joe Tresey: "The fresher they are, the faster they can play. To me, the perfect world is having eight defensive linemen, with minimal drop-off between all eight. Now if you want a certain group to rush, we've all done it. We're going nickel and we're going Bruin, well that's one set of defensive linemen. You can evolve to that.

But what I think is more important is developing depth. I call it the next man in - you're not a two, you're the next man in. Is the next man in as good as the guy who's already in? Because if he is, that's going to keep the man in motivated. There's competition. Then you have faith you can do what you want to do.

I just think developing 22 guys that can play on defense - with some multiple packages, and they all know it, they can all play fast - if you get that, that's the perfect world. You're able to play faster, you're healthier, you'll have less bumps, everybody's playing. There are less reps, but they're better."

Who has surprised you in spring practice?

Mike Johnson: "I don't know if I've been surprised or impressed. I don't know I've done that. I don't think we are where we want to be. I don't think we have reached the standard and mindset change I talked about. But I think that there are a couple guys who've done good, consistent jobs, but not good enough. The one thing they've done is tried to do their best every single day. You see a big emphasis on tempo, getting in and out, and there's been inconsistent play in that. We start off fast, then three quarters through practice, you see a lull. They are not accustomed to playing that long that hard. We need to learn how to compete for extended periods of time. They're trying to do it, but the standard is not set in yet."

Joe Tresey: "I don't really know if I have a big surprise, because I didn't know what they were like before I got here. When we go through every day, we really focus on who is getting better. Who is getting better? Who is making great strides? Damien Holmes has stood out because of his motor, because he's relentless. Justin Edison has gotten better every day. Nate Chandler has gotten better every day. Datone Jones has gotten better every day. They're getting better. Donovan Carter has really had a great spring, he's caught my eye up front. Isaiah Bowens has gotten better. Glenn Love - Glenn Love has gotten better. There are guys out there."

Who are you going to be leaning on most this year, not just in terms of production, but in terms of being the ultimate player?

Mike Johnson: "That's one guy you can say, 'Here is our starting running back,' Johnathan Franklin. He's done a good job. He's a good running back, has a great work ethic. I think he's the model of what we want to be from a football team. He's one of those guys that has to be in the huddle, who pushes us to next level. He's a guy who's going to get touches on a consistent basis. But there are other guys who haven't realized it yet that I think will get there. There are guys who show flashes, but they have no idea how good they can be. I see that. Those are the guys I'm going to try to push, get them there before September. We need those guys to make plays. I need those guys to step up and be the players, to play up to their potential level so we can be the team we want to be this year."

Joe Tresey: "It's very natural and normal to lean on Tony Dye and Sean Westgate because they have most the experience. But I'm leaning on them for those guys to have accountability within their rooms. That they're making their peers accountable. In order to do that, they have to be very accountable. To me, if I'm making you accountable, I'm going to be upset if the guy next to me isn't accountable. It's like passing the accountability around. In the D-line room, I'm trying to figure out who that guy is."

Is it your job to find more stars or to simply raise the base level of talent across the board?

Mike Johnson: "It goes back to core beliefs. We need to teach the fundamentals and techniques and then put Johnathan Franklin, Jordon James, Randall Carroll in position to run for 200 yards or catch for 150. Allow those guys, once everything is set and all 11 guys understand, to make plays. I think that's what you do - you build the group, and the guys who are the playmakers will show themselves. Then when you get into the season, it's your job as coach to get the ball into the hands of the guys that can make plays. I tell kids all the time, if you consistently are a guy who refuses to make the play you're supposed to make, then you will not play, plain and simple. This game is about making plays. This is about results. A standard of excellence. No one is going to be perfect, but we have to develop a certain level of consistency as a group."

Joe Tresey: "I think that goes hand-in-hand. Whoever you have, you have to get them better every day, from an individual aspect. If they're bought in, you won't have issues with the team deal. It's all about getting the 11 guys - hell, the 40 guys in the room - to buy in. Once you get them to buy in, you get them better every day individually, it's all going to happen. It's all going to happen."

The big gripe from last season was conservatism on both sides of the ball. How will you address that?

Mike Johnson: "I have no idea what has happened before I got here. I refuse to even comment on that. But I don't think I've ever been associated with conservatism. I don't think it is in my nature to be conservative. I think that you have to dictate to a certain point what the defense does. It is not my nature to sit back and react all the time to what a defense is doing. Sometimes you have to make them react to you. You have to do things to offset tendencies, to take shots down the field, have to run reverses. You have to do all the things that fall into vertical and horizontal philosophies, so that you can run the ball up the middle when you want to."

Joe Tresey: "There's a reason why you pressure. There's a reason you play a base defense. There's a reason you sub out and play nickel. Or play five or six DBs. Why you play a three-man front or a four-man front. There's a reason why coaches make the decisions that they do, based on the evaluation of video. I think you have to understand what the strengths of your players are, and you have to accentuate those strengths and diminish those weaknesses. We're very multiple - we have a lot of fire zone patterns in our package, pressure patterns in our package. We have a lot of pressures overall.

Now are we going to be good at understanding blitzes and pressures? Are our guys going to be able to play fast, play downhill, and be able to see where the tackle is going, so he'll be able to go off of it? Are they going to be able to stay on an edge and not run into people?

You have to teach people how to blitz. They have to understand body position, how gaps move, all those things. It's just not lining up people and turning them loose. There's a process of teaching how to do those things. For your players, is that in their tool box? Can they become good at that? If they can, you're more apt to pressure. If you got guys through the recruiting process, you thought they could, they get here and can't play fast, don't know how to fit the edges, don't take the proper departure angles that are needed, then you have to make that determination. End of the day, whatever your kids are best at, you need to be doing."

Given the talent, are you surprised there haven't been better results here?

Mike Johnson: "To answer that question, I think we've underachieved to a certain extent. I'm not sure why, but I don't believe our kids have had the level of confidence, the belief in themselves, to go out and do what they're capable of doing. That's what we're trying to do in the spring. Trying to build confidence.

You look at any person with low self-esteem, and they're not going to do what they're capable of. We need to improve the way we see ourselves, the way we see the university and how we work. Through those things, their play will improve."

Joe Tresey: "Let me tell you, it is hard to win football games at the Division-1 level. I don't care who you play. It doesn't matter. It's changed. You have Appalachian State going into Michigan. That's a prime example. When I was growing up, there were maybe 15 or 20 programs; when they played a MAC school for the most part, except if they were playing Miami of Ohio back in the day, maybe Toledo, you could probably go to Vegas and know you were going to win...with the spread.

That's changed. I think it's hard to win at this level. There aren't many programs around where you can say, 'Wow, how are they not winning?' You just don't get it much anymore. There might be a few. You know, Texas went 5-7 last year. They have more five stars than anybody. How many five stars are in the Super Bowl?

It's all because of the internet. The internet has created the star effect. If we didn't have the internet today, there wouldn't be the star effect. People wouldn't be enamored with, 'They have all these five-stars. They have all this.' I just think it's tough. You have to battle every day."

On returning to California:
"What a privelege, here with my mom and dad, and they're two hours away. I have had incredible experiences Tallahassee. But the joy to be able to come home and share with friends and family, I just have unnumberable memories of being a part of UCLA. But also, I'm a California kid, the only place I lived until that brief stint in Tallahassee."

On Caldwell:
"I have a lot of respect for what Nikki and her staff did here the last several years. I'm a UCLA fan, as well. I have admired, celebrated the steps taken over recent years. I'm also really grateful for what Kathy Olivier taught me. I would be foolish to really not admire and analyze what they've built and to build on those. I really see the momentum. I've seen the shift, not only in the way the program is percieved, but also in attitude of players and what they want to achieve. I really want to take the baton."

On taking the job:
"I've had some opportunities to be head coach in past, and it's really about finding the right match. From the very beginning, it was not them convicing me and it was not me selling myself. It was exploring if this could be a really good match. I was contacted by senior staff, had the opportunity to talk with me and several others. Got to meet so many amazing people that were giving enough to sit down with me and talk with me and give me a great sense of what this is about. They deserve a medal of honor for putting up with all my questions.

Assess the talent on your side of the ball, despite your brief time with the team:

Mike Johnson: I think I have skill talent. I think the skill talent is there. I believe the skill talent is a group that is trying to find its way, trying to figure out how to play up to its potential. To play hard consistently. I don't think that's there yet. I don't think the work ethic, the depth in which we play, how hard we play, is there yet. I believe the offensive line is a group that's trying to play together as a collective group, and there's been constant injury there that has prevented that from happening at times.

The talent now, I have no idea what the talent is on other teams. I don't know the talent level at the Pac-12 level because I've been away from it for so long. All I know is, I've been in the NFL and if we can get our skill talent to play up to its potential, we'll have a chance. Then if we can get the quarterbacks to make decent decisions and as an offensive group understand ball security and field position and become more aware in situational football, we give ourselves a chance to win every game."

Joe Tresey: I think we have the ability to be a very good football team. Just talking from the defensive end of it, I think we have some players that have very good ability, they're athletic, and we need to get better at what we're preaching. It's all about buying in, at the end of the day. If you want to be 3-4, 4-3, run-and-shoot, pistol - I really don't care. Whatever you're teaching, are they going to buy into it? Once you get them to buy in, now you have them to the point where I understand their strengths and weaknesses and evaluate that on a consistent basis. Fit that within the package and go from there.

New UCLA women's head coach Cori Close on the job:
"I'm very excited, and I feel prepared and ready. I've been prepping for this entire life. But I'm so humbled because I know I don'e do this alone and it's not about me."

On the Bruins' talent:
"This is a very unique opportunity I have because this program is not broken. This program has great talent, and I have the opportunity to take the baton. I was sharing with players earlier that my expectations really mirror what's going on at Pauley Pavilion. I love that we're renovating and restoring and preserving Pauley Pavilion. We're not starting over. There's incredible rich tradition, foundational things in place that we are preserving. But we're also adding to it. We're adding new traditions. Were adding spice to it.
"That's where I feel our women's basketball program is now."

On her primary goal:
"I'm really passionate about disciplined skill development; about coming in one way and every year adding that player development so that when you leave here you're different than when you came."

On John Wooden (breaking down in tears):
"My old staff said save this until the end because you know you'll cry. Coming back here and knowing that I have a chance to build on the basketball tradition in a way that humbly reflects my deepest mentor is nothing short of an amazing honor.
Nan, I've thought about you so often, because you shared your daddy with us. The amazing sacrifice you made for sharing him as a mentor.
When I was here, I was in my sweats and I always wanted to meet Coach Wooden. Steve Lavin came up to my cubicle, and said we're going. I'm in sweats, I can't go. Come on, we're going. I was so nervous, about as nervous as I am now. I walked into his wonderful home, said, 'I'm Cori,' and he asks, 'How do you spell that? Ah my great granddaughter's name is spelled that way, come on in." That started a friendship, and I realized he meant much more to me than I meant to him.
Coach Wooden wrote me a note as I left California for Florida, and I had all these things they had given me, and as I arrived at Florida State, they matted all of them, including the note and the last picture we took. I am thrilled humbled, excited, driven to re-mat that photo in Bruin blue and gold to put in my office at UCLA."

What did you know about UCLA, as a school, and this current team?
Mike Johnson: "I knew we had a certain level of talent. I knew we had certain skill positions that were talented. I knew we were still trying to find our way from a passing standpoint. I knew that we were a team that lacked confidence. But I looked at it and saw certain things that I could make a change in. I felt like I could come in and change some of the things that were wrong, especially from a mindset standpoint. Changing the way they saw themselves, changing the way they see UCLA as a university. Teach some of the history of and tradition, what it means to wear those letters across your chest. I grew up in Los Angeles. I knew all about the UCLA football and the glory days. I knew about UCLA basketball, baseball, all the championships UCLA has had. You're sitting in the heart of Los Angeles, with a strong recruiting base. If you can recruit the right kids from a character standpoint throughout LA to come in and rep u well, I think program can change quickly."

Joe Tresey: "The only thing I knew is I grew up at 12 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon in November and Ohio State played Michigan and at 4 o'clock, USC played UCLA. I watched it for I don't know how many years. To me, UCLA was always a very good school, traditionally, athletically. You had the track and the basketball, the football. Growing up, we didn't have the internet, and there wasn't ESPN, so there were only a couple games on the weekend. You had the basketball games on quite a bit, and you had John Wooden. You knew you had Dick Vermiel, you had Terry Donahue. Two guys right there in our profession, you knew were great coaches. Then when you looked at who came out of UCLA over the years, from an offensive and defensive standpoint, starting with Gary Beban really. That's the first one I knew. I didn't know Jackie Robinson played football here; I knew Rafer Johnson was a great Olympian in the decathlon. But when people have that type of status, they leave a lasting impression. That's what I knew about UCLA.
Now? Nothing. Not a thing."

UCLA announced the hire of new women's basketball coach Cori Close on Thursday, as Close takes the reins from Nikki Caldwell, who took the head coaching position at LSU in April.

"It is such a joy to be here," said Close, who served as associate head coach at Florida State since 2004-05. "I remember back to when I was an athlete, and I was driving down from UCSB to play UCLA, and I'm driving in the team bus, and my teammate's father called, 'Do you know what you get to do today? You're going down to the basketball mecca, where basketball starts. UCLA sets the standard for college basketball in this country. I remember how clearly we understood what an amazing opportunity it was."

Now she gets the opportunity to return to the place where she started her collegiate coaching career as a restricted earnings coach for the Bruins from 1993-1995.

Her first task? Building on the progress that Caldwell made in her short stint as head coach at UCLA. Before Caldwell arrived, the Bruins struggled to become a presence in the Pac-10, much less nationally. But the program rebounded under Caldwell, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament each of the last two years, finishing second in conference play and the conference tournament.

Close brings her extensive offensive knowledge to the Bruins, who lose the service of guards Darxia Morris and Doreena Campbell but retain forwards Jasmine Dixon, Markel Walker and Atonye Nyingifa.

"This is a very unique opportunity I have because this program is not broken," Close said. "This program has great talent, and I have the opportunity to take the baton. I was sharing with players earlier that my expectations really mirror what's going on at Pauley Pavilion. I love that we're renovating and restoring and preserving Pauley Pavilion. We're not starting over. There's incredible rich tradition, foundational things in place that we are preserving. But we're also adding to it. We're adding new traditions. We're adding spice to it.
"That's where I feel our women's basketball program is now."

Close helped lead the Seminoles to seven straight appearances in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2009-10 and a Sweet 16 berth in 2006-07. Close also coached at UC Santa Barbara, her alma mater, from 1995-2004, with eight consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.

"Cori has established herself as one of the top women's basketball associate head coaches in the nation and is certainly ready to take the next step," UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero said. "Cori has enjoyed great success at Florida State and UC Santa Barbara, on the court, off the court and on the recruiting trail, and has a great vision for the future of our program. She will continue to build upon the foundation that has been established over the last few years."

Do you care more about execution or do you care about talent? Would you rather have a guy who does things the right way 100 percent of the time, or someone who does someone better, but only 50 percent of the time?

Mike Johnson: "I want the team that executes. I want the team that plays the best together, collectively. I you do that consistently, that team will have a chance to win every game. It's not always the best team that wins, it's the team that plays the best every single game.
The hardest thing to do in sports is to execute a football play. It is harder to get 11 guys to be synchronized doing the right things, moving in the right direction every single play. And that is why I love coaching football."

Joe Tresey: "You're talking about a guy who has got a heart as big as the room, but sometimes get it done? You want consistency. That's what you want. The give-and-take is, like you say, the guy who doesn't have it every down you want, but has more talent. You have to evaluate that. Even though he doesn't have it every down, does he have enough to win football games for you? Versus, the guy who can't win a game for you but is in the right place every time. I think that's an evaluation process. The whole key to coaching is getting a guy, whoever that is, to get it going every time. And being smart enough to know when you're going to sub him, when you're going to rest him. And if you give him rest, and he still can't do it, what you hope is the next man in is going to have enough talent and competitive juices that he'll be able to pass that guy eventually. At the end of the day, it's all about winning. We all know that, and we want our best players on the field. It comes down to, is your best player always your best player? Or is he your best player in certain situations?"

Was the first step for you here just to start building relationships with players?

Mike Johnson: "That is where I've started. Everything in life revolves around relationships. In order for me to take this offense where we want to take it, then I think it starts with building healthy strong relationship built on trust. Built on communication, built on collective responsibility, built on caring, built on pride. All those things are part of the relationship. I believe that before I can discipline them the way I need to discipline them, you need to establish trust and that relationship, so that they know when you come down hard on them, the bond is not broken."

Joe Tresey: "From a philosophical standpoint, we're really trying to build relationships with players and get to know them on personal level as much as possible. The hard thing is I got hired so late, I didn't get much time with them before spring ball. I will get more time with spring ball is out, get to know them on a personal level. And they'll get to know me, too. I think you have to build that trust.
I think the most important thing is building relationships with your players. It's been kind of hectic. I haven't been able to do that as well as I wish I could."

2) What is your core coaching philosophy?
Mike Johnson: "My overall offensive philosophy probably would be a balanced attack. I want to be able to run the ball effectively. And there are a number of ways to do that. You can run a power run game, a spread run game, where you have zone principles. I just believe in running the ball effectively. I believe in having a strong run-action passing game. Everything you run in the run game should have a pass-action that comes off of it. And a protection that is sound to protect the quarterback and give him the opportunity to make those throws.
You have to stretch the field horizontally as well as vertically. You have to make the defense defend the entire field. You have to have plays go a certain ways then misdirection. Reverses, screens, all those things to combat what a defense does to you.
That goes into the balanced attack - you want to run it, throw it and stretch the field both horizontally and vertically."

Joe Tresey: "I think the most important thing at our level is that players have to be able to play fast. That's my No. 1 deal. They have to play fast. You can be good fundamentally, you can be very good athletically. But if you don't - when the ball is snapped and you can't react and play fast in this scenario -your chances of success diminish.

I think the second thing is playing with great effort. Yeah, you got kids who are athletic and they can play fast, but is their motor going to run every down, every snap they're in there? We really want high-motor guys, high-energy guys, guys who play very urgent. We're trying to build that just running on and off the field. Ones, twos; ones, twos. That's a mindset. That creates an urgent mindset. Everything we try to do, we try to do with urgency because I believe you can condition your mind to become an urgent person, when you need to be.

So I think playing fast, playing with great effort is extremely important. I think communication is huge. You notice I haven't even talked scheme or tackling or fundamentals. I'd say communication is huge. If the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing, and they're not on the same page, that's when people get out of gaps, people blow assignments. Communication is huge. We're trying to get our guys to understand that.
Just up front, when you're running a game between one another, there's got to be communication. When you're running a stunt, there's got to be communication between the linebacker and the guy up front, because gaps are changing, their gap is changing. We're a gap-oriented defense. In the secondary, just reminding the corners, cloud fours, the safety talking to the corner, the corner talking to the safety. I think when you're able to articulate your responsibility, not only does it help the person next to you, but it reinforces what your responsibility is. That's really important.

And then, from a fundamental aspect, being able to meet and beat blocks. Being able to come to balance in space. Those are all very dear to my heart."

* UCLA's last big practice before the spring game was a lively one, with a number of nice plays and a few skirmishes.

* A really productive day for both Morrell Presley and Anthony Barr, and with their respective skill sets, UCLA would be nuts not to use them often. Say you have 70 offensive plays - between Presley, Barr, Cory Harkey and Joseph Fauria, they should see the ball 15 times. I know that's combining the F-back and tight end positions...but don't they basically do that anyway?

* Barr had a couple moves in heavy traffic that I haven't seen from him, and he seems to be building confidence.

* It was also the Ricky Marvray show today, as he caught a number of passes in both team drills and 7-on-7 action. As I said to a fellow reporter, you come to a UCLA practice, and you'd think Marvray was Marvin Harrison.

* The offensive line was dreadful in the two-minute drill session at the end of practice, and got stern talkings-to from offensive coordinator Mike Johnson. Meanwhile, Richard Brehaut and Brett Hundley did fairly well with limited time in the pocket, though Neuheisel came down hard on Hundley a couple times. Overall, it was not a crisp offensive performance.

* RS Freshman OL Wade Yandall is out with a concussion, Rick Neuheisel said.

* Neuheisel said Sean Sheller, Kai Maiava, John Young, Damien Thigpen and Yandall wouldn't play in Saturday's scrimmage. He added that Tony Dye could see limited action.

* Stan Hasiak and Damien Holmes mixed it up once, but Hasiak ended it pretty quickly - man, has that kid matured - and there was a tiff between Jordan Zumwalt and Taylor Embree. Pretty standard stuff, though.

* Lastly, gotta say, I was impressed by Nick Crissman today, who looked good in his limited action.

What's been missing here, and why are you the man to fix it?
Joe Tresey: "I can't tell you what's been missing here, and I really don't care. I really don't care. Can we change yesterday? Nope. We can only change today, in hopes that the change we make today, makes tomorrow better."

Mike Johnson: "I think the one thing that I can fix is the mindset. I think I can fix the mindset, I think I can fix the problem with work ethic, and I think I can fix the problem of self esteem. Collectively as a group we coach fundamentals and technique, but I think we will ourselves entirely different going into the season than we did in the past. That is important to understand who you are and what you are. I think we have really undersold how good we can be. I don't think you can go overboard with that. I think you have to be consistent and understand exactly who you are and what you are. If you have the potential to be good, you have to walk that way."

Here's one of the questions from the dual question-and-answer session with UCLA's two new coordinators, Mike Johnson and Joe Tresey:

1) Introduce yourself to UCLA fans. Who is Mike Johnson/Joe Tresey?

Mike Johnson: "Mike Johnson? I am a football coach. I am a fundamentalist. I believe in teaching football, not just going out and doing Xs and Os. I believe in teaching football the same way school teachers teach math. I was taught to teach football using the Bloom's Taxonomy method of teaching. Taking everything from a knowledge standpoint to a synthesis level. Analyzing things, breaking things down.

I believe in teaching a four-step process: I believe in putting the topic on the board and I believe players take notes. I believe in step two being guided practice, where I ask them a series of questions to find out what they've learned. If they don't give me right answer, I can't go to step three, which is the quiz. So I have to reteach it again. If they get the answers right, we go to the quiz which is practice. From the quiz, we have step four, a test, game on Saturday.
That is who I am as a football coach. I believe that I am a leader. I want to be a leader, and not just a coach. I want to be a person that is the example of what we want to be."

Joe Tresey: "I'm very hands-on. I tend to be involved with the entire defense. We meet a lot as an entire defense. We meet probably more as an entire defense than my individual coaches get to meet with their players, just because I think it's very important that we're on the same page. In order to do that, you eliminate confusion, and people know where they're headed. The way to do that, to eliminate confusion, is to keep them together all the time.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Breakfast with Coach Neuheisel

Westwood Bruin Touchdown Club

Spring Breakfast

Coach Rick Neuheisel

UCLA Spirit Squad

Friday April 22nd--7am

Olympic Collection--11301 Olympic Blvd (at Sawtelle)

Cost: $30 includes breakfast buffet, program, and free parking

For more information, contact Claudia Hart @ 310-348-UCLA or claudia4ucla@yahoo.com

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

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

With freshman quarterback Brett Hundley in control, the second-team offense struggled fundamentally, missing deep passes and having little flow.

Much of the issues stemmed from the exchange between Hundley and center Kody Innes, who stepped into second-team duty with Greg Capella up with the ones and starter Kai Maiava out nursing an ankle injury. Hundley, though, moved well in the pocket and had a few decent gains on the ground, finishing with seven carries for 34 yards and 6-of-13 passing for 62 yards and an interception.

"Brett doesn't get fazed very often," Neuheisel said. "I thought Brett had a good day. He did some really good things. Some things that are part of the offense and some things he did instinctively. I think we have a good player there."

* UCLA had a 70-plus-play scrimmage today, and the defense got the better of the offense on most levels.

* Johnathan Franklin ran the ball pretty well, and he definitely seems to be hitting his top gear faster than last season. He had the bulk of the carries with the first-team offense early, and he made the most of the opportunities, his first look in a scrimmage situation this season. Franklin finished with a team-high seven carries for a team-high 44 yards.

* Jordon James had a nice scrimmage, including a three-yard touchdown run that followed a beautiful Anthony Barr run against the second team. James finished with five carries and 24 yards and Derrick Coleman four carries for 21 yards.

* The passing game was really off, though. Constant pressure in the backfield, with some big plays from Owa Odighizuwa and Iuta Tepa. Overall, the offensive line just didn't get a lot of push.

* Morrell Presley did have a nice scrimmage, though, with three catches for 45 yards. He had one catch in traffic that required a double-take, swallowing the pass before falling.

* The second-team offense really struggled with the snapping of Kody Innes. With Greg Capella running with the ones and Kai Maiava sidelined, Innes took the second-team snaps and almost every single one was off. Brett Hundley did a decent enough job corralling the ball, but it was completely throwing him off.

* Hundley, aside from missing a couple deep passes, practiced pretty well. Coach Johnson said he made a few plays that just just did not even a week ago, making more instinctive decisions.

* Overall the deep passing game struggled, and it still looks like a timing issue. They just don't seem to be able to hit a guy in stride.

* Kip Smith struggled after making a 31-yard field goal on the team's first offensive possession. He missed kicks of 48, 52 and 37 yards, and missed the last two pretty badly.

* Nelson Rosario and Randall Carroll both participated in the track meet today, but Carroll participated briefly in the scrimmage.

From UCLA:

LOS ANGELES - Trevor Bauer struck out 13 batters in his third career complete game shutout, leading the No. 23 UCLA baseball team past No. 20 Arizona, 4-0, before 1,057 fans at Steele Field at Jackie Robinson Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Bauer (7-1) became UCLA's career wins leader, improving to 28-7 in his career while eclipsing Alex Sanchez (27 wins) atop the school's all-time wins list. He fired his eighth career complete game and third of the season, scattering four hits while logging 13 strikeouts and one walk. Last Saturday, he threw a complete game to earn the win at Washington State.

The national strikeout leader this spring, Bauer pushed his season strikeout total to 110 and his school record-leading career total to 367. The right-hander from Valencia, Calif., allowed two baserunners through the final five frames.

At the plate, UCLA (18-12, 8-3) received 3-for-4 efforts from Beau Amaral and Steve Rodriguez. Cody Regis extended his team-leading hitting streak to 11 games, going 2-for-4 with one RBI, and Cody Keefer went 1-for-3 with a game-high two runs. Cole Frenzel went 2-for-4 for the visiting Wildcats (23-12, 5-6).

Arizona right-hander Kyle Simon (6-3) was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) and eight hits in 5.2 innings. Left-handed reliever Bryce Bandilla allowed one run and two hits in 2.1 innings.

UCLA took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. After reaching safely on an inning-opening fielding error by Wildcats' shortstop Alex Mejia, Chris Giovinazzo advanced to third base on a single to left field by Keefer. A single down the right-field line by Rodriguez scored Giovinazzo. Keefer scored from third base on a squeeze bunt by Pat Valaika, handing the Bruins a two-run cushion.

The Bruins added one run in the bottom of the fifth, pushing their advantage to 3-0. Amaral led off with a single, stole second base and scored on a one-out single to right field by Regis.

UCLA scored its fourth run of the game in the eighth inning. With two outs and runners on the corners, a wild pitch by Bandilla raced to the backstop, allowing Keefer to score from third base.

UCLA and Arizona play the series finale on Sunday. Game time at Jackie Robinson Stadium is 1 p.m. Tickets cost $7 each for adults and $5 for youth (ages 16 and under). Fans unable to attend can listen to a live audio broadcast online, free of charge, at uclabruins.com.

Game Notes: Trevor Bauer improved to 4-0 in Pac-10 play this season ... Bauer moved into fourth place on UCLA's career innings list (310.1) ... Bauer has totaled 10 strikeouts or more in eight of his nine starts this season (and 17 times in his career) ... Bauer lowered his team-leading ERA to a 1.47 mark ... this marks the sixth consecutive season in which at least one UCLA pitcher has logged at least 100 strikeouts (Bauer crossed the 100-strikeout plateau today) ... Cody Regis' 11-game hitting streak is the longest by a UCLA hitter since 2010, when Regis had a 15-game hitting streak snapped in the final game of the College World Series.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Joseph Fauria.

And that's where the joke ends, because even though this funny man views the world slightly askew, he's been all business over recent practices for the UCLA.

The self-admitted prankster relishes his role as instigator but he's toned down the trash-talk over the last week, preferring to do his damage with shattering blocks instead of sharp tongue.

"At the very beginning I definitely was, 'Bam, 100 percent at you, at you, at you,'" Fauria said. "In your ear, in your face, all the time. I wanted my presence to be known with my play and my talking as well. I wanted coaches to know I'm here, I'm back. I toned it down a little bit because now everyone knows I'm here."

In Fauria's mind, he had to remind some of his coaches of the player he used to be, in both ball and bravado.

Last season, Fauria's first with the Bruins after redshirting following a transfer from Notre Dame after his freshman year, the Crespi product was hampered by a nagging groin injury throughout the season. He struggled to even get down into a stance.

Fauria finished with just three catches, though two went for touchdowns, including a 10-yard score against USC. Worse, he felt himself lose his edge.

"It was kind of sad," Fauria said, "I missed it. I definitely missed it. (But) it's a whole new me. I'm out there having fun."

The joy is truly evident when watching Fauria block this spring, an aspect of his game that he has drastically improved.

Playing behind then-junior Cory Harkey, Fauria was considered the finesse to Harkey's power game, gaining a reputation as someone who could catch but couldn't lay the wood.
Now Fauria is cracking down, and he's having fun doing it.

"I'm always about the intensity, I'm always about the big hit, sealing off the backside, double-teaming with a tackle - man, I love that," Fauria said. "I love hitting, I'm all about the physicality of the sport. Last year, I couldn't do that. And with that comes the trash-talking, the energy - they're all interchangeable.

"I couldn't have that last year - you can't talk smack when you're not doing anything."
Fauria's improvement has caught the eye of new UCLA running game coordinator Jim Mastro, who also serves as tight ends coach. Already thin at the position before the shoulder injury to redshirt freshman John Young, who is expected to miss the rest of spring practice, now the Bruins are counting on Fauria even more.

"If he wants to play, we're going to give him a role, and he has to execute that role," Mastro said. "That's what he's doing right now. He's doing really well. He's blocking really well. He's taking to the mentality we want. He's being productive right now, real productive, in the run game and the pass game."

Mastro knows too about Fauria's persona, part Don Maynard, part Don Rickles, and he's impressed that Fauria has learned to curtail the yuks when the time comes.

"He understands the line he can't cross," said Mastro, painfully evident in an early spring ball scuffle with defensive lineman Cassius Marsh. "He understands that if he crosses that line, with me or anyone else, there are consequences to be paid. He knows that line, and he's been good."

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Joseph Fauria.
No joke.

* Not much to report on today, as it was a light practice the day after a scrimmage. The players were in shorts and shells, but there was pretty good energy and enthusiasm. Mike Johnson and Joe Tresey lead things, and Johnson addressed the media after practice a la Rick Neuheisel, who is in Alabama for Homer Smith's funeral.

* It was a pretty uneven day for the offense, particularly the quarterbacks. Richard Brehaut delivered some great passes early and Brett Hundley looked quick with his feet, particularly on an option keeper in which he juked the entire defense. But in the late period, mainly in the red zone, the passing game was completely off. It looked like a timing issue, and Johnson had some interesting things to say about why Brett Hundley is struggling with throwing behind guys. I'll have that video up tomorrow morning. A reminder: There is no practice tomorrow; resumes on Sunday.

* Did happen to notice one precision drag route from Brehaut to Josh Smith that was so crisp. That was missing in just about every game last season - simple, efficient, crisp throws and routes - that when I see it now, I'm still taken aback. But it was exactly how it should be drawn up, down to Brehaut's feet and Smith's spacing, and it looked good.

* Kai Maiava sat out much of the day, still nursing a sore ankle. Todd Golper also remains out, as does Tony Dye. Damien Thigpen is out with a bad hamstring, and Johnson said it's doubt he's back for the spring game.

* Continuing to hear a lot about Ryan Hofmeister, who's playing well in a pretty crowded young linebacker corps. Aramide Olaniyan looked good today, and as he bulks up, he'll continue to get attention. Jordan Zumwalt was out of position a few times, but also made some good plays on the ball. He's all instinct right now. Once he combines the mental element, he could be a beast.

* I'm starting to wonder how much the lack of Jeff Locke this spring will affect the special teams. The team isn't spending anywhere near the time it did last year, it seems, on the special teams, and with a new special teams coach in Angus McClure, I'm definitely curious to see how the team will look in the summer with Locke at full go. I'll try to get Coach McClure on video next week.

* I have a pretty fun story coming up - and a great video - with Joseph Fauria.

Check out the first batch of weekly answers...

Now that Derrick Williams has broken the hearts of all Arizona fans, declaring for the NBA Draft and deciding he will hire an agent, the dust is beginning to settle on the 2011-12 Pac-12 prospectus.

Only three of the league's all-conference first-team picks are slated to return, depending on the decision of Washington State's Klay Thompson, who is expected to turn pro: UCLA's Reeves Nelson, Stanford's Jeremy Green - who was just suspended for academics for the spring quarter - and Cal's Jorge Gutierrez.

The Bears also return second-team pick Harper Kamp and conference freshman-of-the-year Allen Crabbe. The Cardinal bring back forward Josh Owens, an all-conference honorable mention, and all-freshman picks Anthony Brown and Dwight Powell. Arizona State's Trent Lockett and Washington State DeAngelo Casto also return from the second team, as does Arizona's Lamont Jones, who pair him with all-freshman guard Jordin Mayes. Meanwhile Washington returns C.J. Wilcox and Terrence Ross, two talented freshmen, newcomer Colorado has Alec Burks and Andre Roberson returning and USC has all-freshman guard Maurice Jones.

And that's it. For the league. Those are the stars as you have it.

Except for UCLA, which is now positioned to take control of the conference with Williams' departure. Despite losing Malcolm Lee and Tyler Honeycutt, the Bruins return Nelson, two senior point guards in Lazeric Jones and Jerime Anderson and the conference's most intriguing big man in Joshua Smith. Add to that the addition of David and Travis Wear, Norman Powell and De'End Parker and a roster that will include a year-older Brendan Lane, Anthony Stover and Tyler Lamb.

It should be another down year for the conference, but the Bruins are poised to take advantage.

From UCLA:

UCLA head coach Ben Howland announced today the signing of De'End Parker to a National letter of Intent to attend UCLA in the fall of 2011.

Parker, a 6-foot-6-inch, 215-pound guard out of San Francisco, Calif., (Lincoln High School), will be a junior next season after transferring from City College of San Francisco where he played for head coach Justin Labagh.

Parker joins the early signing class, which consisted of Norman Powell, a 6-foot-3-inch, 200-pound guard out of San Diego, Calif., and Lincoln High School.

"We are extremely excited about De'End Parker joining our basketball program and family," Howland said. "He will give us immediate help as a transfer with the loss of our starting wings (Malcolm Lee and Tyler Honeycutt). He is a very good athlete and a great competitor, but most of all, he is an outstanding young man that will represent UCLA to our expectations in all aspects. He's a great kid and has been very well coached."

Parker averaged 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game as a sophomore this past year at CCSF. He shot 43.0 percent from three-point range while guiding the Rams to their first State title in 49 years (since 1962). Parker's tip-in with less than three seconds left gave CCSF an 83-81 victory over Citrus College in the 2011 California Community College Athletic Association championship game. The Rams finished the season 32-1 overall and ended the year on a 27-game winning streak. He was named as the Coast Conference Co- Most Valuable Player (with teammate Jonathon Williams), leading his squad to a league title and a 12-0 mark. The Rams were 29-5 in his freshman season, as he led CCSF to a 61-6 record in his two seasons.

"When UCLA offered me a scholarship, I was really excited, and I knew it was a no-brainer after speaking with my family," Parker said. "I have spoken to the UCLA coaches and know that I can come in and make an immediate impact. I'm excited about getting the opportunity to play because my natural position is on the wing as an off-guard. UCLA produces the most NBA players and I'm very thankful to have the chance to come in and compete."

Hey guys,

First off, thanks for all the kind words and the get-wells as I deal with this biblical plague. It seems to have passed, and I haven't broken out in boils, but I'm still a little feeble-boned.

I was feeling well enough to go through with lengthy sit-down interviews with Joe Tresey and Mike Johnson today for a two-man Q&A that will run next week, but I also asked Johnson one question about recruiting, about why he seems to love it so much, and well...(mind you, this is one answer, one five-minute answer:

"I believe that everything in life revolves around relationships, including recruiting. I love going out and talking to people. I love going out and selling a vision, a passion and a core conviction of beliefs I have inside. I believe that UCLA football can be a BCS-bowl football team and I believe that if I go out and do my job effectively in the inner-city of Los Angeles, and a couple areas around the nation, that we can bring the talent in here to get to that point.

This is a great academic institution, this is a great campus, and you're sitting right here in the heart of Los Angeles, which is a great place to go to school. I believe that part of it. I also believe that in the city of Los Angeles, there are enough kids out there with strong character, fight, desire, will and it is my job as the L.A. recruiter to go out and get these guys to understand what we can be.

Now, in saying that, I'm looking for a kid who is not necessarily looking to go to a program that has a pretty uniform or go to a school that is winning right now. I want the kid that is strong enough to jump on the train that is going in the wrong direction, stop it and turn it around. That is what we did at Oregon State. Those are the kids I recruited in Los Angeles that took that program to where we took it, to a Fiesta Bowl.

That deal right there is something that is different, and you have to be able to see that. I don't necessarily deal with kids that don't listen to me, that don't listen to that vision. You don't want those kids. There are a lot of kids out there who are hungry, who want to be something special, who want to be difference-makers.

I say this quote all the time: "Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who believe they were different than their circumstance." I try to recruit kids that think exactly like I do, that believe they can go in and affect change. That is exactly how I believe. I believe the future is not something we enter, the future is something we create.

I am never going to be a guy who is defined by circumstance. I go out in the inner-city in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas, the San Gabriel Valley, and I look for kids that have that type of character. Those are the strong-willed kids who will walk into the Coliseum, that will walk into Autzen Stadium in Eugene and compete. That will fight. That will not be intimidated. That will go out and bring this program back to where it needs to be.

I absolutely love talking to people. So I get a chance to recruit L.A., from L.A., and that is a dream of mine, something I am passionate about. I have a good feeling for who is listening and who is not. It's like I always did as I was younger and wasn't married with women. I've always liked who liked me. That was it. I always like who liked me. It wasn't always necessarily the prettiest girl, not necessarily the most glamorous girl. I liked who liked me. That's the same way I recruit.

If you are a kid who is strong enough to say, 'I can make a difference, I can take the UCLA program back to where it is supposed to be, where it's been in the past,' then you're the kid I want to talk to. If you're a prima-donna, if you're a guy who just wants to go to a program that is on top right now or has a pretty uniform, then you go right ahead.

You'll be the ones we beat in a couple years."

Tony Dye's MRI on his left knee came out *relatively* clean, as he just has a mild knee sprain and is listed as day-to-day. Still a bad break for a guy who has really come into his own as THE leader of the UCLA defense, particularly the defensive backfield, but it does give guys like Dietrich Riley, Stan McKay, Tevin McDonald and the surprising Alex Mascarenas even more reps. Dye is not a finished product by any means, but he'll be OK missing a few practices, and as Joe Tresey says, he wants 22 defenders, not 11, so the extra reps are important for the second-stringers.

The news is not as good for John Young, who has not had an MRI, but is likely out for the rest of spring because of a sublexed left shoulder, the same shoulder that he had surgery on last year.

Also, the UCLA scrimmage scheduled for Friday is now going to be held tomorrow, as Rick Neuheisel is flying back east for Homer Smith's funeral. UCLA will practice on Friday, though, and the practice will be run by Tresey and Mike Johnson and open to the public as usual.

From UCLA:

UCLA junior guard Malcolm Lee and sophomore forwards Tyler Honeycutt and Reeves Nelson were given the Coach John Wooden Award as the Bruins' Co-Most Valuable Players Tuesday night at the 2011 UCLA Men's Basketball Awards Banquet held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza.

All three players were first team All-Pac-10 selections for the 2010-11 season.

Lee was second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game (14th in the Pac-10) and finished fourth in rebounding at 3.1 rpg. He also averaged 2.0 assists and 0.7 steals per game in 2010-11 and was named to the Pac-10 All-Defensive Team. For the second straight year, Lee garnered the Irv Pohlmeyer Memorial Award (Outstanding Defensive Player).

Honeycutt was third on the team in scoring at 12.8 points per game (16th in the Pac-10) and finished second in rebounding at 7.2 rpg (7th in Pac-10). He also led the team and the Pac-10 in blocked shots (2.1 bpg) and his 68 total blocks ranked No. 3 on UCLA's all-time charts. He also finished second on the team in assists (2.8 apg) and steals (0.9 spg).

Nelson led the team in scoring at 13.9 points per game (11th in the Pac-10). He also led the team in rebounding (9.1 bpg, 3rd in Pac-10) and took home the Gerald A. Finerman Award (team rebounding leader). Nelson also led the team and finished 6th in the Pac-10 in field goal percentage (.567, 177-for-312).

Junior guard Lazeric Jones was a three-time honoree on the evening. He was awarded the Bob "Ace" Calkins Memorial Award (free throw champion) by shooting 81.0 percent (68-for-84) from the charity stripe, which ranked 5th in the league. Jones earned the UCLA Alumni Association Award (team assist leader), averaging 3.6 assists per game (124), which ranked 8th in the Pac-10 Conference. Additionally, he received the Bruin Hoopsters J.D. Morgan Memorial Award (Outstanding Team Play).

Junior guard Jerime Anderson was a two-time award winner on the night. He garnered the Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake Memorial Award for Competitive Spirit, Inspiration and Unselfish Contributions. He also claimed the Bruin Bench Basketball Award (Most Improvement in All-Around Play and Mental Attitude).

Center Joshua Smith was named the winner of the Seymour Armond Memorial Award (Most Valuable Freshman). He was fourth on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game. In addition, he was third on the team in rebounding (6.3 rpg, 11th in the Pac-10) and led the league in offensive rebounds per game (3.5 orpg). He also ranked seventh in the league in blocked shots (1.0 bpg, 34 total) and seventh in field goal percentage, shooting 55.5 percent (132-for-238) from the floor.

Junior guard Tyler Trapani and sophomore forward Brendan Lane were named co-winners of the UCLA Faculty Athletic Representative Award (Academic Achievement and Team Contribution).

Cassius Marsh was involved in a fight during practice Wednesday, and this isn't even the first time this spring he's been in the center of a scuffle. Marsh said he's trying to control his temper, but this could become a problem for the Bruins, especially during games, if he doesn't figure it out.
Said Marsh: ``Out here, this is your family. It's like fighting with your brother. Me and my brother used to fight all the time. This is a family. Fighting is going to happen. You get frustrated. Maybe you shouldn't, but this is football. It's a physical game and stuff happens. At the end of the day, we'll all still come out here and play as a team. It's not going to be an issue.''

Tennessee Titan Alterraun Verner, the former UCLA DB, is in Los Angeles and stopping by practices. He had some words of wisdom for Dietrich Riley last week, and Riley was all ears.
``Taylor Embree made a nice juke move on me during team period,'' Riley said. ``(Verner) pulled me aside and said, `Hey. Be more controlled when you're coming fast to make a play. Settle down and read the guy. You've got the talent. Just be under control when you're coming to make plays.'
``Coming from Alterraun Verner, he's a veteran. It's an honor for him to pull me aside. He could have let that play slide by and not say anything to me. For him to say something to me, that meant a lot to me. He's someone I look up to. He's a great player and a great role model and a great guy.''

Tony Dye (left knee) had an MRI today, but the results aren't in yet. Rick Neuheisel said it's more serious than originally thought. No timetable on Dye's return, but Neuheisel is hopeful he would be able to finish spring and next Saturday's game.

Tight end John Young (shoulder) didn't practice today, either, and had an MRI but results aren't in yet.

Cassius Marsh was involved in another fight in practice today. Couldn't see which offensive lineman it was, and Marsh didn't want to throw his teammate under the bus. His words.

Neuheisel was happy with the intensity displayed in practice today but not pleased with all the mistakes.

UCLA head coach Ben Howland on Malcolm Lee's prospects:
"I think Malcolm will play in the NBA. I think he's going to be an NBA player. I think he's going to make it eventually. I'm just hoping this works out for him. Whenever you go into draft, you want to minimize the amount of risk you're taking. But these kids - Malcolm knows he's a good player. He really wants to take the step now. I have to respect that. We fully support him and wish him the very best. I know how lucky a team will be to have him on their squad. He can go into a game right now and guard a one or two as well as anybody this year coming out of college."

On the decision:
"It's something they talked about more and more. Through consulting his mother and father, they just decided that Malcolm, and Malcolm ultimately decided, this is what he wanted to do and what would be in his best interest."

On AAU coaches affecting decisions:
"There's a lot of people that get into advising kids, and that's just normal. From uncles and aunts, people outside the family. but ultimately this was Malcolm Lee's decision."

On Lee's parents:
"His mom and dad, they never missed a game in three years. Theyre both very hard workers. No doubt that when Malcolm is done, he'll return to UCLA to get his degree."

On when he knew about the decision:
"I knew this is the way he was leaning middle of week last week. I've had multiple conversations with him."

UCLA head coach Ben Howland on how Malcolm Lee's departure compares to his other early entries:
"I wouldn't go about ranking that compared to anything else. Obviously I just want nothing but the best for Malcolm. He's given so much to our program, been such a great Bruin. We wish him nothing but the best. The decision has been made, and I want him to have great success. I'm really hopeful that his knee will heal fine. I think he'll be fine here. He is now moving to Las Vegas. He's dropped his classes, will be establishing residence, working out with IMPACT."

On how good the Bruins could've been with both Lee and Honeycutt:
"I really believe if we had both of them back, we'd have a chance to challenge no question in that category. That's why, I'll tell you what, I just walked right back over from workouts. Fortunately for us, the Wears are going to be two really good players. Dave will play some minutes at the three. I really like Norman Powell, and especially for Tyler Lamb, this opens a lot of opportunities on the wings. I hope we're going to have a signee on the signing date tomorrow."

On UCLA adding even more players:
"Anything is possible."

On the team:
"I'm very, very optimistic and excited about our team next year. We've been working out players individually now starting yesterday. I'm very excited. We're going to be very young. Zeek is able to shoot but not able to dribble with left hand. Jerime and Tyler Lamb really had great workouts today. We're going to have a very formidable front line."

On how the players reacted to the news:
"It's always tough to lose a teammate, but in same vein, I'm sure their very supportive and wish him the very best."

UCLA head coach Ben Howland on...

The disappointment of Lee leaving:
"Yeah, of course. I thought he would've obviously been a huge difference-maker if he had returned for our team. I think Malcolm has made great progress every year. I think he made really good progress between sophomore year and junior year, and he was poised to have a breakout year."

On the draft in a lockout year:
"I feel bad, I think it's a really tough time for kids to be coming out. From the standpoint of lockout looming, NBA Draft, and the ability to present yourself to a team you're drafted by."

On Lee's projections:
"Just going into draft right now, based on people I've talked to in GM office, most have slated him somewhere in second round. His thing right now is to do great job in his preparation so he can try to get himself in the first round. He's just three weeks removed from knee surgery. He still probably has another 2-3 weeks, two for sure, before he's able to go full strength. As far as back to playing how he was before injury, it'll be longer than that."

On his opinion of Lee returning:
"In my opinion, I thought that would've been in his best interest. I shared that with both Malcolm and his family, and they appreciated me saying that. I'm saying what's best for him. Obviously it's what's best for UCLA basketball. But I honestly in my heart really believed, with all the factors, I thought that was in his best interest. But that's why as a coach you are able to give them, in my situation here, my view."

After the end of the UCLA basketball season, the pundits started drooling on the Bruins' potential for 2011-12. With a nucleus of talent returning, senior leadership, talented additions to the team and coming off a pretty good bounce-back year, some national college hoops analysts were hyping the Bruins to the Nth degree, some saying top-10, some saying top-5.

Now what?

Malcolm Lee announced today he's hiring an agent and entering the NBA Draft, Tyler Honeycutt did the same shortly after the season ended, and now UCLA must replace two of its best players. The Bruins return a solid core of Reeves Nelson, Joshua Smith, Lazeric Jones and Jerime Anderson, but the loss of Lee really stings.

Though projected as a second-round pick, Lee was a lock-down defender for UCLA and was second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game. He would've returned as a three-year starter, giving the Bruins the on-court experience they've lacked in recent years, as a returning all-conference first-team and all-defensive team pick.

Ben Howland and Co. are now going to have to do some creative roster management, with a surplus of talent in the front court, and little depth in the backcourt.

UCLA fans could see some strange lineup configurations, but if David Wear can indeed play the small forward position in a starting capacity - and that's a big if - the Bruins could field a lineup of Jones, Anderson, Wear, Nelson and Smith. In a murky Pac-12, that's a winnable core.

The key is the development of Tyler Lamb and the contributions of De'End Parker and Travis Wear. If they can produce at a decent level, UCLA will still have enough depth to contend in the Pac-12.

But it looks like the idea of the Bruins being clear-cut conference favorites has gone out the window, all the way to the NBA.

From UCLA:

UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland announced today that Malcolm Lee will immediately withdraw from school and will hire an agent, forfeiting the remainder of his NCAA eligibility.

"After speaking to my family, I have carefully weighed all of my options, and at this time, I have decided to hire an agent and withdraw from my classes," Lee said. "My three years at UCLA were the best time of my life. I will miss my teammates, coaches, faculty, friends and all of the great fans at UCLA. I have had a lot of fun being a Bruin and I appreciate everything Coach [Ben] Howland has done for me. I am very proud to be a Bruin and I will always call this place home. My dream has always been to play in the NBA and I think that this is the best time for me to try and make that a reality."

Lee was second on the team in scoring at 13.1 points per game (14th in the Pac-10) and finished fourth in rebounding at 3.1 rpg. He also averaged 2.0 assists and 0.7 steals per game in 2010-11 and was named First Team All-Pac-10 this season as well as to the Pac-10 All-Defensive Team.

He scored a season-high 25 points in a home win over Oregon (Feb. 10, 2011) and scored 20 or more points five times this season. His free-throw percentage of .778 (112-of-144) was second on the team and ranked 11th in the Pac-10.

"Malcolm Lee gave a tremendous amount to this program over his three years here," Howland said. "I'm really proud of how he has improved each year as a player. He's one of the best kids I have ever had the pleasure to coach in terms of attitude, work ethic and commitment to the team. I'm very proud of everything he has accomplished in his tenure at UCLA. We wish him the very best in his pursuit of a professional career."

UCLA leads the country in NBA Draft selections with 106 and has had 10 players drafted in the last seven years of the NBA Draft during Coach Howland's tenure. Additionally, six Bruins have been drafted in the first round in the Howland era, including 2011 NBA All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Love, who were drafted as back-to-back lottery picks (fourth and fifth, respectively) in the 2008 NBA Draft. During the 2010-11 NBA season, nine of Coach Howland's players started at least 15 games in the league with six of them (Arron Afflalo, Trevor Ariza, Darren Collison, Jrue Holiday, Love and Westbrook) being a permanent starter.

From UCLA:

NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. - UCLA Safety Tony Dye has been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, honoring the top collegiate defensive player in the country. The announcement came at a luncheon hosted by Ronnie Lott and the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation.
Dye is a 5-11, 205-pounder from San Jose who led the Bruins in tackles last season with 96.
This is the eighth year that the IMPACT Foundation has recognized the student-athletes throughout the nation who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams both on and off the field. IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, characteristics that Ronnie Lott exhibited throughout his brilliant Hall of Fame career at both USC and in the National Football League.
The 2011 list of 42 (Lott's uniform number) includes 19 defensive backs, 14 linebackers and nine defensive linemen. There are 11 players from the ACC, eight from the SEC, seven from the Big Ten, six from the Pac-10, six from the Big 12, one from the Big East, one from the Mountain West, one from the Western Athletic Conference and one from Notre Dame.

At this point, UCLA should just tear up the grass on Spaulding Field and plant a plot of four-
leaf clovers.

Maybe have leprechauns return punts. Replace horse-collars with horseshoes.

Once more the Bruins are snake-bitten on the offensive line, projected starting weakside offensive tackle Jeff Baca out with a broken left ankle, projected starting weakside offensive guard Sean Sheller now nursing a broken hand, suffered in the final period of UCLA's practice last Thursday. In 2010, the Bruins lost Baca to academic ineligibility and starting center Kai Maiava to a broken ankle in fall camp.

"It's a physical game, and there are a lot of bodies falling around, and it's a long way to the ground when you're that big," Neuheisel said.

With Baca and Sheller down, the Bruins are relying on one sparsely used offensive lineman to get even bigger.

Junior offensive tackle Connor Bradford has been working with the first- and second-team offenses with Baca and Sheller sidelined, rotating with former walk-on tackle Brett Downey, while sophomore guard Stan Hasiak is up with the ones.

Bradford is the littlest-known of the three, and the littlest, to boot.

After shifting positions for three seasons - to tight end and defensive line - Bradford is back in his most natural fit. The musical chairs played with his fitness, and he ended last season still trying to gain weight, weighing in at roughly 250 pounds. Now he registers at 270-275, and his weight gain has given him the confidence to mix it up with those bigger, stronger and more experienced.

Neuheisel wants Bradford, who received a scholarship offer after one of the team's one-day camps in June of 2007 and has two seasons of eligibility left, to pack on another 15-20 pounds.

"His real only issue is he big enough?" Neuheisel said. "He's just a little light. This is a big man's game, and he's probably 15 pounds away."

Bradford has definitely noticed the change in his physique, particularly when engaging with defensive linemen, who feasted on him throughout his career.

"I have more structure," Bradford said. "When I'm taking on a bull-rush or when I'm down-blocking and a guy is on me, I feel like I'm more structurally sound."

* Apologies for the delay, dealing with a flu bug that hit me like a ton of bricks out of nowhere. I don't get sick often. When I do, it's like a sick baby dinosaur. No idea what that means.

* Neuheisel paused before his opening statement at UCLA's practice on Monday to share his thoughts on the passing of former Bruin offensive coordinator Homer Smith. Smith, who passed on Sunday at the age of 79 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., led the UCLA offense in three different stints, from 1972-73, 1980-86 and 1990-93.
"There are two men in my life who've made a real difference when it comes to football - Terry Donahue and Homer Smith are the reason I'm standing here in front of this camera right now," said Neuheisel, who played for the Bruins from 1979-83, during Smith's second stint as coordinator. "I miss Homer already."

* The UCLA offense could've used Smith's genius on Monday in what was a sloppy, disjointed effort. Two days after the first unit played better in a scrimmage situation than I've seen in my short tenure, they stumbled. Richard Brehaut and Brett Hundley both missed throw after throw, and there even seemed a hesitation by both to run it. An early team drill was chock full of drops and missed attempts, and even some pretty runs by Johnathan Franklin and Jordon James didn't inspire many oohs and aahs. Ricky Marvray did have an insane catch over the middle, though.

* Hundley seems to get down on himself after every bad throw and both Neuheisel and offensive coordinator Mike Johnson need to get on that now. And there were a lot of bad throws today.

* Redshirt freshman tight end John Young left practice early with his left shoulder in a sling after it popped out. Neuheisel said he expects Young, who missed all of last season after surgery on the same shoulder to repair a torn labrum, to return soon. Spoke with Young briefly after he walked off the field, and he didn't look as confident.

* Sophomore linebacker Todd Golper has a small shoulder sprain that should sideline him for a couple days.

* Senior safety Tony Dye missed practice with a left knee bruise, but is expected to return shortly.

* Sophomore wide receiver Shaquelle Evans, who transferred from Notre Dame last September and missed much of the year after shoulder surgery, participated in 7-on-7 drills but will remain in a non-contact jersey. He's got a good-looking frame, and if he emerges as a factor, UCLA should be miles better as a wide-out unit than last season.

* Anthony Barr worked almost extensively in the backfield today, and he's getting the look at running back that Neuheisel has spoken of so often.
Neuheisel: "He's a comfortable-looking athlete regardless of where he is. Sometimes I think he's almost too smooth. We just want to make sure we're getting everything we can out of him and that he's fulfilling his full potential."

* Spoke with Clark Lea at length after practice, and man is that guy infectious. He probably gave me this flu. Just such a clear passion for his job and the linebacker position in general. I focused on the LB corps almost exclusively during individual drills - needed a chair, and this time, it has nothing to do with laziness - and the group seems to really buy in to what he's saying.

* Lea glowed about Eric Kendricks and Isaiah Bowens, while also showing a lot of love to Sean Westgate, who is expected to be a major leader of the defense. I am very intrigued by Kendricks. Along with Pat Larimore, perhaps the best size out there, and he could push for big playing time.

* The UCLA offensive line, patchwork once more, is struggling with Jeff Baca and Sean Sheller down. The maturation of Connor Bradford - who I wrote about today - and Stan Hasiak is paramount for this team.

* To end on a good note - so you don't kill me, even if this flu does - Kevin Prince saw a decent amount of action in 7-on-7s, and boy does the ball look good coming out of his hand.

UCLA unveiled today a "virtual tour" of Pauley Pavilion, which should give a pretty good idea of how it should look inside: 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

Check out the latest batch of weekly answer...

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

A short story about UCLA's first extensive spring scrimmage really is a short story.
On a day in which the first-team offense looked efficient from the start, perhaps the best it's looked in a scrimmage situation in three years, the Bruins' slightest ball-carriers got the biggest cheers.

After the offense converted a 28-yard Kip Smith field goal on its first possession against the first-team defense, UCLA junior quarterback Richard Brehaut threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Marvray on the ensuing first-team possession.

Marvray, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound receiver, led the Bruins with four catches for 50 yards, while 5-11 running back Jordon James had nine carries for 33 yards and a touchdown and 5-8 F-back Damien Thigpen had three carries for 11 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 27 yards.

Maybe all it took for UCLA's offense to get going was a little...little.

"We came out today and we showed that we're going to establish ourselves this season and we're not going to take three-and-outs anymore, punting the ball, field goals," Marvray said. "We're going to actually move the ball down the field and make the big plays we need to make."

Before we get to the scrimmage recap: Senior OL Sean Sheller, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, broke the fourth metacarpal in his right hand in the last period of practice Thursday and will be in a club-like cast for a month. He and Rick Neuheisel both expect him to be able to practice, but the extent to which is a little premature. Depending on the cast, he'll probably start with just individual drills but could see increasing action. I'll have his video up this weekend.

On to the scrimmage:

* This is only my second spring ball, but my umpteenth scrimmage situation, and I can't remember seeing the offense not only move the ball better, but look better doing it. Last season's spring game featured some decent stats, but a lot of that was the 1s vs. 2s or even 3s, and I distinctly remember the bulk of the quality coming against the lesser defenses.

On Saturday, from the opening drive, the first-team offense looked impressive against the first-team defense. The defense had its moments - Nate Chandler, who we'll get to later, looked great - but Richard Brehaut started off sharp, even mixing in the ground game, breaking off a big 20-yard run to set the tone early. Johnathan Franklin and Anthony Barr each had solid runs in the first drive, and Barr hit the corner hard on an end-around and took it upfield. He still needs more open-field moves. Later in the drive, Brehaut had a nice dart to Taylor Embree, threading Sheldon Price, Sean Westgate and Alex Mascarenas, who started at nickel.

The drive ended in a field goal by Kip Smith, who finished the day 3-for-4 with kicks of 28, 42 and 45 yards, with a 48-yard miss.

* For the day, Brehaut finished 11-of-21 for 146 yards and a touchdown, a pretty throw on the run across his body to Ricky Marvray for a touchdown on the next first-team possession, on a ball Marvray wrestled away from Glenn Love. Marvray might have been the star of the day with four catches for 50 yards and a teeth-chattering hit on Sam Tai that bounced Tai's head off.
I thought Brehaut actually looked better than those numbers though, and he was hurt by a couple drops. He moved his feet well and worked in space, buying time for his wideouts, and he looked sharp in his checkdowns. On one play, he got a bad snap, quickly corralled it in and without hesitating, fired it to Marvray, who busted off a long run. Quite simply: Not a play Brehaut would've made last spring, maybe even last November. Of course, he had a couple overthrows - including one to Nelson Rosario that would've been a touchdown down the right sideline - but still, his best scrimmage, in my eyes.

* Brett Hundley, on the other hand, did not look very sharp, at least in the passing game. He was a wiz on the ground, rushing 10 times for 82 yards, with a 50-yard TD, against primarily the No. 2 defense. But his running numbers were so inflated because he missed a number of checkdowns and his progression reads were delayed. Of course, it's to be expected from a guy who should be picking out tuxes for his senior high school prom. He even admits that he's not where he wants to be in terms of his grasp of the offense. All in due time. The thing is, he knows it.

* A Tresey moment: The verbal energy from Joe Tresey thus far has been entertaining, to say the least, and it's hard to take your eyes off him between plays sometimes. However, sometimes it works: I watched him chew out Jordan Zumwalt for being out of position before the snap. Zumwalt took a couple steps to his left...and blitzed and absolutely annihilated Malcolm Jones in the backfield.

UCLA head coach Ben Howland on wanting to find one primary venue:
"It was very important to me. For the fans and especially for our players that you sort of get used to over course of a year is definitely better than playing in four or five venues. That's my personal opinion again; UCLA has history with this building. If I'm not mistaken there's a national championship won in there, at least one."

On the Wooden Classic being moved to January:
"Obviously that's a marquee game with Arizona returning the bulk of their team from a team that won our league, finished one game ahead of us. I'm excited about that. This is a unique year not having our games on campus, so we've got to make some adjustments in terms of scheduling. But yeah I'm excited about that and excited about the Wooden Classic staying in Anaheim."

On the coaching search:
"Our last day we can be out during this period is on the 20th of April. Starting Monday is a dead period for four days. Not a lot of time left for us to be out. I'm actually in no rush, no hurry. I'm happy for Scott but I'm also happy to do a national search to bring in the best candidate possible to fit our needs at UCLA."

On two coaches leaving in two years:
"Donnie Daniels was with me right from the very beginning and did a great job. Really appreciate his hard work and efforts. ... He was instrumental during run of three final fours and I'm really happy for Scott. Has an opportunity to work for his best friend, they both went to same college, Larry's wife and Scott were in school in same exact class. Larry's got his son, Scott's associate head coach. This is a nice opportunity for him, so we wish him nothing but the best."

On Malcolm Lee's recovery:
"Malcolm had some measurements done today and he improved his range of motion by a couple inches. It's going well for Malcolm. It's something that I don't think will take a lot of time before he's back and ready to go at full-strength."

On Lee scheduling workouts:
"No, his focus right now has been since his surgery, which was 17 days ago, pretty much on that. Nobody in the NBA is scheduling workouts yet. They won't start doing that until the 24th of April."

UCLA head coach Ben Howland on if he discusses the Pauley renovation with recruits:
"Absolutely, all the time. That's a huge selling point. Tha'ts a big deal for recruiting, to have all the changes and the new locker room space, the film room, training room, weight room, new complete scoreboard video board, the whole concourse, everything. It's going to be fantastic. That's what we're doing here, taking 16 months - and it is a sacrifice not being able to practice in Pauley every day - it's going to be more difficult to play all your games off campus for a year. In the long term and long vision of things, this is a great thing for UCLA basketball and for UCLA. Pauley is not only used for our basketball program but for many other courts. Equally important for graduation every year."

On the timing of the renovations:
"I don't know there's ever a great time to move out for a year. I don't think at any time you can say this is a good year to do it. I knew it was coming, nothing unexpected. I'm very, very positive about it. I think we can be a solid team next year no question. But I'm even more excited about what is happening to Pauley and what that means for the basketball program."

On the floor:
"I think I've mentioned this - the thing I'm most excited about is getting a new floor for the players. Honestly, the floor in Pauley is a very hard floor put in over 45 years ago that has none of the modern technology to allow give. You ask Al Scates any of the former players, they would tell you the same thing. I have zero worry about the floor for next year. It will be fine."

On practicing in the Sports Arena:
"That's one thing that will be nice for us. They've made it so we'll be able to do that some. Not a lot, but definitely some early on. I don't see us doing that a lot, but we will definitely do that a few times for sure."

UCLA head coach Ben Howland on the announcement that the team would play 14 games at the Sports Arena and four at the Honda Center next season:
"We knew that when we closed Pauley for the year of the remodel, that nothing would be as good as being on campus. But I'm excited, based on proximity to campus for our students and for the fans who've attended Pauley all these years, that''s the closest facility. They're going to make it nice for us, dress it up. What I go back to is John Wooden's team played there prior to opening of Pauley. Anything good enough for Coach is good enough for us and for me. We're going to play the bulk of our games there with the exception of four games in Anaheim, and that will be a nice thing for our fans in Orange County as we take our show on the road for the one year."

On UCLA playing USC at the Sports Arena:
"It's funny that I didn't even think about that. Our season ticket holders, and our fans, will have the availability of being there first."

On being able to check out the arena's condition:
"We've had a whole team of admins who've been over there, and they've been really, really good to us. They're going to make a number of aesthetic changes for us that I think will make it more than nice. We're really appreciative of the people at the Sports Arena."

On how this affects recruiting:
"I don't think it affects it at all. All the recruits we're talking to in the 2012 class aren't going to be playing in the Sports Arena, they're going to be playing in the $150-million renovation in the brand new Pauley. I think it has zero affect on recruiting."

From UCLA:

UCLA today announced its men's basketball schedule and playing venues for the 2011-12 season. Fourteen regular-season games will be played at the Los Angeles Sports Arena and four will be played at the Honda Center in Anaheim. UCLA's one exhibition game will be played at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario.

The Bruins called the Sports Arena home for six seasons (1959-60 through 1964-65) prior to moving into Pauley Pavilion for the 1965-66 season. Those UCLA teams won the school's first two NCAA basketball championships (1964 and 1965). In addition, the Sports Arena was the site of the 1968 and 1972 NCAA Final Four, both won by UCLA.

"We are happy to announce that dates and sites for our "Bruin Road Show" have been finalized," said UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero. "The leadership groups at all three facilities have been very accommodating and we will do everything possible to make this a positive experience for our fan base.

"We will make the Sports Arena a great environment for our fans and our team. We will bring our championship banners and will paint our colors as much as possible in the interiors of the building, including the basketball court, to make it our home away from home. For the fans, there is ample secured parking adjacent to the facility. Our staff will be working with Sports Arena management to create a fun, fan-friendly atmosphere inside and outside the facility for the upcoming season.

"We are also excited about being able to play four games this season in a great facility like the Honda Center. Our players and our fans have enjoyed their experiences at Honda Center over the years and we hope everyone will take advantage of the opportunity to see the Bruins in Orange County.

"The opportunity to play an exhibition game at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario will give us the chance to expose UCLA basketball to fans that don't normally make the drive to Westwood and we appreciate the arena management working with us on this project," said Guerrero. "We are offering this game to our season ticket holders at a deeply-discounted price that also includes parking with hopes that they will make the drive on a Sunday afternoon.

"We've talked all year about taking our show on the road and I'm happy everything is set," said men's head basketball coach Ben Howland. "The upcoming season will be unique for everyone involved but I am happy that we are playing most of our games at one facility and I know that our fans will continue to support us wherever we play."

Former UCLA head basketball coach and current St. John's coach Steve Lavin will receive treatment for prostate cancer in the upcoming weeks, the school announced today.

Lavin said doctors caught the condition at an early stage and that he was actually diagnosed in the fall but kept the matter private.

"My family feels fortunate that through annual health exams, we detected my condition at an early stage," the 46-year-old Lavin said in a statement released by the school. "This past fall I didn't want to distract our team, but with the season behind us, we are now working with medical experts and taking the proper steps to tackle this health challenge head on."

Lavin went 145-78 in seven years with the Bruins, leading the team to five Sweet 16s in six years before collapsing to 10-19 in his final season, 2002-03, before becoming an ESPN analyst. Lavin rejoined the coaching ranks last season, leading the Red Storm to the NCAA Tournament and finishing with a 21-12 record.

On his doctor's concerns:
"My doctor was just concerned about quick changes, unexpected movements. In one-on-ones, stuff like that, is a more controlled environment where you don't have to worry about that. In 7-on-7, things change. You can take a quick step you're not expecting. I think (Prince's doctor) really just wanted to play it safe."

On his limitations:
"The only I shouldn't be doing in 7-on-7 is sprinting out and scrambling, so I think I can limit myself to not doing that. I think that's alright."

On his progress:
"I think this will be the last step I take in the spring, because the only other thing left is for me to get out there and see live action. They won't let me do that. This will be the final step, but this will be a good step, and something I'm looking forward to."

On his arm:
"I feel like my throwing is going pretty good, but it's different doing it on air and against one DB, as opposed to reading a defense and going through a progression and everything."

On the comparison to the high school knee injury:
"The ACL was a nine-month deal. It was so long ago, I don't really remember what exactly I was restricted to at what times. This one is more frustrating I guess, because you feel like you can do a lot more, but they don't want the whole process to get messed up. It's more of a patience game. With the ACL, you knew you couldn't do certain stuff."

On regrets about playing against Cal last season when injured:
"If I knew the extent of what was going to happen, yeah, I wouldn't have played against Cal. I feel like there is times in that game I probably tweaked it worse. It probably got worse playing that game and then trying to practice the week after that for the Oregon game. But that's just being an athlete - you can't go out there and say no I don't want to risk it. Then you lose all respect from all the players around you, the coaches, yourself. I didn't really know the extent of it, but in retrospect, it's easy to say I wouldn't have done what I did. But that's life."

On patience:
"I'm trying to stay as patient as I can," Prince said. "Yeah, it's frustrating, but unfortunately I've had the experience of going through this before. I know that to be patient is a good thing. I'm doing what I can right in terms of learning and watching the other guys go, so that when it's my turn, I'm ready to execute."

On being the forgotten man:
"I've learned, being in college for three years, that nothing is personal. They're just out here trying to get the healthy guys reps, and the facts of the matter are, I'm not allowed to do much. I'm going to be forgotten a little bit. That's fine. Once I'm healthy, I'll just have to earn back my playing time and do what I can to not be forgotten."

* On a frigid day out in Westwood, reporters shivering during group interviews, the offense went ice cold when installing red-zone and goal-line packages. There were drops and miscommunication and poor throws, and really, it all looked a bit...off. While there were a handful of simply great plays - Richard Brehaut to both Nelson Rosario and Josh Smith on two pretty deep passes over the middle for touchdowns - most of the time the offense was out of sync.

* Rick Neuheisel: "I was pleased with the day, it just was not where it needs to be. You can't say any one thing; I just think it's a normal growing pain when you just install stuff."

* Kevin Prince was cleared to play in 7-on-7 drills, and did a decent amount of throwing, but Neuheisel quite frankly forgot to play him during the 7-on-7s.

* To clarify on Richard Brehaut and baseball: He is not involved with the baseball team during spring ball because of the 20-hour per week NCAA practice limit. He is doing individual work, bullpen sessions, batting cage, but not "with" the team right now. He will rejoin the squad after the completion of spring ball.

* Neuheisel: "Richard is a good quarterback and I know he wants to be better than good. To do that you have to submerge yourself in it. There's just too much to know at that position. There are other positions that you might be able to master and still have some free time but not the quarterback position. Its always changing, always evolving, especially with new coaches, new schemes. Its just one of those things I think he saw that hopefully will be the right one for him. I know we're excited about it."

* The drops, again, were not by any one player or position, but it also seemed like every target had at least one. Johnathan Franklin and Damien Thigpen dropped consecutive passes out of the backfield shortly after the Brehaut-to-Smith touchdown, and Derrick Coleman had an egregious drop, too.

* That being said, the offensive line looked pretty good, despite the loss of Kai Maiava to a minor ankle injury. Neuheisel expects him to return on Saturday, but Greg Capella looked much improved with the ones this season than when he was pressed into spot duty last season.

* Dietrich Riley had a beautiful interception on an awfully thrown ball by Brehaut, jumping the route at the perfect time. He was beat on a play a few plays later, though, and looked really irritated with himself.

* Looks like Cassius Marsh is back in the good graces, participating with the first team defense. His attitude looks pretty good out there the last couple days, and I'll be watching him intently during Saturday's scrimmage and practice.

* Some other one-offs:
*Stan McKay had a nice practice with a couple of interceptions, but he was also out of place a few times and the coaches got on him for it.

* Ryan Hofmeister stood out to me today for the first time, and I actually did a triple-take after he blew up his man in a LB/RB drill.

* Joseph Fauria had a block on Damien Holmes that, well, he wouldn't have had last year. Since blocking is his biggest need for improvement, I was surprised by both the strength he displayed and the nastiness, as he really got into Holmes quickly. One thing that gets overlooked is just how quickly a guy tries to engage the guy he's blocking, and Fauria was off the snap incredibly quickly.

* First Inside UCLA video with Brett Hundley will be posted tomorrow. Engaging kid. Incredibly engaging.

Practice resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. at Spaulding Field.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Jill Painter has a good story today about the reuniting of the Wooden family and the Wooden Award: Check it out

After a five-year trademark dispute over Wooden's name, the family will be at the award ceremony on Friday and the Wooden family is back supporting the award.

Check out the first batch of weekly answers...

Ted Miller of ESPN's Pac-10 Blog just completely nails it on the head with his take of UCLA this spring: Check it out

Miller talks about UCLA's biggest need as changing the culture and confidence of the program from within, particularly off a rough year and rougher off-season. The feelings early on both Joe Tresey and Mike Johnson, from both players and fans, are that both have ramped up the expectations in terms of both performance and attitude. Whether the players buy into that remains to be seen. But Miller is absolutely correct in that being the biggest challenge for UCLA, which returns 18 starters from a 4-8 team.

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.

Haven't had a Q&A in a couple of weeks, so if you asked questions then that are still relevant, post them here and I'll try to get to them

Rick Neuheisel commended the play of sophomore defensive tackle Cassius Marsh (Oaks Christian), who had an altercation during practice on Monday that resulted in him being asked to leave the field by Tresey.

"Cassius was terrific," Neuheisel said. "He came back with the right attitude. He understands we're competing, and I think that's just where everyone on the football team needs to be, not just him."

From UCLA:

UCLA Head Coach Ben Howland on Scott Duncan Being Named as an Assistant Coach at Wyoming:

"I really appreciate all the hard work and dedication Scott gave to our program," said UCLA head coach Ben Howland. "He did an outstanding job for us and I appreciate all of his efforts.
"I certainly wish him the best in his future endeavors."

* A pretty impressive scrimmage concluded UCLA's fifth day of spring practice, with a crushing Dietrich Riley hit on Anthony Barr providing the exclamation point for the day.

* QB Watch:
Richard Brehaut moved really well in the pocket today and seems to be growing more confident in his own abilities, which plagued him at times last season. He hit some nice passes, including a couple while scrambling, that you just didn't see last season. But he also had one pass that was just incomprehensible, and Rick Neuheisel singled it out during the press conference. During the scrimmage he was shaky, but the passing game didn't get a ton of run with him in there.
Brett Hundley, meanwhile, looked to me like a freshman out there today. He missed several passes, took some coverage sacks (obviously in touch only) and grew a little frustrated with himself. What you have to admire, though is his willingness to learn and to consult coaches and teammates after mistakes.

* Riley had a fantastic practice, was extremely active and generally looks like one of the better players on the team. His body is filling out in the way it needs to fill out, and I would be surprised if he didn't continue to take a big leap going into the season.

* Jordon James again drew some oohs and aahs, including on a beautifully executed designed backfield pass that he caught in stride and took about 11 steps before any defensive player approached him. A guy next to me in the stands: "I haven't seen that play since MJD."

* More drops from the wide receivers - Nelson Rosario had a ball hit him SQUARE between the numbers, and the thing is an oblong spheroid - but also some outstanding plays by Josh Smith, Taylor Embree and others. Still an inconsistent lot, but a lot of that is timing and just working out kinks. Of course, we thought that was the case in August last year...and September...and October...and....

* Cassius Marsh responded to yesterday's...unpleasantness...with a good performance in team drills and Neuheisel seemed very pleased by his reaction to the incident on Monday.

* Video of Damien Thigpen and Neuheisel later tonight - my video battery was running low - but I also had great chats with Jim Mastro and Dietrich Riley that I'll post tomorrow.

The murmuring started early in UCLA's practice late last week, after a relatively non-descript check-down pass from Bruins freshman quarterback Brett Hundley.

Hundley's 6-foot-3, 265-pound target caught the ball in stride, and took off down the middle of the field, his jersey clinging on to his thick frame.

The number on the jersey, though?

A bit foreign.

But it wouldn't be the last time UCLA fans saw No. 85 with the ball, and by the end of practice, most knew it belonged to John Young.

The redshirt freshman tight end out of Loyola High had his Bruin debut delayed a year after having shoulder surgery during the summer of 2010, after a torn labrum was revealed to be worse than anticipated.

But with senior Cory Harkey and junior Joseph Fauria as the only tight ends on scholarship for UCLA, Young is getting his chance to make a first impression.

"It was difficult - it's different coming into your junior year and getting injured; I wasn't even acclimated to what college football was like," Young said. "Missing my first year, before I could even get going, was rough."

He's getting his chance to open some eyes, and there are a bunch of new eyes.

Back from a couple days off visiting my newborn nephew, and I get to UCLA practice early, only to find New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throwing the ball around with what appears to be a Pats teammate.

A day in the life, huh?

From UCLA:

"UCLA is a special place in so many ways," Nikki Caldwell said. "I will forever be indebted for the opportunities that UCLA has afforded me. Dan Guerrero is one of the elite athletic directors and it has been a privilege and an honor to work with this administration. They did all they could to keep me at UCLA and I appreciate those efforts.

"This team has been an example of what hard work and perseverance represent. Although I was brought in here to teach them, I have been able to learn so much from them. I only wish for the best for this program and this institution and I am truly grateful to have been given the opportunity to coach here."
.

From UCLA:

"We are extremely sad to see Nikki Caldwell depart UCLA," said UCLA athletic director Dan Guerrero. "After giving Nikki her first opportunity to be a head coach, we have all worked together to build the women's basketball program into one of the best in the West, increasing attendance and donation levels.

"I met with Nikki earlier this week and made her what we felt was a very attractive multi-year offer to keep her in Westwood. It was our hope that Nikki would want to continue building what she has started at UCLA and we did all we could to make that desire a reality.

"We certainly wish Nikki all the best in the future. We will begin a national search for the coach that will continue to build our program immediately," Guerrero said.

In her three years as UCLA's head coach, Caldwell led the Bruins to 72 victories, two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and two appearances in the Pac-10 Tournament championship game. This past season, her Bruin team set school records for regular-season victories (26), Pac-10 Conference victories (16) and scoring defense (55.3 ppg) and earned a program-best No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

Nikki Caldwell has accepted the head coaching position at LSU and will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Monday, the school announced Saturday night.

Caldwell, who has turned UCLA into a national contender in just three seasons, led the team to a 28-5 record last season and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Gonzaga in Spokane.

The hugely popular coach finishes her tenure with a record of 72-26, including a 25-9 record and second-round NCAA Tournament appearance last season, when she was named Pac-10 coach of the year.

"Nikki is one of the best and brightest coaches in the country and LSU fans will be proud of the way she will represent this program," LSU athletic director Joe Alleva said in a statement from the school. "She comes from a great pedigree having coached under two of the best in the game in Pat Summitt at Tennessee and Debbie Ryan at Virginia. She has been successful on every level -- as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach -- and she has all the qualities to bring our program to national prominence. This is a great day for LSU and our women's basketball program."

Caldwell starred for Summitt at Tennesee and joined her coaching staff from 2003-08, before she was hired by the Bruins, and she previously coached at Virginia.

Here's a link to the full release.

UCLA junior offensive lineman Jeff Baca had surgery on Thursday night to repair a fractured left ankle and is out indefinitely, the school announced on Friday.

Baca was injured during the Bruins' second spring practice during a team drill after a teammate fell on his leg. The school release added that his status for fall camp is in doubt, as well.

Baca was expected to anchor a veteran offensive line after returning from a season on the sidelines, as he was deemed academically ineligible and missed the 2010 campaign. Baca was slated to go as the team's starting weak side tackle, but now redshirt sophomore Stanley Hasiak and redshirt junior Connor Bradford will get the reps.

Last season, the UCLA offensive line was one of the few bright spots for a 4-8 team, paving the way for the Bruin running game to rank 32nd in the country in rushing offense at 175.58 yards per game, despite the losses of Baca and center Kai Maiava. Maiava is back at center after missing the 2010 season after fracturing his ankle in fall camp.

Baca has started 21 games for UCLA, and he and Maiava are considered the nucleus of a deep offensive line that also includes senior tackle Mike Harris, sophomore guard Chris Ward and senior Sean Sheller.

Sources are indicating that UCLA men's basketball assistant coach Scott Duncan is going to be hired as an assistant at Wyoming, and that an announcement could come shortly from the Cowboys.

Duncan was hired by head coach Ben Howland in 2007 after seven seasons with Ernie Kent at Oregon. He will be rejoining new (and old) Wyoming head coach Larry Shyatt, who returns to the Cowboys after assisting Billy Donovan at Florida. Duncan previously coached with Shyatt at Wyoming in 1997-98 and then at Clemson for two seasons.

This is UCLA's second coaching change in two seasons: Phil Mathews was hired last season to replace Donny Daniels, who left for an assistant coaching position at Gonzaga.