July 2011 Archives

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Quick note: Denver Broncos executive vice president (and greatest quarterback in the history of history) John Elway went on Twitter earlier today to announce the signing of former UCLA safety Rahim Moore. The specifics of the contract are unknown.

Moore should have a good shot at starting once he gets caught up to speed.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the first batch of weekly answers...

Here's a pretty easy-to-understand crash course on the new Pac-12 Network, with reaction from UCLA'

From UCLA:

Brett Hundley underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove part of lateral meniscus in his right knee this afternoon. Everything went fine and he is expected to return in three to four weeks.

From UCLA:

UCLA men's basketball player Jerime Anderson has been suspended indefinitely from all team activities and at least the 2011-12 season-opener against Loyola Marymount (Nov. 11) following his arrest Tuesday (July 26) evening.

Anderson, a senior point guard, was arrested on campus by University Police and was charged with suspicion of grand theft in connection with the theft of a laptop.

"This is a disappointing and unfortunate situation for Jerime," said head coach Ben Howland. "We have a high standard and code of conduct that our student-athletes are expected to follow. He knows that he has made a huge mistake and that he has not represented himself, our program or UCLA in a manner that is required."
Anderson's status with the team will be re-evaluated as the legal process continues.

Former UCLA OL Ryan Taylor has signed a free-agent deal with the New Orleans Saints. Former longsnapper Christian Yount signed a free-agent deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yesterday, and Kai Forbath probably will get a deal somewhere.

They'll join draft picks Akeem Ayers, Rahim Moore and David Carter in NFL camps soon.

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel confirmed that redshirt freshman cornerback Anthony Jefferson would probably miss the season after impending back surgery to fix a bulging disc.

Jefferson, who missed nine games last season after a promising freshman year was cut short by a broken foot, would've provided much-needed depth behind Aaron Hester and Sheldon Price. Particularly with the loss of Courtney Viney to New Mexico State, the loss of Jefferson is a big one.

The Bruins will be looking at veteran Andrew Abbott, incoming Vanderbilt fifth-year transfer Jamie Graham, Brandon Sermons and Anthony Thompson as backups, with Tony Dye able to slide over on occasion if needed.

Quick note: Former UCLA longsnapper Christian Yount has been signed to a free-agent contract by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yount went undrafted in April's NFL Draft, but he'll have a shot of sticking with the Buccaneers as one of the top long-snappers in the country.

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel said that junior quarterback Kevin Prince would get the first-team reps at the onset of fall camp as he was the team's starter before being injured last season.

Prince was restricted in spring ball after recovering from in-season knee surgery with most of the first-team reps going to Richard Brehaut, but Prince's knee is 100-percent healed and he has had full range of motion for quite some time.

Neither quarterback performed well last season as the Bruins tumbled down the national passing ratings. Brehaut was marginally better in his nine appearances (seven starts), completed 119-of-212 passes for 1,296 yards, with six touchdowns and seven interceptions. In five starts, Prince was 42-of-94 for 384 yards and three touchdowns and five interceptions before being lost for the season after a 35-7 loss to Cal.

UCLA freshman quarterback Brett Hundley, the No. 2 quarterback prospect in the country, suffered a torn meniscus playing basketball and will have surgery Wednesday, head coach Rick Neuheisel said at Pac-12 media day.

Neuheisel said Hundley will miss roughly half of fall camp, a crushing blow to the Chandler, Ariz., product, who left high school early to enroll at UCLA and participated in spring ball with mixed results.

UCLA was picked to finish fifth in the south division in the inaugural Pac-12 preseason media poll, behind USC, Arizona State, Utah and Arizona, and a spot ahead of Colorado. The Bruins, who return 17 starters, were picked 8th in the 2010 Pac-10 preseason media poll last season (with one first-place vote), before the split to two divisions.

Campus Correspondent Jacob Ruffman has a recap here on UCLA's latest football verbal commit, Isaiah Folasa

By this time last summer, UCLA had only four commitments. This year, the Bruins already have ten, with the most recent coming from Santiago High School's Isaiah Folasa.

Folasa plays left tackle for the Sharks but will most likely come into UCLA as a guard because of his 6-foot-3, 325-pound frame. The Bruins were the first team to extend an offer to Folasa following their camp in late June and it didn't take long for him to accept the offer.

"His first offer came from his favorite school," Sharks head coach Jeff Steinberg said. "His family has always loved UCLA and he's a UCLA fan so when he got an offer we had a little talk and he told me UCLA was at the top; I said it was kind of a no-brainer. Why toy around trying to get other offers when you already have your school?"

Folasa has the right mentality for a lineman; he plays until the whistle and he uses his size very well, driving defenders backwards until they hit the ground. For the Bruins, however, especially in the zone-read blocking system and the Pistol offense, he'll have to learn to maintain contact to the second level and not leave defenders still in the running lanes.

"He finishes his blocks really well and gets off the line of scrimmage really well," Steinberg said. "He's a little out of position for where he'll play in college but in our offense we want our bigger guys on the edge. At the next level he'll do very well moving inside."

Folasa is the Bruins' second offensive line commitment in a class that will likely end up with between 4-6 linemen. One of those commits may actually end up being Folasa's cousin, Hiva Lutui, a four-star guard out of Texas who was originally from Southern California.

Ruffman had a brief chat with Folasa, after the jump...

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

Dominic Artis' reported verbal commitment to UCLA tonight affects the Bruins in many ways...

* Point Guard Lockdown?
With the point guard spot looking precarious for UCLA as recently as a year ago - the Bruins were spurned by the cream of the 2010 and 2011 crops - many fans were wondering who was going to carry the team, and the ball, in the near future. Now, UCLA seems to be in pretty good hands for the foreseeable future. Between the senior duo of Lazeric Jones and Jerime Anderson in 2011-12, a senior Larry Drew and a freshman Artis for 2012-13, and the projected four-year career for Artis, the Bruins are regaining some of the stability that lifted them to great heights in the mid-2000s.

* A Perfect Fit?
Artis' game seems to lend itself very well to Ben Howland's style, and Artis should give the Bruins the high-impact half-court creator that they'll need going forward. Artis has some stop-and-pop in him, but he thrives with the ball in his hands - great handles - and he's able to create as the clock winds down. In the Howland offense, that's crucial, as it encourages teammates to stay active for 35 seconds.

* Puzzle Pieces?
First Jordan Adams, now Artis. Who's next? While many are predicting a dream class for UCLA - and in my opinion, a more thoroughly put-together dream class than the ill-fated '08 group - and Adams and Artis are a great start, they are the lesser-coveted of the projected future Bruins. UCLA is still working hard on Shabazz Muhammad, Brandon Ashley, Kyle Anderson, D'Vauntes Smith-Rivera, Shaq Goodwin, L.J. Rose, Arnaud Moto, Zena Edosomwan and Robert Upshaw. With as few as three scholarships and as many as five to give for the '12 class, any combination of as many as three of those would be a major coup for Howland.

* Opening Channels?
Everyone knows that in college basketball recruiting, you don't just have to recruit the player, but in most cases, the coach, and sometimes the school, too. So the commitments of Findlay Prep and Oak Hill Academy products cannot be understated (overstated, I mean overstated, as in...overstated), and now, along with the Mater Dei pipeline flowing freely - the Bruins have inroads at some major basketball schools that produce top talent on a yearly basis. If Muhammad comes aboard, that opens up Bishop Gorman, one of the dominant high school programs in Nevada.

Scout.com's Evan Daniels is reporting tonight that UCLA has picked up its second commitment of the 2012-13 basketball class in rising star point guard Dominic Artis.

Artis, who picked up his offer from the Bruins and head coach Ben Howland in late June, has been sensational on the AAU circuit this summer, and his commitment is being praised extensively by recruiting experts on Twitter.

The 5-foot-11 gifted passer carries himself with a healthy swagger, yet has proven this summer that he's able to take his game to another level, as he did during the recent Pangos Camp (video below) and the Nike Peach Jam Camp.

The four-star prospect also becomes the second commitment this year from a premier basketball factory, as he is transferring to vaunted Findlay Prep in Nevada for his last high school season. He joins Oak Hill Academy's Jordan Adams as early commits, and the two could kick off another lofty recruiting class for Howland.

Minnesota Vikings and former UCLA punter Chris Kluwe just absolutely destroys former Denver Broncos tight end Nate Jackson (come on Nate, don't sully the Broncos even more than Josh McDaniels and Jake Plummer did) on Deadspin: Warning, possibly NSFW (foul language)

Here are some thoughts from a pretty light player-run practice today at Spaulding Field...

* Apparently on orders from the S&C staff, the UCLA football team had a light, fun 7-on-7 workout as the summer offseason winds down. There was not a ton of viable football analysis to be had, but I tried to take specific note of body changes and maturation.

* The turn out was pretty good, and there were only a few big names I saw missing. Overall, I would say about 95 percent of the two-deep lineup was there, and if camaraderie really does count for anything, you'll see a change at least in that department.

* There wasn't much man-up 7-on-7 from what I saw, but there were a couple of beautiful plays - one fantastic deep ball from Kevin Prince to Shaq Evans, and a really nice juke-and-move by Randall Carroll, who we'll get to later.

* Some guys look like they put the offseason to good use, and the ones who stood out to me were Datone Jones, Damien Holmes, Cassius Marsh, Sheldon Price, Evans and definitely Greg Capella, who looks so different than when he got to UCLA.

* Jones looks like he's ready to play on Sundays, honestly, and his return could be the single biggest catalyst for defensive improvement. He is huge. Huge. His shoulder muscles have shoulder muscles. It's a noticeable change from years past, when he mainly had just a thick neck.

* Price, meanwhile, looks to have improved his leg strength. He came to UCLA with sticks, and he's looking pretty solid. Aaron Hester, who was always pretty stout for a cornerback, has gotten bigger, too. If they both play the ball better this year, that's a big upgrade.

* Hard to really evaluate the quarterbacks because it was so relaxed, but I can definitely say that Kevin Prince looks healthier than he has since early in his freshman season. He was zipping.

* One moment that stood out: While almost the entire team was having fun playing essentially "Who can run farthest and catch the deepest pass," I saw Jones and Holmes corral Dietrich Riley into doing ab work with medicine balls. Sent a pretty good message, and Riley had interesting things to say in our video interview, which will run tomorrow.

* Last thing on Carroll. Talk about a transformation. The results will have to be determined in a couple weeks, but Carroll is acting, talking and walking like a different guy. He credits his newfound maturity to Mike Johnson and Rick Neuheisel, but a lot of that is on him, too. Look for big things from him, and soon. I had multiple guys tell me today, "Randall's now a football player," and some of you know what that means, but it's a big statement. For a long time, Carroll carried the label of a sprinter who happened to play football, and perhaps for good reason. But he's making moves like a wideout now, he's making cuts like a wideout, and he's approaching the game like a wideout. He talked to me about how a life transformation can lead to a football transformation, and aside from the incessant buzz of a helicopter, it was a great chat. Also up tomorrow.

* UCLA will have one more week of PRPs before taking a small break before the beginning of fall camp.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Click on the right tab under the cover for an interactive flash version or the left for the PDF

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out this Daily Breeze article by Tony Ciniglio about UCLA commit Raymond Ford, from Serra High, with some interesting comments from Serra coach Scott Altenberg: Here you go

Check out the first 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

Jeff Lockridge of the Nashville Tennessean (Vanderbilt beat writer) wrote on Twitter earlier today that defensive back Jamie Graham is going to transfer to UCLA for grad school and to play for the Bruins.

Graham is a talented athlete but didn't get much playing time for Vanderbilt last season, and he could provide an immediate boost to the return game. He has one season of eligibility remaining, and he'll help soften the blow from the loss of Courtney Viney, which I thought was a big one. Between Aaron Hester, Sheldon Price, Andrew Abbott, Anthony Jefferson and now Graham, UCLA has some decent depth at the position, but it remains a recruiting priority for next year.

From UCLA:

UCLA All-America offensive lineman Randy Cross was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame Saturday night during a dinner, held at the Century Center Convention Center in South Bend, Ind., that served as the culmination of the National Football Foundation's two-day Enshrinement Festival.

Cross was one of 16 players and four coaches enshrined tonight. He was selected in May of 2010 as part of the 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Class and this weekend's activities served as the culmination of the induction process. The 2010 College Football Hall of Fame Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Class was inducted at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 7, 2010, at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.

Part of a successful run for the UCLA football program, offensive lineman Randy Cross was a key contributor throughout his time in Los Angeles. Cross played on the Bruins' 1976 Rose Bowl championship team as a guard, starting 28 of his 34 career games. Randy became the Bruins' starting center midway through his sophomore season. The next two years he was moved to right guard where he became a first-team All-Conference and a first-team All-America as a senior. Throughout his senior season he would share time between the center and guard positions. Cross won UCLA's George W. Dickerson Award as the team's most outstanding lineman in 1974 and 1975.

Selected in the second round of the 1976 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Cross played 13 years and won three Super Bowls with the franchise. Randy currently co-hosts a program which airs on Sirius Radio's NFL Network. In 2009, Cross began work as an analyst for CBS College Sports TV in its coverage of the U.S. Naval Academy's football games. Randy also founded a charity golf tournament which raises money for the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford's Children's Hospital. Cross and his wife Patrice reside outside Atlanta with their three children, daughters Kelly and Crystal, and son Brendan, a quarterback at Wake Forest University.

"Coaches from UCLA shaped me as a young man, taught me lessons, on and off the field, and helped in life well after I left Westwood. I owe those men --- Steve Butler, Moe Freedman, Terry Donahue, Pepper Rodgers, Dick Vermeil and Bobb McKittrick --- more than I can ever repay."

Cross is the 13th member of the UCLA family enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame, joining Bruin greats such as Troy Aikman, Kenny Easley, Jerry Robinson, Gary Beban, Kenny Washington and coaches Terry Donahue, Tommy Prothro and Red Sanders.

Former Wisconsin head coach Barry Alvarez, former Dayton head coach Mike Kelly, former Widener University, Delaware Valley College and LaSalle University head coach Bill Manlove and former Alabama head coach Gene Stallings were the four coaches that joined the list of 16 former players who were also inducted. The players enshrined were Cross, Dennis Byrd of North Carolina State (1964-67), Ronnie Caveness of Arkansas (1962-64), Ray Childress of Texas A&M (1981-84), Dexter Coakley of Appalachian State (1993-96), Sam Cunningham of USC (1970-72), Michael Favor of North Dakota State (1985-88), Charles Haley of James Madison (1982-85), Mark Herrmann of Purdue (1977-80), Clarkston Hines of Duke (1986-89), Desmond Howard of Michigan (1989-91), Mickey Kobrosky of Trinity (1933-36), Chet Moeller of Navy (1973-75), Jerry Stovall of LSU (1960-62), Pat Tillman of Arizona State (1994-97), and Alfred Williams of Colorado (1987-90).

John Savage on Trevor Bauer's Golden Spikes Award win today:

"Trevor had one of the best years, if not the best year, that any college pitcher has ever had. This is a fantastic tribute to Trevor and his teammates. The Golden Spikes Award is equivalent to college football's Heisman Trophy, and we are all very proud of Trevor and his accomplishments."

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Trevor Bauer picked up one last win for UCLA on Friday afternoon, and it's a big one.

Bauer was named the 2011 Golden Spikes Award winner in New York City, besting Virginia's Danny Hultzen and Texas' Taylor Jungmann to add just another piece of hardware to the trophy room.

Bauer, who won Player of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball and Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year honors, went 13-2 with 203 strikeouts, which set a new Pac-10 record. Bauer also threw nine straight complete games for the Bruins, finishing with 10 on the year, and leaves UCLA as the program wins, strikeout and innings pitched leader.

"Being mentioned with the past recipients of this award is an amazing honor and privilege," Bauer said. "On a personal note, it's validation of all the hard work, time, sweat and tears that have gone into getting me to this point in my career. But I could never have accomplished this without the help of my teammates, coaches, friends and parents who have been with me along the ride. I can't thank them enough, and I don't really know how to express the jubilation I'm experiencing right now."
 

Just a head's up folks: Former UCLA pitcher and recent No. 3 pick of the Arizona Diamondbacks Trevor Bauer is one of three finalists for the Golden Spikes Award, which will be presented later today.

Bauer, who finished his illustrious career with a sizzling senior season, is squaring up against to other aces - Virginia's Danny Hultzen and Texas' Taylor Jungmann.

Bauer won Player of the Year honors from Collegiate Baseball and was honored as the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year after setting a Pac-10 single-season record with 203 strikeouts while going 13-2 with a 1.25 ERA for the Bruins. Bauer also had 10 complete games, including nine in a row, and goes down as the school's career leader in wins (34), strikeouts (460) and innings pitched (373.1).

The presentation is being aired live for the first time and will start at 3 p.m. on the MLB Network, MLB.com and GoldenSpikesAward.com.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

From UCLA:

Junior running back Johnathan Franklin has been named to the Doak Walker Award preseason watch list, the PwC SMU Athletic Forum announced on Friday. The award is presented annually to the nation's top college running back. This is the second preseason watch list honor for Franklin as he was also named to the Maxwell Award watch list last week. Franklin rushed for over 1000 yards last season and was also the team's top scorer, tallying eight touchdowns.

The field of 51 candidates is highlighted by the 2010 Doak Walker Award recipient, LaMichael James from Oregon. James, a junior from Texarkana, TX, led the nation in rushing and scoring last season. Ten semifinalists will be announced on November 11 and the recipient will be named live on ESPN on December 8.

The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name the semifinalists on November 11, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on November 21. The committee will cast a second vote beginning on November 28 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The recipient of the 2011 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, December 8 on ESPN. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, in February 2012.
The award, in its 22nd year, is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.

Check out the first batch of weekly answers...

From UCLA:

The Rimington Trophy committee has announced its 2011 Fall Watch List and UCLA center Kai Maiava is one of 43 players on the list. The trophy is presented annually to the Most Outstanding Center in NCAA Division I-A football.

Maiava was named to the 2010 watch list, but suffered an ankle injury which required surgery during fall camp and missed all of last season. He has completely healed and is back for his final campaign in the Blue & Gold.

The list includes 13 returning players from the 2010 Watch List. In all, there are 43 players on the Watch List. The SEC checks in with the most candidates, with seven players representing the conference. The Big Ten follows with six players being named to the Watch List.

Since its inception, the Rimington Trophy has raised over $2 million. The twelve-year old award is overseen by the Boomer Esiason Foundation, which is committed to finding a cure for cystic fibrosis and has raised over $86 million for CF Research.

Dave Rimington, the award's namesake, was a consensus first-team All-America center at the University of Nebraska in 1981 and 1982, during which time he became the John Outland Trophy's only double winner as the nation's finest college interior lineman. For more on the Rimington Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.rimingtontrophy.com

I do the UCLA preview for the Lindy's College Football Preview, and I got to do a write-up of Johnathan Franklin this year: Check it out

From UCLA:

The Rotary Lombardi Award Committee has released the Official Watch List for the 2011 Rotary Lombardi Award and UCLA's own linebacker Sean Westgate is on the list. This is the 42nd year that the Rotary Lombardi Award has named the nation's college lineman of the year. Westgate was second on the team in tackles with 90 last season, while also tallying four sacks on the year.
Eligibility for the Rotary Lombardi Award is limited to down linemen, end-to-end, either on offense of defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, and linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage. All candidates also must be eligible to play college sports under the rules and regulations of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
The candidates earned a place on the Official Watch List by earning All-American honors last season, by being named to their respective all-conference first team last season as selected by the conference's head coaches, by being projected to be an All-American or first team all-conference player for the coming season, or by nomination approved by the nominations committee.
While the Watch List highlights those players who have already received national recognition, any Division IA player who meets the above requirements is eligible for consideration from the Rotary Lombardi Award Selection Committee. This committee is comprised of more than 500 members, including all past winners and finalists, all Division IA head coaches, and a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.
The Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, intended as a reference tool for the Selection Committee, will be periodically updated and revised up to the first round of voting to determine the 12 Semifinalists for 2010.
Last year's Rotary Lombardi Award winner, Nick Fairley (Auburn), was drafted by the Detroit Lions and Finalist Adrian Clayborn (Iowa) was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both in the first round of the National Football League draft.
The 42nd Rotary Lombardi Award will be held on December 6-7, 2011 at Reliant Center, Houston, Texas. For more information on the two-day schedule of events and ticket opportunities, please visit

Jacob Ruffman and I teamed up for this big recruiting reset, updated with some of UCLA's most recent commitments.
The Bruins have nine verbal commitments so far and are looking at a class about 16-20, and given the annual random attrition, it should be closer to 20. The scholarship outlook totals are approximate, so take into account that every subsequent verbal commitment alters those numbers.

Quarterback
Scholarship Outlook: 0-1
Verbal Commitments: None
Remaining Targets: Jameison Winston / Devin Fuller / Marc Evans / Matt Morin
After pulling out one of the biggest recruiting coups of his career with Brett Hundley last season, Rick Neuheisel is not pressed to find a quarterback, and that's reflected by the fact the Bruins have offered only a handful, and most have already committed. Winston and Fuller are the team's highest-profile offers remaining, but the longest of longshots. With Jerry Neuheisel greyshirting and coming in with the class of 2012, it'd take big seasons from Evans or Morin to get an offer.
Outlook: There's not a ton of analysis to be done - the Bruins got their quarterback of the future in Hundley last year, and that's made most prospects look away, and UCLA look not too hard.

Running Back
Scholarship Outlook: 1-2
Verbal Commitments: Steven Lakalaka
Lakalaka was UCLA's first verbal commitment, and an important one, credited in large part to Inoke Breckterfield. He is a strong runner and locates the gap well, but he doesn't have breakaway speed. He has a solid attitude and approach, he could be in the Chane Moline type, and emerge later in his career as he gains size and experience.
Remaining Targets
Barry Sanders / D.J. Foster / Davien Payne / Robert Lewis
Sanders continues to mention UCLA among his final schools, along with Florida State, Oklahoma State and Alabama. The fact the Bruins are even in that list is pretty surprising, but a good indication of Neuheisel's ability to recruit on the national level. Guys like Sanders showing interest in UCLA even after a poor season makes you wonder how good things could be if the Bruins actually start winning. Sanders is one of the top backs in the country, and smart money is he stays a little closer to home. Foster is an intriguing prospect, and UCLA has had good success with Arizona recruits, so he's a on the radar. Payne appears headed to Boise State, but the Bruins are pursuing him, and Lewis is seeing his recruiting heat up after a successful summer.
Outlook: Sanders would obviously be a coup, but if it comes down to adding two running backs over an extra offensive or defensive lineman, I'd take the lineman. UCLA probably will, too, and might just end up with Lakalaka.

F-back
Scholarship Outlook: 1
Verbal Commitments: Psalm Wooching
Besides having one of the great names in high school football, Wooching is a pretty good ballplayer. He's a great kid, and with Anthony Barr also at the position, that could a solid spot for a few years.
Remaining Targets: None
Outlook: With the loss of Morrell Presley, finding a good F-back was crucial if UCLA is going to stay committed to the Pistol formation, and they could bring in another "athlete" and turn him into an F-back at some point.

Wide Receiver
Scholarship Outlook: 2-3
Verbal Commitments: None
Remaining Targets: Gabriel Marks / Davonte Neal / Kodi Whitfield / Darius Powe / Kenny Lawler / Derrick Woods / Chris Harper
Neal and Woods are going to be tough sells unless the passing game drastically improves early, and the Bruins need to focus intently on Marks, Lawler and Whitfield, who could be a sound trio. But given the lack of depth, other players will certainly emerge throughout the season and draw UCLA's interest
Outlook:
Given UCLA's lack of success at the position and relative difficulties with recruiting the position in the last couple years, it's a bit surprising that Mike Johnson hasn't been able to reel in a wideout yet. UCLA found a gem in Devin Lucien last year, but they still have plenty of holes at the position, and are looking at bringing in two or three.

Offensive Line
Scholarship Outlook: 3-4
Verbal Commitments: Mario Yakoo
Yakoo could turn into a player with some time and polishing from Bob Palcic. He's a big kid - 6-4, 320 - and his technique needs some tightening, so he'd be a likely redshirt candidate.
Remaining Targets: Ronnie Stanley / Jeremiah Poutasi / Lacy Westbrook / Hiva Lutui / Brandon Fanaika / Colby Cyburt / Walker Williams
Too many to discuss individually, just know this: With the caliber of these recruits, getting three or four in would be a crucial haul.
Outlook:
The deepest the position has been in years by just about all accounts, UCLA is in position to get a good class, but needs to put in a lot of work.

Tight End
Scholarship Outlook: 1
Verbal Commitments: Ian Taubler
Taubler, Scout.com's No. 33-rated tight end, could climb that list as the year goes on. The feeling is that he primed for a big senior season and has the game and makeup to continue to impress. He is a good athlete with a solid frame, and he will help maintain balance at the position, which needs to get younger.
Remaining Targets: None
Outlook:
UCLA got a solid tight end for the second straight year, and they probably won't be spending much time looking for another.

Defensive End
Scholarship Outlook: 2-3
Verbal Commitments:
Morgan Breslin (Juco transfer) - Breslin is a guy who UCLA was pretty fortunate to land as quickly as they did, as he has offers from Arizona, Boise State, Purdue and more. He has excellent quickness off the ball and he has a strong motor that helped him total 12 sacks and 21 tackles for loss.
Eli Ankou- Ankou is getting mixed reviews from many prognosticators, and he projects to playing on the inside at some point. He has great size, he's athletic, he's a competitor and he's a smart kid, but his performance in camps has been mixed.
Remaining Targets
Jeremy Castro / Luke Kamuatule / Deforest Buckner / Damion Turpin
There are still several big fish left on the board for UCLA. Castro looked like an Oregon lean a few weeks ago but UCLA is in the mix. Kamuatule and Buckner both hail from Hawaii and attend the same school as UCLA commit Steven Lakalaka. Recently both claimed UCLA in their top three.
Outlook: There is potential that the Bruins could take up to three defensive ends despite the current depth purely because there's a deep group in the 2012 class. Castro is unofficially considered their first choice but landing any of those prospects would be a good get for UCLA.

Defensive Tackle
Scholarship Outlook: 2
Verbal Commitments: None
Remaining Targets: Ellis McCarthy / Aziz Shittu / Justin Solis / Dwight Melvin
McCarthy and Shittu are two of the top tackles in the nation but while both are from Southern California, neither are heavily considering the Bruins. McCarthy, whose father is a UCLA fan, recently released a top five consisting of USC, Florida, Oregon, Washington and California. Shittu, a former Stanford commit, has the Bruins in his top group but the vibe is unless UCLA can put together a solid season, he will most likely wonder elsewhere. Solis is a local product from Westlake, and Melvin has stated on several occasions that his decision will most likely come down to UCLA and Arizona.
Outlook:
It is a very thin, top-heavy defensive tackle class out West - almost the opposite to last year - and it's not looking particularly good for UCLA. The lack of defensive tackle depth on the west is worrisome for UCLA and unless there are some major shifts in the recruitment of McCarthy or Shittu, it looks like it could be another weak class at defensive tackle. Years like this really make you ponder the what-ifs with Ricky Heimuli, George Uko, Brandon Willis, Todd Barr, Christian Heyward...

Linebacker
Scholarship Outlook: 2-3
Verbal Commitments: Aaron Porter - The Bruins' most recent commit is their highest rated thus far and for good reason, as he put up gaudy numbers as a junior, racking up 156 tackles, 23 for loss with 11 sacks and two interceptions. He has a very good understanding of the game, he sheds blocks well and he is a very sound tackler, with little bells and whistles.
Remaining Targets: Jeremiah Allison / Jared Afalava / Rashawn Hooker / Seth Jacobs
Allison (Dorsey HS) and Hooker (A.B. Miller HS) are two local guys who are looking very hard at UCLA. Hooker was recently offered by the Bruins and immediately put them into his top two with Boise State. Allison has made a name for himself as a legitimate student-athlete, sporting a 4.25 GPA while also accumulating 88 tackles and 20 sacks as a junior. Afalava, a Utah product, has UCLA into his top five and credited defensive line coach Inoke Breckterfield as the reason. UCLA will have to ward off local schools BYU and Utah, along with Oregon and Nebraska, for his services. Jacobs is an OLB/SS tweener but many project him to end up as a linebacker. He too has a long list of favorites that includes UCLA, Oregon, California, Washington, Arkansas and Colorado.
Outlook:
UCLA could land up to three linebackers in this class; they are off to a great start with the commitment of Porter and he will be a cornerstone as the Bruins build on their 2012 class.

Cornerback
Scholarship Outlook: 3
Verbal Commitments: Raymond Ford / Shannon Edwards
Ford has flown under the radar and UCLA was able to secure a commitment from the Serra product early on. Ford has wowed on the camp/combine circuit, with blazing speed, as he was recently clocked at a 4.41 40-yard dash at Nike's The Opening. Fellow speedster Edwards from Bakersfield is also said to hold a time under 4.40. Both are fairly small as of now but both show great athleticism and cover skills. A redshirt year for both of them could be beneficial.
Remaining Targets: Ishmael Adams / Kevon Seymour / Brandon Beaver / DJ Foster
Despite already having two verbal commitments, UCLA is still in the cornerback market. The current number one target is Adams, an Oaks Christian product who is considered one of the top pure cover corners in the nation. He only moved to California last year but he is expected to stay on the West coast though and it looks like UCLA could be leading for him at the moment. Beaver silently committed to UCLA early on but backed off of his commitment about a month ago. UCLA is still in the picture but it looks like both sides have cooled a bit. Foster and Seymour are two elite guys who the Bruins are looking at but both are favoring other options.
Outlook:
After missing out on a cornerback last season, UCLA clearly believes that it needs to stock up on corners this season especially with starters Sheldon Price and Aaron Hester entering their senior years in 2012. Expect UCLA to end the year with at least two corners, possibly three in the 2012 class.
Safety
Scholarship Outlook: 0-1
Verbal Commitments: None
Remaining Targets: Shaq Thompson / Zach Hoffpauir / Gerald Bowman
ANALYSIS: Safety is a position UCLA needs less immediate returns at because of the current depth on the roster. Still, when an elite prospect like Grant HS safety Thompson is on the board, teams tend to find ways to make space. Thompson, whose brother attended California, committed to the Golden Bears back in March but quickly decommitted to keep his options open. While UCLA is not considered the favorite, Thompson did say that UCLA would likely get an official visit along with Washington and Notre Dame. Hoffpauir is an interesting prospect out of Arizona who was named 1st team All-Arizona after an impressive junior season. He also has offers from Arizona, Arizona State, California, Stanford and Washington. Bowman is a JUCO prospect that has offers from all over the nation. His recruitment has been fairly quiet so far but he has 21 offers to date including USC, Miami, Tennessee, Oregon, Nebraska and Washington.
Outlook:
With six safeties, including Dietrich Riley and Dalton Hilliard returning in 2012, the need at the position is minimal. Look for the Bruins to go after Thompson and possibly Hoffpauir but chances are UCLA won't look much further than that.

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

Had a chance to chat with new UCLA commit Aaron Porter today after playing a little phone tag. Nice kid, great football player, solid attitude.

JG: A lot of guys wait until all the way up to signing day to make their decision, why did you decide to verbally commit to UCLA in July?
Aaron Porter: "I just thought it was the right football team for me. Going back there last Friday made me just sure it was the right place."

What ended up sealing the deal for you? What made you say on that day, "I need to pick UCLA?"
"Location, really. Location, being close to family, the ability to go back home on a weekend."

Are you the kind of kid who is ready for college to start now?
"i cant wait for college. High school is getting a little easy now. I'm excited. I'm excited for UCLA football?"

What ultimately made you decide to commit on Monday?
"UCLA was the right pick. i didn't think any really interested me more than what i had already with UCLA."

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

From UCLA:

Eight outstanding Bruins who have excelled as student-athletes or coaches will be inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday night, November 4, it was announced today.

Invitation-only ceremonies will be held in the Athletics Hall of Fame, located in the J.D. Morgan Intercollegiate Athletics Center (reception), and in Covel Commons (dinner). In addition, the new inductees will also be introduced during halftime of the November 5 UCLA-Arizona State football game at the Rose Bowl.

The UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame was dedicated in 1984 with 25 charter members. The Class of 2011 brings the total membership to 247. The 2011 inductees are Gary Adams, baseball; Ato Boldon, track & field; Theotis Brown, football; Ernie Case, football; Larry Nagler, tennis; Mel North, fencing; Alex Rousseau, water polo; and Janeene Vickers-McKinney, track & field.

Following are biographies on the 2011 UCLA Hall of Fame inductees:

GARY ADAMS - Adams played second base for the Bruins in 1959-60 and 1962. In 1960, he formed UCLA's double play combination with his twin brother, Gene. After missing the 1961 season due to a knee injury, Adams was the team captain and MVP as a senior in 1962, leading the squad with a .265 batting average and 12 stolen bases. After graduating, Adams was an assistant coach before being hired at UC Irvine, where he was head coach for five years (1970-74). At UC Irvine, Adams won 73% of his games, and the Anteaters captured the 1973 and 1974 NCAA Division II Championships. Adams returned to Westwood in 1975 and was head coach of the Bruins for 30 years before retiring after the 2004 season. Adams is UCLA's all-time winningest baseball coach with a career record 984-823-7. At UCLA, Adams captured four Pac-10 Conference championships, and his team advanced to the College World Series in 1997. A total of 38 former Bruins from the Adams era have played in Major League Baseball. Adams was inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in January 2005. He is also a published author and illustrator and has written several children's books.

ATO BOLDON - Boldon is one of the most successful sprinters in the history of UCLA Men's Track & Field. Boldon arrived in Westwood after transferring from San Jose City College. He competed for two seasons (1995-96) and led UCLA to consecutive Pac-10 team titles while winning the Pac-10 100m and 200m titles both years. He was also a member of the 400m relay Pac-10 title team in 1996. Boldon still holds Pac-10 meet records in 100m (10.03) and 200m (20.00) as well as UCLA records in those two events - 100m (9.90) and 200m (19.80). His 9.90 mark in winning the 100m at the 1996 NCAA Outdoor Championships was an NCAA record. That performance, along with his second-place finish in the 4x100m relay, helped lead the Bruins to a third-place national finish. The previous year, Boldon captured the NCAA 200m title as the Bruins finished second in the nation. Boldon ranked in the world Top 5 in the 100m for seven years (1995-2001), and the Top 5 in the world in the 200m on four occasions. He represented his native Trinidad & Tobago in three Olympic Games (1996, 2000, 2004), capturing a total of four medals (bronze medals in the 100m and 200m in 1996, silver in the 100m and bronze in the 200m in 2000). Boldon also won gold at the 1997 World Championships in the 200m and received a total of four World Championship medals in his career. In 1999, Boldon ranked No. 1 in world in the 200m at 19.88 and No. 2 in the 100m at 9.86. During his career, he ran a total of 28 100m races under 10 seconds, including eight under 9.90 seconds.

THEOTIS BROWN - An outstanding running back from 1976-78, Brown won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1976, the All-Around Excellence award as a junior, and offensive MVP honors as a senior. Brown received first-team All-Pac-10 honors in both 1976 and 1978. He concluded his playing career as UCLA's single-season leader in all-purpose yards (1,804 yards in 1978, now second), ranked second in both career rushing yards (2,914) and touchdowns scored (27) and he remains ranked seventh in each of those categories on UCLA's all-time lists. Brown also left UCLA as the career all-purpose yards leader, having gained 3,944 yards as a Bruin (now ranked sixth). Brown set UCLA's single game rushing record in 1978 with 274 yards against Oregon (since broken by DeShaun Foster and Maurice Jones-Drew). During his career, he had no less than 11 games in which he gained over 100 yards and was UCLA's leading rusher in both 1976 and 1978. In the NFL, he played a total of six seasons for St. Louis, Seattle and Kansas City before a heart attack sidelined him and put an early end to his professional career. In his pro career, Brown rushed for over 2,000 yards and gained another 1,500 yards receiving. Brown's son, Trey, also played for the Bruins, starting at defensive back.

ERNIE CASE - Case played varsity football at UCLA in 1940-41 and then from 1945-46 after serving in World War II. Case sat out the 1940 season and was the second-string quarterback in 1941 before leaving after that season to enlist in the Army Air Corps. Case became a fighter pilot and was captured by enemy forces after being shot down over Sardinia on his 12th combat mission. He sustained severe injuries, including a broken hip and several cracked ribs, and was taken as a POW. Hospitalized in Chieti, Italy, Case and a buddy managed to escape on Sept. 25, 1943 when the U.S. 5th and English 8th armies attacked. On the lam for a month, Case and his friend finally reach safety when they found the encampment of the Canadian 8th Army in Trivento -- some 77 miles from Chieti. Decorated with a two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart and an Air Medal with a Gold Leaf Cluster, Case returned to start at quarterback and served as team captain for the 1945 Bruins. Again serving as team captain in his senior season of 1946, Case led the Bruins to one of their best years ever. The Bruins posted a 10-0 regular season record and outscored opponents, 313-72, before falling in the 1947 Rose Bowl game. Case threw for a Rose Bowl-record 165 yards, rushed for a touchdown and kicked two extra points in the Bruins' loss to Illinois. Case's first quarter TD run resulted in the first ever postseason points for UCLA. Throughout his career at UCLA, Case also played defense, served as the place kicker and punted (notably a 70-yarder on his first career attempt). Case was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the 6th overall pick in the 1947 NFL Draft, eventually signed by the Baltimore Colts and played one season in the NFL before returning to Southern California.

LARRY NAGLER - Nagler was a three-time (not eligible as a freshman) ITA All-American during his tennis career at UCLA between 1959 and 1962 and helped lead UCLA to NCAA team championships in both 1960 and 1961. In 1960, Nagler won NCAA championships in both singles and doubles (with Allen Fox) and posted an undefeated record in singles tournaments. Nagler is still the only men's tennis player ever to win three Pac-10 singles titles (1960-62). He captained the men's tennis team in 1962 and played doubles with Arthur Ashe during the 1961 and 1962 seasons. Nagler also played two seasons for John Wooden on the men's basketball team. After graduating from UCLA, Nagler played a limited amount of professional tennis, with a peak ranking of No. 11 in the U.S. Nagler is a graduate of the UCLA law school and has practiced law in Los Angeles for 38 years. In 2004, he became the 16th UCLA player or coach to be inducted into the ITA Hall of Fame.

MELVYN NORTH - North was the first coach of the UCLA Fencing program. Bringing 25 years of coaching experience to the team, North coached the UCLA Fencing Club and Varsity program from 1960-1974 and returned to coach two more years, from 1980-82. During that time, UCLA Fencing teams compiled an intercollegiate record of 218-18 in dual and tri meets, including a string of 174 consecutive victories. Along the way, UCLA became the first West Coast school to defeat the Air Force Academy, the perennial power in the sport of fencing. After retiring to Colorado in 1974, North returned to UCLA in 1980 to a program that had fallen to the bottom of collegiate fencing. In two short years, North resurrected the program, and the Bruins won the NCAA Western Regional of Fencing by defeating the Air Force Academy in the final match. North's significant collegiate accomplishments include founding the Intercollegiate Fencing Conference, creating the UCLA Invitational Fencing Tournament, and bringing the U.S. National Championships to UCLA. Including individual and team competition for men and women, North led UCLA to 19 collegiate championships. A teaching professional for more than 40 years, North is recognized as a leading teacher and innovator in modern fencing and was one of the mentors in the writing of the first tests for Masters for the U.S. National Coaches Association. He was inducted as a member of the World Masters Federation in 1956. On eight occasions he was coach of the U.S. World team, and North's students have participated in or on 50 World teams, six Olympic Games, seven Pan-Am teams, and 15 World Cups.

ALEX ROUSSEAU -- Rousseau was a four-time All-American water polo star at UCLA from 1985-1989, earning second-team honors his freshman year and first-team honors his remaining three years. Rousseau was team MVP and captain in 1989 and was the team's leading scorer all four years. In 1989, he led UCLA to the NCAA Championship game by scoring eight goals in a 13-10 victory over USC in the semifinals. Rousseau also played for the USA Water Polo Junior Team from 1985-1987 and competed in two World Championships, earning All-World team honors in Brazil in 1987. Following his career at UCLA, Rousseau played in over 175 international games with the U.S. National Team and was a member of the Olympic Team in 1994 and 1996. He was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2004. Rousseau's international professional career spanned from 1990-1993 and 1997-1999, playing for C.N. Marseille, France and Lazio Nuoto, Roma, Italy.

JANEENE VICKERS-McKINNEY - Vickers is widely considered to be one of the all-time Women's Track and Field greats at UCLA. Vickers was a vital part of the UCLA Women's Track and Field teams from 1988 through 1991. In her freshman season of 1988, she immediately established her benchmark in the 400m hurdles and was crowned the Pac-10 Champion. She went on to dominate the conference and eventually won seven Pac-10 Championships in hurdle events and relays, including three 100mH titles, two 400mH titles and two 400m relay championships. On a national level, she won back-to-back-to-back NCAA Individual Championships in the 400m Hurdles in 1989, 1990 and 1991. Vickers set a collegiate record of 53.47 in 400mH in 1991, a record that would stand until the 2005 season. She also still holds the second-fastest UCLA time in the 400mH (53.47) and the eighth-fastest time in the 100mH (13.16). Vickers went on to achieve international success, winning a bronze medal in the 400mH at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

UCLA quarterback Richard Brehaut has been named a California Collegiate League All-Star and will participate in the game, which is going to be televised on Fox Sports West, to be held at Glendale's Casey Stengel Field.

As of July 4, Brehaut is leading the Academy Barons with a .400 batting average and a home run and two doubles in 15 at-bats, while starting seven games. Brehaut is also participating in summer player-run 7-on-7s and throwing with receivers near-daily.

From UCLA:

Running back Johnathan Franklin and safety Tony Dye have been named to preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Bednarik Award, respectively. The Maxwell Award is in its 75th year and honors the most outstanding collegiate football player. The Bednarik Award is celebrating its 17th year and honors the nation's top defensive player.

Both Franklin and Dye were UCLA's offensive and defensive team MVPs, respectively. Franklin led the offense as he rushed for over 1000 yards. Dye led the defense with 96 total tackles.

As always, the watch lists incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. Returning Maxwell Award semifinalists from 2010 include Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles, Baylor QB Robert Griffin, Oregon RB LaMichael James, Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez, Boise State QB Kellen Moore, and Michigan QB Denard Robinson.

The Bednarik Award watch list features just three of last season's semifinalists, Florida State DE Brandon Jenkins, Boston College LB Luke Kuechly, and Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o.

The 2010 Maxwell Award winner, QB Cam Newton of Auburn, and Bednarik Award winner, LSU CB Patrick Peterson, both left school early following their junior seasons. Newton was selected No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers, while Peterson was taken fifth in the first round by the Arizona Cardinals.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced October 31st and the three finalists for each award will be unveiled November 21st. The winners of the 2011 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show held on December 8th. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah's Entertainment Atlantic City on March 2nd 2012.

The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club's selection committee, evaluating past performance and future potential. The Club reserves the right to make additions and deletions to these lists as the 2011 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA sports information directors, head coaches, and selected national media are eligible to vote for the awards.

The Maxwell and Bednarik Awards are members of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official website, ncfaa.org.

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Scout.com's Brandon Huffman is reporting that the No. 12-rated middle linebacker, Aaron Porter of La Habra High has committed to UCLA.

Porter, who has offers from most Pac-12 schools, is one of the top players in California, and he instantly becomes the Bruins' top verbal commit.

Porter had a school-record 156 tackles, 23 TFL and 11 sacks last season as a junior while being named CIF defensive player of the year, and he even looks a little like Patrick Larimore. Porter could also play for the UCLA baseball team, and he looks like he'd be ready to play by Year 2.

I'll try to reach him tomorrow, but in the meantime, here are some videos:

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the latest batch of weekly answers...

Check out the first 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

Campus Correspondent Jacob Ruffman smashed this recruiting recap out of the park, helping to man the fort as I moved to Hollywood. Anyone down to hit up GO Burger just let me know...

On to the fun:

 Defensive end Morgan Breslin did not take long to make his college decision after an offer came down from UCLA on Tuesday.

Breslin, who held nine offers following a standout freshman season at Diablo Valley College (Calif.), committed to UCLA, giving the Bruins their fifth commitment in the past week and a half.

"As a freshman last year he was virtually unblockable," Diablo Valley head coach and defensive coordinator Mike Darr said. "His hits on quarterbacks led to three interceptions for touchdowns and a fumble return for a touchdown. He truly made those around him better."

In high school, academic hurdles kept Breslin from being recruited, but in college he currently holds a 3.2 GPA and is now only five classes way from completing his AA. This will allow him to transfer mid-year to UCLA where he will have three years to play two seasons.

UCLA recruited Breslin, who currently checks in at 6'3, 250 pounds, as a defensive end although he played anywhere from defensive tackle to outside linebacker at Diablo Valley College. He has very good snap anticipation and a quick first step that helped him lead the state 12 sacks and rack up 21 tackles for loss in 2010.

Despite his physical traits, Darr believes that his talent is secondary to his character.

"He is an amazing young man with an unmatched motor that runs all day, everyday."