Check out the first batch of weekly answers…

1) Jon, you often states that this season success (or not) is directly linked to Prince’s health.. do you really think Brehaut is not capable of guidind the team to a good season? – brazilian fan
I definitely think Brehaut is capable of guiding the team to a good season, if he’s given the keys to the car early and develops that confidence. Can’t give, take, give, take, give the starting job like that as they did last year. That killed Brehaut. But you need Prince to be healthy to push Brehaut to his best, or to take the job himself.

2) You replied to my question in regards to ESPN recruiting being bogus information. What’s a better source Scout or Rivals? – KennyJ
I don’t think I said ESPN recruiting is bogus. I think all of them are bogus, to some extent. It’s all guys who aren’t exactly authorities on a subject guessing about the potential success of an 18-year old kid. Well kids develop differently, mature differently – both physically and mentally – and they are coached differently. Who knows if under a different set of circumstances, Morrell Presley wouldn’t have been a star by now? In general, I think Scout tends to favor the West more than Rivals does, and its often a somewhat surprising gap, so kind of split the difference between the two.

3) Do you see UCLA reincorporating a dedicated Fullback position into the offense, or will they stick with the single running back/”F-back”/Pistol system? Who on the roster could throw a decent lead block? – Semi-Pro
At least for the forseeable future, UCLA is going with the Pistol/F-Back role over the fullback role. The F-back position entails so much blocking, yet the goal is to have the player also be able to make plays with his feet and hands, that just the ability to block won’t do. That’s why Jayson Allmond transferred. Eventually, could UCLA get back to having a fullback on the roster? Sure. But not now.

4) Connor McDermott, is going to a JC supposedly to get bigger, are we also going to lose his, a la julious moore, and others? And how are anthony thompson/ryan hoffmeister doing? – vvvbj
McDermott is going to a prep school and fully intends on heading to UCLA, I’m told. Regarding Thompson/Hoffmeister: Thompson is a work in progress and needs to improve to see the field, and Hoffmeister could make an impact on special teams this year and develop into a reliable linebacker.

5) Let’s say Reeves, Zeke & Jeremy are solid. What’s biggest key to unlock another Final 4-type run? a). Wears panning out? b). Smith’s girth? c). Parker & Powell stepping up early? d). Tyler Lamb’s development? e). Lane/Stover bigger & stronger off bench? f). All of the above? – ucla-of-the-rockies
Wow, a Final Four-type run? It would take Joshua Smith becoming the best center in the country, the Zeek Jones/Jerime Anderson tandem becoming a top-flight option in the Pac-12 and Ben Howland demanding a certain level of consistency from Reeves Nelson. Everything else, while important, pales in comparison to those factors.