More from press conference | Inside UCLA with Jack Wang

UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel:

On finding out about being fired:
“We all know what we’re getting into when we get into this profession. I’m excited for this chance on Friday, and if it’s going to be my last time at UCLA, I hope it’s special.”

On the reasons of the decision:
“I didn’t ask. I thanked Dan for the opportunity. I don’t need reasons. Certainly when you’re UCLA coach, you’d like to play better against USC. When you lose in fashion we did, that’s a difficult pill to swallow.”

On talking to the players:
“I have not had a chance to talk with players. We have practice at 5 and i’ll have chance to make sure they understand it’s not about me, it’s about us. We get to tee it up against very, very talented Oregon team.

On his future:
“This has kind of hit me between the eyes a little bit. I’ve been kind of on one track, which is to do the best I can with this particular team. That will be the case at least through Friday. then we’ll make decisions about which course to take. I love coaching, I know that.”

Anonymous

As an SC fan, I actually feel sorry for the guy.
Johnny Bruin

As a UCLA fan, I feel sorry that Rick didn’t succeed. He bleeds blue and gold. Because UCLA is not considered a top tier program, any coach that comes here will probably use this stop as a stepping stone to something bigger and better. UCLA is not Ohio St, Michigan, ND, Florida, Alabama, or Texas for that matter. Can the Bruins become a elite consistent football powerhouse? Sure when we commit the money and resources that those others schools do. We want our cake and we want to eat it too but will DG spend the coin necessary to get us to the top? Who knows?
Bleedin’ Bruin

As a fan of not getting my ass handed to me by my arch rival, I feel a sense of thanks God relief. Maybe we can erase a decade of sub-par, emotionless effort and decide to act like a major D1 school in one of the largest cities in the country. And yes, UCLA can be a consistent football powerhouse, and at the very least should be competitive every year. No question about it.
BruinBrock

Jon, as a tip for improving your journalism skills: when you set a statement in quotes, it should be an accurate, verbatim quote. If you are paraphrasing or using shorthand, it doesn’t belong in quotes. Every sentence quoted above is missing articles, and I’m not sure if those are typos or shorthand. I know it’s a blog, but it’s a news organization blog. You are supposedly a journalist. Please proofread your posts–especially when you are quoting someone.
MichaelRyerson

He’s been a class act while he’s been here. I wish I could say the same for some of the fans. He’s been successful before and he will be successful again. We simply do not now nor will we ever have the resources to attract a top tier, established head coach. It ain’t about what the AD wants nor what the alumni want, it simply ain’t gonna happen at a public school in California. And that isn’t a bad thing. Keep your priorities straight. But here’s hoping we can find and sign a young turk who developes into a top tier division 1 coach and don’t settle for some has been who brings his own dirty laundry.