UCLA Football: The On-Season. Part 2: The Present

 Sal Alosi - Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Scott Robinson

The winter off-season… Hope and promise is plentiful. Message boards flutter in excitement at roster switches and weight increases. Interviews on the practice field or weight room always come packaged with the same delivery: “We’re getting stronger. We’re getting faster…” That’s typically followed by a trainer pointing to some exercise sheet and showing a higher number for an athlete’s lifting capacity.

But UCLA was “stronger and faster” last year… So, why did they only improve marginally, from a 4-8 to a 6-8 record? If stronger and faster is not a true indicator, then what can be collected as progress from a team during the off-season?

Perhaps it’s just having the right mind-set. History has shown, time and time again, that it is possible to reform a team in very little time—Even under the helm of a first year coach. Maybe it’s just the coach?

Or maybe it’s both.

Considering Parcells (1-15 to 9-7), Jim Mora (3-13 to 13-3) and even Jim L. Mora (5-11 to 11-5) did it, the task of turning around a down program can most definitely be achieved within one off-season. Take Sparano’s 2008 Dolphins: Despite getting a pink slip this past year, he revved up Miami from just one win to 11 within a single year—tying an NFL record for most increased wins ever, year-over-year.

UCLA Men's Basketball: Bruins Lose a Close One

Tyler Lamb - Photo courtesy of Adam Kazmierski

Scott Robinson

The last time UCLA was featured on CBS, they faltered to an all-freshmen starting five in St. John’s at Madison Square Garden. Today, UCLA (16-13) dropped another road game under CBS’ national spotlight in front of the hostile crowd at the McKale Center. With the win, 65-63, the surging Arizona Wildcats (21-9) have now won six of their last seven.

A sloppy first few minutes, the Bruins took an early 12-10 lead with 11:00 left in the first. Back and forth through-out the opening half, UCLA had four straight turnovers in a span of six possessions. To make matters worse, even without getting the start, Josh Smith had picked up his third foul by the 6:00 mark in the first half. With Smith stymied by a more athletic Wildcat team, a couple of Bruins stepped up and should be credited for their efforts in keeping it close: Jerime Anderson and Travis Wear. Had it not been for that tandem’s first half performance (T. Wear’s nine points, six rebounds and Anderson’s 10 points, three rebounds), the game could have quickly gotten out of hand.

Although averaging only 11.9 turnovers a game, UCLA had already committed nine by the last minutes of the first. Staying in it up to the half was key in helping UCLA work through Smith’s foul trouble. A continued close game, UCLA and Arizona traded leads through the opening minutes of the second half. With 10:35 to go, UCLA finally hit their first three-pointer. A quick steal by Lamb followed by a lay-up by Anderson pushed the Bruin lead to six. Arizona answered quickly, closing it to 45-44 with 8:42 to go. A deep uncalled bank thudded in at the turn of the shot clock, giving Lamb his second three and UCLA a four point lead with six to go.

Despite a nice rebound and lay-up sequence by Smith, Arizona took back the lead, 54-53, with 3:52 left in the game. The Wildcat lead was pushed to five after Arizona’s Jesse Perry and Solomon Hill put up a couple baskets, making it 60-55 at the 2:00 mark. With under a minute to play, Smith was brought back to the line to make it 63-61, Arizona. Then, with 12.6 seconds left, UCLA was kept in the game after three of four missed free throws by the Wildcats. Consecutive fouls gave the Bruins the bonus with 9.0 seconds left. Two free-throws by Anderson put it back to a one-point game. After a forced foul, Kyle Fogg missed another free throw—Giving Anderson 7.9 seconds to drive and eventually miss a potential game-tying jumper as time expired. A close game through and through, including over 11 lead changes, it came down the final possession.

UCLA Football: The On-Season. Part 1: The Past

Image courtesy UCLABruins.com

Scott Robinson

Today’s feature will venture into last year’s movement of UCLA’s Football Program from the Winter and Spring back to the Fall. Part 2: The Present, 2012 Off-Season (later this week) will follow the developments for this upcoming season…

Suddenly, under the helm of Coach Mora, UCLA is beginning to form a clear path towards college football relevancy. Highlighted by keen observers of scholarship counts, clarifications of star athlete relationships with a certain QB guru (and his dating patterns) and other sketchy poaching, er, coaching media releases, UCLA now appears poised for a new beginning: to be loathed. And that's a good thing.

With an influx of talent welcomed in the 2012 recruiting class, UCLA’s lineup is now, undoubtedly, up in the air. An unthinkable feat, Mora has managed to sew up a stellar coaching staff, sign a group of top-25 athletes and appears to be developing a broad-sweeping change to UCLA’s culture of complacency.

Of course, the churning up of a hopeful Bruin fan-base does not come without a grain (or pounds) of salt.

Any skeptic will point towards where such achievements can be best measured: wins. You should stop now if you are the type of fan that likes to point at any particular win, as though it were some empirical sign of progress (like against ASU last year). To be clear: There is no win-percentage next season that will determine UCLA’s barometer of success. Sure, over .500 implies a better team than last year, but does it matter if they only win when the opposition gift-wraps the W? Rather, for a successful season, this team will need to be in every game they play.

Ahhh, “In every game…” What the hell does that mean? Neuheisel used to prime it as staying in the game until the 4^th quarter. Too many of them were over by the 1^st.

So here’s a start: How about actually being in it every 4^th quarter.

I’d take that for Mora’s first season.

But before the Fall, and the potential wins that follow, the most important season must run it’s course: The off-season.

Work. Quickly.

There is a large contingent of buzz words utilized by coaches to impart their philosophies onto a team, especially one that is new to them. A perfect example would be Joe Tresey, UCLA’s Defensive Coordinator for 2011. Replacing Chuck Bullough, Tresey produced the 88^th ranked team in Total Defense. And in the Spring before such a product, catchy phrases came alongside nearly every “coaching item:”

Gotta play fast. Gotta play with urgency and gotta play with a high-motor. Good stance, good start… It’s about playing fast every snap.

Unfortunately, Tresey, apparently now DC at Youngstown State, continued to preach missiles in an age of lasers.

UCLA Football: A Herculean Task

Matthew Slater, New England Patriots. Image courtesy Matthew J. Lee / Boston Globe

Scott Robinson

No, there was no helicopter. Yes, Coach Mora was in four states in one day. The official announcement came back in December and 30 minutes later began the journey from rookie college coach to Recruiter of the Year. After a few blurry-eyed weeks, a couple thousand frequent flier miles and endless hours of ear-racketeering, UCLA’s Jim L. Mora has officially knocked out a Top-25 recruiting class.

Great. That’s just great.

I really have no intentions of sliding what the new staff has done since the hire: It’s nothing short of remarkable. That’s even without considering where UCLA once stood just months ago. Undeniably, the Bruin coaches combined for one of the biggest National Signing Day surprises on February 1st. And in no disrespect to the coveted talent now legally bound to the university: Welcome aboard, gentlemen.

Here’s my problem: last I checked this team still sits on a pile of work yet to be done.

No offense, literally and statistically, but they’re coming off a few really bad years for the football program. The most recent UCLA product spewed a bevy of troubles—any of which could be pinned at multiple points during the body of work this season.

For one, remember this? A trifecta of torment: Penalties (11 – 105 yards), 3^rd Down Conversion (2 for 13), and a one-way offense (286 yards passing, 37 rushing). Shutting down the run game put the pressure on a position of weakness— in doing so, well, it got a little out of hand…

And then there was no defense.

Or, we could just say 50-0. I won’t even dignify any other statistics from that one… That loss really hurt. Let’s just say it’s been a long, long season—Let alone decade.

During these years the Bruin fan-base had been calling for competition, diligence and accountability. Really, they just wanted every game to actually be a game. Instead, answers came in so many unexpected, fun forms: ones like win-loss, suspensions, run-run-pass, penalties, punting is winning or the always available static play-calling.

Oh, it gets better.

A perfect bookend to this past season: Neuheisel fired and a new NCAA record of being the first 6-8 college football team, ever. Adding salt to the wounds was every college pundit sniping at a down UCLA with all the colloquial Pistol-potency cracks imaginable. There was no doubt the regime was to be usurped.

Meanwhile, in the fray brewed a charged and displaced coach in wait, scheming: The true sleeping giant.

UCLA Football: Randall Goforth Commits to the Bruins

Scott Robinson

What a National Signing Day!  Another WR, 2012 CA Randall Goforth (6'0 / 175), has committed to Coach Mora and the UCLA Bruins.  Here are some of his highlights:




Randall Goforth #2 2010 Season Highlights - Courtesy of LBPOLYFootball

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UCLA Football: Ahmaad Harris Commits to the Bruins

Scott Robinson

Coach Mora has confirmed another WR has committed to UCLA.  The latest is 2012 GA WR Ahmaad Harris (5'8 / 175).  Here are some of his highlights:




WR Ahmaad Harris 2012 Senior Highlights - Courtesy throughhymn

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UCLA Football: More LOI's are in...

Scott Robinson

And more LOI's are rolling through the fax machine... 

The first tweet from Head Coach Jim L. Mora confirmed the following recruits as received:

-Ellis McCarthy
-Jeremy Castro
-Devin Fuller
-Nate Iese 

Second tweet:
-Ishmael Adams
-Eli Ankou
-Simon Goines
-Ahmaad Harris
-Carl Hulick

Third tweet:
-Taylor Lagace
-TJ Millweard
-Fabian Moreau
-Kenny Orjioke
-Jordan Payton
-Paul Perkins

Fourth tweet:
-Aaron Porter
-Marcos Rios
-Ian Taubler
-Lacy Westbrook
-Javon Williams

Fifth tweet:
-Ka'imi Fairbairn

Sixth tweet:
-Kenny Walker

Seventh tweet:
-Colby Cyburt

Eighth tweet:
-Justin Combs


24 UCLA confirmed LOI's...

Updated as of 2:30 PM.  

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UCLA Football: Jordan Payton flips to the Bruins

Scott Robinson

In one of the biggest signing day surprises since S Dietrich Riley spurned Southern Cal, WR Jordan Payton  (6'2 / 205) intends to play for UCLA.  Here are some of his highlights:


 
Jordan Payton Junior Highlights - Courtesy of ALLSTARAPPROACH

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UCLA Football: Javon Williams Commits to the Bruins

Scott Robinson

UCLA picked up another WR recruit in 2012 AZ Javon Williams (6'5 / 185) this morning.  Here are some of his highlights:



Javon Williams 2010 Football Highlights - Courtesy of keltonwood

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UCLA Football: LOI's trickling in...

Scott Robinson

We just received the first tweet from Head Coach Jim L. Mora confirming the following LOI's as received:

-Ellis McCarthy
-Jeremy Castro
-Devin Fuller
-Nate Iese 

Additionally, media outlets have reported the following LOI's as processed:

-Aaron Porter
-Paul Perkins
-Carl Hulick

Furthermore, a certain hack who fronts as a UCLA "beat reporter" continues to froth in yellow journalism with an annual 85 scholarship muckraking headline.  Of course, for those actually in touch with the NCAA handbook, we might review the following...

Believe it or not, but the hooting and hollering about UCLA’s total number of available golden tickets can actually be collected from the NCAA bylaws. Specifically, this one on pg. 115:

13.9.2.3 Limitation on Number of National Letter of Intent/Offer of Financial Aid Signings—Bowl Subdivision Football. [FBS]

In bowl subdivision football, there shall be an annual limit of 28 on the number of prospective student-athletes who may sign a National Letter of Intent or an institutional offer of financial aid from the initial signing date of the regular signing period of the National Letter of Intent through May 31. [D] (Adopted: 1/16/10 effective 8/1/10)

Of course, the 85 Annual Scholarship Limit is only enforced at the onset of the 2012 season (i.e. when players report in June).  A little digging in the NCAA Handbook and we would find:

15.5.6.3 Initial Counters—Football (Also see Bylaw 15.02.3.1).

15.5.6.3.1 Recruited Student-Athlete Entering in Fall Term, Aided in First Year. [FBS/FCS] A

student-athlete recruited (see Bylaw 15.02.8) by the awarding institution who enters in the fall term and

receives institutional financial aid (based in any degree on athletics ability) during the first academic year in

residence shall be an initial counter for that year in football. Therefore, such aid shall not be awarded if the

institution has reached its limit on the number of initial counters prior to the award of institutional financial

aid to the student-athlete. (Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

15.5.6.3.2 Recruited Student-Athlete Entering After Fall Term, Aided in First Year. [FBS/FCS] A student-athlete recruited (per Bylaw 15.02.8) by the awarding institution who enters after the first term of

the academic year and immediately receives institutional financial aid (based in any degree on athletics ability) shall be an initial counter for either the current academic year (if the institution’s annual limit has not been reached) or the next academic year. The student-athlete shall be included in the institution’s total counter limit during the academic year in which the aid was first received. (Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

15.5.6.3.3 Recruited Student-Athlete, Aid Received After First Year. [FBS/FCS] A recruited student-athlete (per Bylaw 15.02.8) (including a student-athlete who was not a qualifier) who first receives

athletically related financial aid after the student-athlete’s first academic year in residence shall be an initial

counter for that academic year in which the aid is first received, if such aid is received during the fall term.

However, such a student-athlete who first receives athletically related financial aid in the second or third term of an academic year may be considered an initial counter during the academic year in which aid was first received or the next academic year. In either case, the student-athlete shall be included in the institution’s total counter limit during the academic year in which the aid was first received. (Revised: 1/3/06, 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

15.5.6.3.4 Nonrecruited Student-Athlete Receiving Institutional Financial Aid. [FBS/FCS] A

student-athlete not recruited (per Bylaw 15.02.8) by the institution who receives institutional financial aid

(based in any degree on athletics ability) after beginning football practice becomes a counter but need not

be counted as an initial counter until the next academic year if the institution has reached its initial limit

for the year in question. However, the student-athlete shall be considered in the total counter limit for the

academic year in which the aid was first received. (Revised: 1/15/11 effective 8/1/11)

15.5.6.3.5 Midyear Replacement. [FBS/FCS] A counter who graduates at midyear or who graduates

during the previous academic year (including summer) may be replaced by an initial counter, who shall be

counted against the initial limit either for the year in which the aid is awarded (if the institution’s annual

limit has not been reached) or for the following academic year, or by a student-athlete who was an initial

counter in a previous academic year and is returning to the institution after time spent on active duty in the

armed services or on an official religious mission. In bowl subdivision football, an institution may use the

midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid during that academic year

to the maximum number of overall counters (85 total counters). In championship subdivision football,

an institution may use the midyear replacement exception only if it previously has provided financial aid

during that academic year that equals the maximum number of overall equivalencies or overall counters.

(Revised: 4/20/99 effective 8/1/99, 6/8/99, 4/26/01 effective 8/1/01, 8/2/05, 12/15/06, 1/14/08 effective 8/1/08, 4/2/10, 1/15/11)

One could also venture further; we could find an understanding as to how “Medical Retirements” function.  Look on pgs. 200-203 of the NCAA 2011-2012 Handbook and one would find the following:

-Information on One-year Renewals

-Information on Counters

-Information on Medical Retirements

-Information on Institutional Obligations

Clearly, someone forgot to review the actual rules regarding LOI’s…  But hey, why don't we let them count if they want to!

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