UCLA loading up on offense | Bud Withers
By Bud Withers
Seattle Times college football reporter
PASADENA, Calif. — "So," a reporter asked the football coach whimsically, "is the football monopoly in Los Angeles over?"
Rick Neuheisel laughed that Rick Neuheisel laugh.
"Bring that picture back out," said the UCLA football coach lightly. "I looked young in that one."
That was the newspaper ad in which the Bruins twitted USC a couple of years ago, proclaiming that the Trojans' dominance was history now that Neuheisel, the former Washington coach, was on board in Westwood.
He was never one to minimize innovation, to look for an edge, on or off the field. And as the Bruins enter their third season under him, their success with a new offensive twist likely will dictate whether they will better the eighth-place finish forecast by Pac-10 media.
UCLA has incorporated much of Nevada's "Pistol" into its offense. The alignment puts third-year sophomore quarterback Kevin Prince 4 yards behind center, with a single back 3 yards behind him.
"It gives us more weapons on offense," said Johnathan Franklin, UCLA's leading returning rusher. "It definitely makes us more versatile."
"Is it a full-scale move to the Pistol? I would say no," said Neuheisel. "But it will help us change the direction of our running game."
That run game has mostly been a dud in the first two years of Neuheisel and his renowned offensive coordinator, Norm Chow. The Bruins were last in the Pac-10 in 2008 in rushing with just 993 yards, and ninth last year, averaging 3.5 yards.
Meanwhile, in 2009, Nevada had three backs, including quarterback Colin Kaepernick, with more than 1,000 yards rushing.
Neuheisel recalls his 1999 debut at Washington, when after losses to BYU and Air Force, the Huskies turned to quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo and fullback Pat Conniff, who helped them install the option offense they ran at Woodinville High. It was a watershed moment for the UW.
"I said, 'We can't win the Mountain West Conference,' " Neuheisel laughed, " 'but we can still figure out how to run the ball.' "
The Bruins visited Nevada in the offseason trying to brainstorm a way to help its beleaguered quarterbacks, who threw 12 interceptions last year, atop 21 in 2008. The offensive line, with appreciable experience now, has to bear some of the culpability.
It should help that Neuheisel has recruited two highly regarded backs — Gatorade national player of the year 6-foot, 223-pound Malcolm Jones and 5-11, 191-pound Jordon James.
Referring to improvement on offense, safety Tony Dye said, "When we got here (two years ago), we were dominating on defense. Now they actually compete and score on us. It's frustrating for us, but at the same time, keep it up."
Dye is part of a secondary that he says should be "dominant." The headliner is safety Rahim Moore, who led the nation with 10 interceptions.
And, said Dye, "we're so deep (in the secondary), it's ridiculous. I've got to fight for my job every day."
One of the nation's most arresting playmakers is outside linebacker Akeem Ayers, a 6-4, 255-pound specimen who made a point-blank, back-of-the-end zone interception for a touchdown against Oregon, and turned in a facsimile of it to beat Temple in the EagleBank Bowl.
"It's crazy," Dye said. "It's like a LeBron James factor. I don't understand how somebody that big can move that fast."
The most glaring hole was left by departed All-America tackle Brian Price, who had 23.5 tackles for loss. The Bruins are hoping fifth-year senior David Carter can soften that vacancy. But UCLA has already lost starting end Datone Jones, possibly for the year, with a broken foot.
Kicking won't be an issue. The Bruins have the Lou Groza Award winner in Kai Forbath, who has nailed a stunning 72 of his 83 field-goal attempts and is just 15 short of the NCAA career record.
Earlier this summer, Neuheisel thinned the roster after three incoming freshmen, including Josh Shirley, now at Washington, were arrested in connection with the theft of a purse on campus.
"It's just sad," said Franklin. "You have an opportunity like this, and you throw it away for small things."
On the field, the issue is whether the Bruins, given an opening with sanctions at USC, can narrow the gap on the Trojans. A lot of it depends on whether the Pistol is firing.
Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or
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