After what he called “a year-long interview,” UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel announced Monday that Chuck Bullough will be the Bruins’ next defensive coordinator.
Additionally, Neuheisel said that former UCLA linebacker Carnell Lake will join the staff and coach the cornerbacks. During a conference call Monday, Neuheisel expressed his excitement about the two coaching moves.
“I think they’re committed to the idea the UCLA defense is going to be something special,” Neuheisel said.
Bullough takes over for DeWayne Walker, who left UCLA to become the head coach at New Mexico State in December. Bullough has coached the linebackers for the past three seasons. In his time at UCLA, Bullough worked closely with Walker, something he emphasized Monday.
“We’re fiery guys and like our players to play hard,” Bullough said. “We’re not polar opposites which is why we worked well together.”
Bullough added that he does not envision the defensive scheme to change much, stating the playbook under Walker was a collaborative effort between the coaches, and that he will continue to coach the linebackers.
Lake played for the Bruins from 1986 to 1988 as an outside linebacker, earning first-team All-American and All-Pac-10 honors as a senior in 1988. Lake holds the No. 1 rank in UCLA history with 45.5 tackles for loss in his four-year career.
“I share (Neuheisel’s) passion for football and raising the bar of this program,” Lake said. “UCLA has a rich and storied athletic history and I think it’s time to write a new chapter.”
Taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round (No. 34 overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft, Lake enjoyed a successful 12-year professional career, making the Pro Bowl five times and playing in Super Bowl XXX with the Steelers against the Dallas Cowboys.
While Lake has no prior coaching experience, Neuheisel said he believes that Lake’s experience at UCLA will be a vital asset in recruiting. He said the decision to hire Bullough now was a result of negative recruiting tactics other schools have used to dissuade recruits from coming to UCLA. According to Neuheisel, some schools were telling kids that with the departure of Walker, the Bruins’ defensive system would change. In order to put the recruits’ minds at ease, he said a decision was made.
“I saw (the vacant defensive coordinator position) as a backburner thing,” Neuheisel said. “We were going full force trying to round up one of the great recruiting classes.”