Last Thursday at Pac-10 Football Media Day, UCLA football coach Rick Neuheisel spoke like any coach coming off a demoralizing season would.
The second-year head man sounded optimistic as he talked to reporters about his team’s transformation. And despite last year’s 4-8 record, the worst for any Bruin coach since Terry Donahue’s 3-7 mark in 1989, Neuheisel made it clear that he believes the program is headed in the right direction.
“Eighteen months later, our football team looks like a football team when it runs out on the field,” he said. “It looks like the guys we play against.”
UCLA, which was picked to finish seventh in the Pac-10 this year, failed to earn bowl eligibility last season for the first time since 1999. Neuheisel said that reaching a bowl game would make the upcoming season a successful one.
“We’re a much more athletic team,” he said. “We’re stronger, a little bit more physical, but we’re still relatively inexperienced.”
Neuheisel does have a number of familiar faces coming back. On the offensive side of the ball, the Bruins return nine starters from a year ago. Seven starters return for first-year coordinator Chuck Bullough’s defense, including redshirt senior middle linebacker Reggie Carter, who joined Neuheisel at the press conference.
“We’re excited,” Carter said. “We’ve been working hard this summer. I think we really came together as a team, playing together and competing against each other.”
Competition, according to Neuheisel, will only strengthen the starting positions. Last season, a total of 11 true freshmen played, and Neuheisel said he expects this year’s freshmen to make similar contributions.
“Freshmen are coming in and showing that they were as advertised, athletically,” Neuheisel said. “It gives you hope, if not for them to play right away, at least to create competition at the positions.
“We’ll have to get some of our youngsters to play above their years, if at all possible. That will be the key.”
One of the young players is redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Prince, who earned the most reps under center during spring practice. He is the projected starter after unseating redshirt senior Kevin Craft.
“For a redshirt freshman, (Prince) was very composed out there,” said Carter, whose first-team defense faced Prince all spring. “As long as he gets the ball where it needs to be on time, he’s going to be a great player.”
Prince also gained praise from Neuheisel, who was the starting quarterback for UCLA as a senior in 1983.
“He’s very composed,” Neuheisel said. “He’s wise beyond his years.”
Neuheisel added that much of Prince’s success will have to come from an improved offensive line, which adds highly touted freshmen Xavier Su’a-Filo and Stanley Hasiak.
“They’re critical,” he said of Su’a-Filo and Hasiak. “They’re young freshmen, so whether or not they are ready to blossom now remains to be seen. … If they’re ready to play, they will get their chances.”
Redshirt junior tailback Christian Ramirez, who sat out last season due to ineligibility, will also rely on the revamped line. Neuheisel said that Ramirez “learned a valuable lesson” while watching from the sidelines last season.
“I think (Ramirez) is a very, very talented young man,” Neuheisel said. “He’s versatile; he can run inside and he can run outside. He’s a gifted pass-receiver and gives (offensive coordinator Norm) Chow a lot of weaponry to move around and be that kind of player. I’m expecting great things. … Whether that is realistic or not, remains to be seen.
“We’re going to be able to run the ball or die trying this year.”
Fall camp practices begin a week from today. Preseason training concludes on Aug. 22 with a scrimmage at Drake Stadium.
UCLA opens the season with three straight non-conference games ““ San Diego State (Sept. 5 at home), Tennessee (Sept. 12 on the road) and Kansas State (Sept. 19 at home) ““ before opening Pac-10 play against Stanford in Palo Alto. The Bruins, who finished in eighth place in the Pac-10 with a 3-6 mark last year, will not have an off week during the nine-game conference schedule.
“I feel like we’re on the right path,” Neuheisel said. “The work ethic is exactly what you need to rise in the ranks of this competitive conference.
“I believe that great things are in store for our program.”