There will be plenty of things on the line when UCLA takes the
field Saturday, the most obvious of which will be the Pac-10 title
and city bragging rights.
But a factor that many people will overlook is the influence the
game will have on the Southland’s recruits.
Every year, recruits from Southern California flock to the
rivalry game and evaluate both teams.
“It’s a big deal in the long haul for
recruiting,” USC coach Pete Carroll said of the game.
“We’ve been on the upside of things in the past and
that has been to our advantage.”
“If you look at UCLA, they were able to talk about it in a
different vein in how close they are to matching up with us last
season.”
The Bruins themselves realize what this game means for the
direction of the program and the perception of the team in the eyes
of recruits.
“Obviously, we’re looking at this game that we can
use to turn the corner in our program,” senior Robert Cleary
said. “For recruits, it is a thing that is important to look
at.”
In the previous six seasons, the Bruins have been on the losing
side of the rivalry. But from the start of last season, when the
Bruins beat Oregon on the road and took USC to the final minutes,
people started looking at UCLA in a different light.
One of those who were persuaded was highly recruited quarterback
Ben Olson, who chose the Bruins over USC and other Pac-10
powers.
“I was at that game last season and even though they lost,
you could really see the players buying into coach (Karl)
Dorrell’s system,” Olson said. “It was something
that really impressed me.”
Another thing Olson was impressed by was the people at UCLA and
their ability to build a program ““ something he might not
have had a chance to do at USC.
“You know, if I had gone to USC, I would have just been
another player,” Olson said. “Here at UCLA, I have a
chance to build something special and I take a lot of pride in
that.”
In the previous years, USC has had a lot of success recruiting
the top players in Southern California, but UCLA is beginning to
put a dent in that stronghold with its recent improvement in play
and the players’ belief in Dorrell’s system.
An aspect that has also played a pivotal role in that shift is
the lack of playing time at USC, and the likelihood of top recruits
getting lost in the shuffle.
“That’s obviously a factor. People want to fit in
the program,” running back Chris Markey said.
“Sometimes there is just not enough room and playing time for
everyone.”
In recent years, UCLA has tried to combat USC’s advantage
in recruiting by building a family atmosphere around the Bruin
program. Running backs coach Eric Bienemy was hired as the
recruiting coordinator last year, and it instantly became his goal
to create a personal environment between the coaches and
players.
“When recruits are looking at schools, they look at the
people involved,” Bienemy said. “They want to be a part
of something beyond just the normal practice time, and the time
spent in the training room. They want to be part of a
family.”
Even coach Dorrell, who has been known to outsiders as sullen
and boring, has bought into the importance of the family
experience, and understands the importance of the USC game in
creating an exciting environment at UCLA.
“It’s Southern California, and this is the game
people pay attention to,” Dorrell said. “Obviously,
this game means a lot in terms of attracting the top
recruits.”
“We want to use this game, as any other game, to show the
progress of our program.”