As the day ended, the UCLA football program was able to breathe
a deep sigh of relief as the annual National Signing Day finished
with neither complications nor surprises.
The program received letters of intent from each of the 20 high
school recruits it expected, adding to the six junior college
transfers that committed in January. With the recruits stating
their commitment to UCLA, the program appeared to successfully move
forward despite a tumultuous offseason.
While some recruits originally expressed concerns after five
starters ““ Matt Moore, Tyler Ebell, Tab Perry, John Sciarra
and Matt Ware ““ had left the program (in addition to the
graduated seniors) and several coaches were fired, coach Karl
Dorrell was able to quell any apprehensions they may have had.
“That made me have some second thoughts,” future
wide receiver Marcus Everett said of the team’s troubles.
“But Coach Dorrell came to my house and answered some of my
questions. I guess they had to get rid of some of the viruses
before things could get better.
“I was worried about some of the rumors I heard about
(wide receiver) Tab Perry and about the coaching staff getting
fired. He explained to me that he had to make some changes in order
to get the program headed in the direction he wanted.”
Transfer students also felt an impact after offensive line coach
Mark Weber and tight ends coach Gary Bernardi were let go.
“That day when I was supposed to come up (to UCLA), I
heard that Weber was let go, and that gave me something to worry
about,” offensive lineman Marc Villafuerte, a new junior
college transfer, said. “But then I thought about it, and the
new coach doesn’t know anybody, so we would all be on an even
playing field. So, I wasn’t upset.”
The 6-foot-4-inch, 300-pound Villafuerte will be one of the
eight offensive lineman the Bruins brought in to aid the current
offensive line that often struggled last season. Dorrell also
successfully filled holes in a defensive line severely depleted due
to graduation.
Key newcomers include Brigham Harwell, a 6-foot-1, 250-pound
defensive end from Los Altos, and 6-foot-3, 295-pound offensive
lineman Shannon Tevaga of La Mirada. Both were thought to be
wavering on their verbal commitments in recent weeks, but both
confirmed they would indeed be headed to Westwood.
“We were confident all along in those two kids,”
Dorrell said. “They made commitments early on. And though the
process of recruitment has changed so much, where coaches continue
to pursue kids even after they commit, in the end, they went with
their true convictions.”
While Dorrell said Harwell will be the most likely recruit to
make a significant impact, he also talked about the impact of
junior transfer quarterback David Koral.
Koral, who played one year at Santa Monica College, could
compete with Drew Olson for the starting job, but Dorrell was
careful to say Olson has his job secure for now.
“Drew goes in as the leader,” he said in a
teleconference Wednesday. “It’s his job and his job to
lose. David is going in as a new player trying to establish
himself. In all fairness to Drew, he is the incumbent.”
With the six junior college transfer and 20 prep athletes coming
in, the Bruins still have one scholarship left to fill before the
start of next season.
Dorrell said it would be filled by another recruit chosen later
or given to someone within the current team.