Neuheisel finds a new ride
It has been a fantastic recruiting tool that Coach Rick Neuheisel used to see three high school football games in one September evening, and pull off another nightly double late last month.
He was prepared for one more doubleheader tonight in Ventura and Mission Viejo until he was given the āunfortunateā news about his booster-provided helicopter Thursday: Blue Thunder is grounded.
āItās already occupied,ā Neuheisel said. āI canāt get everything done that I had planned. Iām going to leg it.ā
The Pacoima-based helicopter belongs to Larry Welk, a financial supporter of Bruins football who is better known as the grandson of the late television bandleader Lawrence Welk, Neuheisel said.
The coach was planning a helicopter ride that would take him first to Ventura High to observe the Newbury Park-Ventura St. Bonaventure Southern Section game featuring St. Bonaventure defensive back Patrick Hall, who has made an oral commitment to USC.
After that recruiting salvo at the Trojans, he was going to watch the Loyola-Mission Viejo game that showcases running back Alex Mascarenas, who has committed to UCLA, talented Loyola junior running back Anthony Barr and 6-feet-4, 270-pound defensive lineman John Young.
Neuheisel said he expected to trek to Mission Viejo and send six other members of his staff on playoff duty, āmoving around all cities and counties.ā
Scouting his future
Freshman running back Milton Knox received praise from his coach after a pair of long runs Wednesday, and he was given another chance Thursday to āgo liveā as Neuheisel allowed the scout team contact in this week before the Nov. 28 game at Arizona State.
āItās the first time Iāve been hit since camp, and it felt good,ā Knox said. āI feel I can play. Now, itās just about knowing my playbook. Iād like to start [next year] but even if Iām number two, three or four, I just want to play.ā
His cause would be helped by a strong recruiting class, something Knox thinks is possible because of Neuheisel.
āHeās one of the friendliest people Iāve ever met, he practices with us, he builds a relationship,ā Knox said. āItās why I came here: He makes you feel like family, telling us weāre all brothers and weāll get this done together. Heās charming, and honestly wants to change how weāve been doing here, and he has the ability to make those things happen.ā
Record breaker
For his teamās sake, punter Aaron Perez wishes heād made fewer appearances this season.
The UCLA senior established a school career mark by making the 269th punt of his career Saturday at Washington, and heāll surpass another Nate Fikse standard because his 11,411 punting yards are just shy of Fikseās 11,420.
āI donāt know if itās a good or bad thing to punt the most times with the most yards,ā Perez said. āItād be nice if we scored more points and I wasnāt needed, but when they need me, Iām here to back the other team up. Thatās what a punterās for, and I think Iāve done that pretty well.ā
Getting healthy
Defensive end Korey Bosworth (back), linebacker Chase Moline (back) and tight end Cory Harkey (sick) returned to practice and participated in contact drills. Starting defensive tackle Brian Price (hamstring) was in pads, but didnāt practice. Price said heās āgoodā to play at Arizona State.
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