More than bowls will decide fate of Coach Rick Neuheisel

Reporting from Tucson -- UCLA’s becoming bowl-eligible isn’t the sole criterion that will determine Coach Rick Neuheisel’s fate, Athletic Director Dan Guerrero wrote in his blog on the university’s website this week.

In a message to season ticket-holders and donors, Guerrero said “returning to a bowl is just one of several steps we need to take to get this program to the level we all desire.”

Guerrero did not elaborate on those “steps” and refused an interview request before Thursday’s game at Arizona, a 48-12 loss. “We’ll let the blog speak for itself,” UCLA spokesman Nick Ammazzalorso said.

The Bruins, 3-4 overall with five games to play, need six victories to become bowl-eligible. UCLA reached a bowl game only once in Neuheisel’s first three seasons, going to the EagleBank Bowl in 2009.

Guerrero has said he wants a football program that is “relevant on the national scene on a consistent basis.” He made similar statements when he fired Bob Toledo and hired Karl Dorrell.

Guerrero also noted that “in order to compete on the national stage, we first must achieve success in the Pac-12 Conference.” UCLA has not won a conference title since 1998.

Neuheisel will not be dismissed during the season, Guerrero said.

Getting reacquainted?

Arizona cornerback Shaquille Richardson and UCLA receiver Taylor Embree were ejected from the game for their parts in a bench-clearing tussle between the teams with four seconds left before halftime.

It’s possible they were acquaintances before the game.

Richardson, a sophomore from Los Alamitos High, was attending summer session classes at UCLA in June 2010 when he and two other incoming freshman Bruins football players were arrested and charged with felony theft. UCLA acted quickly, dismissing all three from the team.

Trend busters

Arizona, up 42-7 at halftime, came into the game having been outscored, 136-51, in the first half this season.

The Wildcats also were averaging just shy of 72 yards rushing per game, yet had 174 by halftime against UCLA, averaging 7.3 yards per carry. Keola Antolin passed the average by himself, with 77 yards in six carries in the first half.

One trend did remain consistent. Thursday nights have not been kind to UCLA. The Bruins were outscored 84-20 in two Thursday night losses last year — 60-13 by Oregon and 24-7 by Washington.

Just for kicks

UCLA kicker Tyler Gonzalez, recently a men’s soccer team manager, made his first college field goal, from 42 yards with 4:22 left in the game.

Injury update

Safety Tony Dye (neck), safety Alex Mascarenas (concussion) and kicker Kip Smith (hip flexor) did not suit up for Thursday’s game.

chris.foster@latimes.com

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Staff writer Mike Hiserman contributed to this report from Los Angeles.