UCLA football: Rick Neuheisel wants senior moment
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As things spin out of control for UCLA football, Coach Rick Neuheisel has reached his fall-back position. The Bruins’ seniors are being looked on to save the day and end the three-game losing streak that has all but ended the team’s bowl hopes.
Against Arizona on Saturday, UCLA will start five seniors on defense, unless linebacker Reggie Carter (sprained left knee) is unable to play. The Bruins start four seniors on offense, though the unit’s impact players are freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores.
Still, Neuheisel said, “The seniors have weathered a lot of storms here, whether it was the two years while I’ve been coach or the last few years of Coach [Karl] Dorrell. They have been through a lot. It can be such a rewarding experience, if we can get this thing turned around and finish with a chance to go to postseason.”
Reaching a bowl game would seem to require a tremendous turnaround. The Bruins will likely need to win four of their last six games, but Neuheisel said the seniors can, “lead the youngest players out of the abyss, though I’m not necessarily buying that we’re in the abyss, but the supposed abyss.”
Other UCLA notes:
-- Bruins coaches have seen a marked improvement in the play of quarterback Kevin Prince, who will make his third start since returning from a fractured jaw.
Prince started the first two games, then was injured against Tennessee. He was a redshirt last season and played only six minutes in the opener as a senior at Encino Crespi High before injuring his knee and missing the rest of the season. So this will be only his sixth football game in more than three years.
Prince threw for 311 yards against California last week but was displeased that he had one pass intercepted and also fumbled in the 45-26 loss.
Still, offensive coordinator Norm Chow said, “I thought he made a lot good decisions. He missed a couple checks, one cost us delay of game. But I thought his making decisions throwing was nice.
Neuheisel was more guarded in his assessment, “Kevin is a good player. He’s just got to get more consistent. You’re going to get in games what you get in practice. I want to see him hit everything in practice. He’s not there yet, but we’re going to keep working at it.”
-- UCLA tailback Derrick Coleman has been nominated for FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award, presented by the Football Writers Assn. of America. Coleman, who is deaf, is the Bruins second leading rusher with 127 yards.
-- Chris Foster
Twitter.com/cfosterlatimes