Swinton Staying Put at Stanford
He arrived at Stanford with high expectations, but two losing seasons, a sophomore campaign marked by turmoil and injury, and this week’s resignation of Coach Bill Walsh have ravaged those hopes for Eliel Swinton.
Still, the defensive back from Montclair Prep has no intention of leaving.
Stanford players talked among themselves about transferring after Walsh’s announcement Monday. Under Walsh, winner of three Super Bowls in the 1980s as coach of the 49ers, the Cardinal finished 4-7 and 3-7-1 the past two seasons. This could be a perfect time for Swinton to move too, but he’s staying put.
“I’m not a quitter,” he said. “My teammates are my family. I’ve got a tattoo on my right arm that says Stanford. But I expected to be more successful here.”
Swinton, a starter since the middle of his freshman year in 1993, figured to have lots of success this season, but he missed four games because of a thigh bruise and was limited to 34 tackles (23 unassisted), one fumble recovery and three pass deflections in seven games. Then, in a season-ending, 24-23 loss at rival California, Swinton was beaten for a touchdown by former Harvard-Westlake receiver Iheanyi Uwaezuoke.
In addition, a midseason story in a local newspaper appeared to pit Swinton against Walsh.
Swinton had criticized Walsh for failing to motivate players but said this week he appreciated being part of Walsh’s program.
“That whole article was horrible,” he said. “Yes, I did mention all the bad things. But I also said positive stuff, like we had the talent to challenge for a national championship. None of the positive stuff got in.”
Swinton located Walsh on a tennis court the day the story was published, interrupted the match, apologized and explained. Walsh said the writer had been a longtime critic and told Swinton to stick with the positives.
Swinton was one of a host of top recruits who flocked to Stanford in 1993 to play for Walsh, who won three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers after they hired him away from Stanford in 1978. Walsh was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, the year he returned to Stanford and went 10-3 and the year Swinton signed his letter of intent.
But Walsh took less of a hands-on approach in his second tenure at Stanford, frequently stumbling over the names of his own players during press conferences.
“He probably is tired,” Swinton said of Walsh. “He’s been coaching for a while. I expected to come in and not lose a game--like high school--go to the Rose Bowl my freshman year. Maybe contend for a national championship.
“But Coach Walsh is Coach Walsh. He’s the master. He’s like Yoda (the Star Wars character). I learned from the best.”
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Neuheisel supporters: UCLA Coach Terry Donahue decided that Rick Neuheisel wasn’t ready to be the Bruin offensive coordinator after Homer Smith’s resignation last season.
But fifth-ranked Colorado on Monday decided the former Bruin quarterback and assistant was good enough to be its head coach.
Neuheisel, whose recruiting territory at UCLA included the Valley, coached quarterbacks and receivers this season at Colorado and will replace Bill McCartney (92-55-5 in 13 seasons) after the Buffaloes play Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl.
“There’s a different kind of spirit in him,” said Colorado senior tight end Christian Fauria, an All-American candidate from Crespi High. “A lot of young guys relate to him. I’m sure in the long run he’s going to bring this program to another level.”
Does UCLA quarterback Wayne Cook agree?
“Heck yeah,” said Cook, a senior from Newbury Park. “He’s going to do a great job. I don’t know how a talented player won’t want to play for him.”
Donahue was concerned about Neuheisel’s age (33) and lack of experience a year ago.
“I would have paid to hear what was said between those guys (when Donahue turned down Neuheisel and hired Bob Toledo),” Cook said. “Rick knows as much about football as anybody--even Homer. He knows his stuff. Who determines what age is too young anyway?
“Maturity-wise, he can handle it. He’s done so much with his life. He’s passed the bar exam. He was a walk-on quarterback (at UCLA) who won a Rose Bowl.”
Cook agrees with Fauria: Neuheisel’s attitude sets him apart from other coaches.
Said Fauria: “He’s always talking, teaching and encouraging. He’s got a lot of charisma. In practice, he stood out right away. The players are excited.”
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On McCartney: Fauria believes the Colorado coach’s surprise resignation after a Nov. 19 victory over Iowa State came partly as a result of his Christian faith.
“He believes so much in his faith,” Fauria said. “I think he wants to pursue this aspect of his life a lot more. But I’m almost positive he’ll return to coaching. It’ll be a team that’s not very good, and he’ll rebuild it.”
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Around the country: Fauria said he has turned down offers to play in the Hula Bowl and the Senior Bowl but will play in the East-West Shrine game.
In basketball, G.C. Marcaccini (Notre Dame) had 12 points and five rebounds and Pharoah Davis (Highland) added six points and five rebounds in George Mason’s season-opening 97-95 victory over Charleston Southern. . . .
David Langley (College of the Canyons) is averaging 20.5 points and 4.3 rebounds and Rasaan Hall (Crespi) 11.3 points and 5.5 rebounds at Quincy (Ill.) University. . . . Washington freshman Jason Hartman (Thousand Oaks) had six points and one rebound in nine minutes in his college basketball debut. The Huskies beat Eastern Washington, 68-48.
In women’s volleyball, Cal State Bakersfield junior outside hitter Christy Wieneke (Agoura) is third in Division II in kills (556), and senior setter Jennifer Streltzoff (Thousand Oaks) leads the nation in assists per game (13.04). Senior outside hitter Erikka Gulbranson (Thousand Oaks) is second on the team with 329 digs. The top-seeded Roadrunners (39-2) will play Edinboro (Pa.) Saturday at home in the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament.
George Mason senior outside hitter Jessica Dinaberg (El Camino Real) was selected for the University Division GTE District III Academic All-American team. She carries a 3.78 grade-point average in accounting.
In women’s basketball, sophomore guard Marion Jones (Thousand Oaks) scored 23 points in seventh-ranked North Carolina’s 79-72 victory over No. 15 Florida in the championship game of the Rainbow Wahine Classic in Hawaii.
In women’s soccer, San Diego sophomore defender Michelle Bush (Alemany) was named to the All-West Coast Conference first team.
In men’s cross-country, brothers Peter (Granada Hills) and Paul De La Cerda (Hart) of Adams State (Colo.) placed 12th and 26th in the NCAA Division II championships in Kearney, Neb., on Nov. 19 to help the Indians to their third consecutive title.