Choice Is Power, Not Stars

How does a marketing director promote a team that lacks a notable star? Scott Mitchell of UCLA decided to focus on guys in the trenches.

“Whose Line Is It Anyway?” was taken, so Mitchell went with billboards, pennants and direct-mail brochures featuring senior tackle Mike Saffer.

“We sat down in January and talked about the possibilities,” Mitchell said. “The blue-collar Bruin approach with the line as the strength of the team was the direction we wanted to go. And Saffer was the individual that fit well.”

Marketing last season focused on a handful of seniors who had developed strong name recognition--DeShaun Foster, Robert Thomas, Marques Anderson and Ryan Nece.

“It was clear some of the guys we hyped didn’t perform up to expectations,” Mitchell said. “So this year we decided to take a team approach.”

Cornerback Ricky Manning is the only individual besides Saffer being promoted. Notably absent is senior quarterback Cory Paus, whose two convictions for driving under the influence disqualified him.

“We needed to be careful with that,” Mitchell said. “Nobody is rooting harder for Cory than [Coach Bob Toledo] and us, but the risk wasn’t worth it.”

UCLA spends about $200,000 a year on marketing the football team, a sum that officials believe is recouped through additional ticket sales.

Although Saffer is questionable for Saturday’s game against Oregon State and could be out as long as three weeks because of a broken rib, there are no plans to change the direction of marketing.

“Those things take too much lead time to adjust because of an injury,” Mitchell said.

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The injury to Saffer, the right tackle, has caused uncertainty, but not nearly as much as Oregon State is experiencing at left tackle.

The Beavers lost their two top left tackles--Brian Kilkenny (broken leg) and backup Lee Davis (knee ligament)--the last two weeks.

Left guard Mike Kuykendall, a senior who played tackle as a freshman and sophomore, will move to left tackle and reserve David Lose will start at guard. Freshman Jake Pratt and junior Isaac Aaronson, a transfer from Cal State Northridge, will back up Kuykendall.

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Manning, a senior, looks forward to the Oregon State game more than most because his cousin, Eric Manning, is an All-Pac-10 defensive tackle for the Beavers.

Eric had 74 tackles--including six sacks--last season but is off to a slower start this year. He has 10 tackles and has yet to make a sack.

The family connection apparently inspires Ricky.

“Last year’s game was one of the best of his career,” Toledo said. “He shut down whoever he covered.”