Big Ben Clocks In

It is Ben Howland’s time at UCLA. The clock began ticking Thursday.

The era was ushered in during a morning meeting with Bruin players, who became something new too.

On time.

At the urging of assistant Doug Erickson, they were seated in the locker room before Howland walked in. Punctuality, never a strong suit last season, will be emphasized along with toughness and unselfishness.

“He believes in defense and lifting a lot of weights in the summer,” freshman center Ryan Hollins said. “It’s going to be very difficult. And it’s going to be very different.”

A time for change.

Howland and Bruin Athletic Director Dan Guerrero addressed a throng of media, UCLA staff and fans in the Morgan Center an hour later, making official a hire that was in the works for weeks.

Late negotiations affected by a last-ditch effort by Pittsburgh to keep the coach who posted a 57-11 record in the last two of his four seasons boosted Howland’s UCLA package to about $900,000 with incentives that could put him near $1.1 million.

Howland becomes the highest-paid UCLA coach ever, by more than $300,000. Steve Lavin, his predecessor, made $578,000, the previous high.

“I’m honored and humbled and understand what a privilege it is to work at UCLA,” he said. “It’s a dream. We are going to have a lot of fun along the way.”

Howland was dressed sharply in a suit, but already there is grumbling among some Bruin followers that he lacks pizazz. He’s not the celebrity coach some expect in Los Angeles.

But Guerrero opted for steak over sizzle for a reason. He was wary of any candidate who might use the job to boost star power. And it surprises no one who knows the athletic director that he hired a no-nonsense coach.

“We needed some bite,” Guerrero said.

In other words, nobody with pancake makeup and a clip-on microphone needed apply.

“We got our man,” Guerrero said. “We expect big things from this hire.”

In due time.

It took Howland two years to turn around losing programs at Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh. It might take as long at UCLA, which won’t sit well with the notoriously impatient Bruin faithful.

Howland has little choice but to stick with the players who went 10-19 last season. He has no scholarships to give this year and only two next year unless players leave. There was mass exodus at Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh when he arrived and there well could be a repeat at UCLA.

Three starters return along with several players whose potential is largely untapped. Academic problems are a concern with at least two key returners.

“There is a clean slate for everyone,” Howland said. “It starts today. They seemed to me to be a great group of young men. I don’t know them yet. I will meet with each kid individually Monday. Kids who do the right thing and follow the mode of going to class, going to study hall and working hard on the court and in the weight room will be fine.”

Guerrero is making no promises to holdovers.

“Transitions are always interesting because players are used to a certain mind-set,” he said. “Are they ready for a change? Those who are committed to do what is required will remain. The best players will play.”

Time will tell.

Howland left for the Final Four immediately after the news conference, flying on a private jet with his 15-year-old son, Adam, and associate athletic director Betsy Stephenson.

On the agenda? The new coach will meet with John Wooden in New Orleans.

Howland brings more head coaching experience to UCLA (nine years) than any other coach, including Wooden. Of the seven coaches who followed Wooden and preceded Howland, only Jim Harrick (eight years) came close.

“I embrace and revel in the history of this program,” Howland said. “John Wooden and UCLA basketball are synonymous. He is a model for me. Basketball players want to be like Mike. Coaches want to be like John Wooden.”

Howland will travel to Pittsburgh on Sunday to say goodbye to his players there and clean out his office. Many of his former players expressed dismay that he took the UCLA job.

“I would be upset if they weren’t disappointed,” he said. “I really wanted this job. After the emotion wears off, we will have friendships that last a lifetime.”

A time of reflection.

Like an Oscar winner, Howland finished his remarks at the news conference by thanking more than a dozen people who played a role in his development, from his Boys’ Club coach in Goleta to Utah Coach Rick Majerus to former Pittsburgh athletic director Steve Pederson.

He included his family, of course, and his wife, son, mother and father beamed from seats adjacent to the dais. Bob Howland, a retired Presbyterian minister who lives in Santa Barbara, donned a blue UCLA cap.

Howland really wanted the job, indeed. So much so that he arranged for a private jet to fly him to Santa Barbara last Saturday before Guerrero was informed he was coming.

That caused awkwardness because Pittsburgh administrators believed the interview was arranged before Guerrero informed them he wanted to speak Howland.

Guerrero had difficulty convincing Pittsburgh that Howland was simply eager. Everyone who observed Howland nearly breaking into tears at the news conference was convinced.

“You can tell I’m emotional on this day,” he said. “To chase a dream that you once thought was unimaginable, and to be close to your family and so many friends.... When you walk through [the UCLA Hall of Fame] room and see those national championship trophies, it is awe-inspiring.”

He conveyed that passion to Chancellor Albert Carnesale in a meeting Wednesday night that served more as an introduction than an interview.

Guerrero conducted what he termed “an exhaustive process” that included interviewing a handful of candidates and inquiring about at least a dozen. He chose Howland.

“I told Dan in advance that I shouldn’t be interviewing people just for the sake of interviewing people,” Carnesale said. “I decided at the meeting that Ben Howland is the guy.”

It’s his time.

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(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Howland File

Born: May 28, 1957

Hometown: Cerritos.

PLAYING CAREER:

* Santa Barbara City College (1976-1978). Led the Vaqueros to state finals in 1978.

* Weber State (1978-1980). Led Wildcats to two Big Sky championships and two NCAA tournament appearances.

* Played professionally in Uruguay in 1980.

COACHING CAREER:

* Assistant at UC Santa Barbara (1982-1994).

* Head coach at Northern Arizona (1994-1999).

* Head coach at Pittsburgh (1999-2003).

At Northern Arizona

1994-1995...9-17

1995-1996...7-19

1996-1997...21-7

1997-1998...21-8

1998-1999...21-8

At Pittsburgh

1999-2000...13-15

2000-2001...19-14

2001-2002...29-6

2002-2003...28-5

*

Howland Honors

* Led Northern Arizona to three consecutive Big Sky Conference championships from 1997 to 1999.

* His Northern Arizona teams led the nation in three-point field goal percentage in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.

* Led Pittsburgh to a Big East Conference tournament title this season and a berth in the regional semifinals in the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive season.

* Named the Associated Press national coach of the year in 2001-02.

UCLA Coaches Through the Years

Coach (Seasons) W-L

Fred Cozens (1919-1921)...20-4

Pierce Works (1921-1939)...173-159

Wilbur Johns (1939-1948)...93-120

John Wooden (1948-1975)...620-147

Gene Bartow (1975-1977)...52-9

Gary Cunningham (1977-1979)...50-8

Larry Brown (1979-1981)...42-17

Larry Farmer (1981-1984)...61-23

Walt Hazzard (1984-1988)...77-47

Jim Harrick (1988-1996)...192-62

Steve Lavin (1996-2003)...145-78