More than beating Seminoles on the line

It’s a big recruiting weekend at UCLA, with about a dozen high school players making official visits, but none hail from the state of the Bruins’ Emerald Bowl opponent, Florida State.

No current Bruins are from Florida, either, but that’s something receivers coach D.J. McCarthy is hoping to change.

McCarthy, who went to high school in Boca Raton, coached at Central Florida for two years before joining UCLA’s staff and interviewed for an assistant’s job at Florida State, is in charge of recruiting the sunshine state.

He said that there, UCLA is known more for academics and basketball than football and that with Florida State, Florida and Miami nearby, Florida kids don’t have a lot of reasons to leave their home state.

Playing against the Seminoles, he said, might change some attitudes.

“This gives us a chance to play against a Florida school and show what we can do against a Florida school,” he said. “I’ve been recruiting hard down there and we’ve got a couple of kids that we’re looking to bring on trips.

“It’s a talent-rich state, but just like we can’t get all the good ones from California, they can’t keep all the good ones in Florida.”

Among those on campus Saturday were: Akeem Ayers, a defensive lineman from Los Angeles Verbum Dei; Raymond Carter, a running back from L.A. Crenshaw; Nate Chandler, a tight end from San Diego Mira Mesa; Chris Forcier, a quarterback from San Diego St. Augustine; Brian Price, a defensive lineman from Crenshaw; Steve Sloan, a linebacker from San Jose Mitty, Courtney Viney, a defensive back from Fresno Edison; Chris Conte, a safety from L.A. Loyola; Mike Harris, an offensive lineman from Duarte; and Glenn Love, a safety from Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton.

All but Conte, Harris and Love have committed to UCLA.

“It’s good to see all those guys,” Coach Karl Dorrell said. “It’s a sign of good things to come, hopefully.”

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The Emerald Bowl will be played at AT&T; Park, which was designed as a baseball stadium for the San Francisco Giants.

Because of the stadium layout, UCLA and Florida State will stand on the same sideline during the game.

Dorrell said security guards will separate the teams, but that it will definitely be unusual.

“I never, ever, ever in my career have ever done that,” he said. “It’ll be my first time doing it, but it’s kind of how the stadium is laid out and we’ll see what it looks like and what it feels like.”

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Defensive lineman Kenneth Lombard had surgery to repair an injured knee and he will not play in the Emerald Bowl.... Defensive tackle Chase Moline missed his second consecutive practice because of back spasms, but Dorrell said he expects Moline to practice Monday.... Offensive lineman Chris Joseph missed practice because of a sore hamstring.