SB Nation User Blog: muircoach

Jefferson and Stills to be Sooners

muircoach — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:51:01 -0000

Look at it any way you want, but both Tony Jefferson and Kenny Stills committed to Oklahoma yesterday. This is only news on this site because Jefferson used to be one of our top committed guys, who decommitted a few weeks back when he showed how stupid he really was by wearing USC gear to the UCLA/USC game.......while he was a Bruin commit. I would have like to have had Stills, but I don't know if he was really ever serious about coming to UCLA. They are both friends and I am sure this was in the works for weeks to go to the same school.

On one front I am disappointed that Jefferson didn't go to South Central University because I would have liked to have had a chance to heckle him for the next four years and give some angry Bruins a chance for revenge. However, it is always good when the "cheaters" don't get people they want, especially because they think they are entitled to get whatever they want.

So now Jefferson and Stills get to go to Oklahoma and play in Norman. I won't put down Norman cause it is a great college town, with alot of good people. As far as college football goes, it is a great place to be. There is not much else to be desired there........but hey, going from sunny San Diego to Norman shouldn't be much of a culture shock for them.

John Young from Loyola commits to UCLA.

muircoach — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:38:58 -0000

John Young, the powerful TE from Loyola HS announced his commitment tonight to our Bruins. I gotta admit, at first I was a little confused on this signing. While he has been rumored to be a silent commit for a while now, I was wondering if we really needed him. I figured we were pretty much loaded at the position, considering we signed Pressley last year, and will have Fauria in game action next year. Add Harkey and Chandler to that, and we have a great unit for next year. Then after I thought about it, it makes perfect sense. Young, who is 6'4 and about 245 is a monster. He projects to being a very good blocking TE, but can also catch the ball. I think he is sure to redshirt, at which time our TE's will be in the later part of their careers when he is a redshirt freshman and ready to learn from them. He'll step in for his last three years ready to be a monster. I could also see him maybe putting on more weight on his frame, which can surely handle it, and maybe becoming an offensive lineman if need be. I have no idea, and I don't really care.

What I do know is that CRN is making great progress at signing talented and skilled football players. It is up to him and his staff to plug them in where they belong, and I know that they surely know more than I do and will put them where they think is best for the program. Like I have faith in CBH, I will throw my complete trust in CRN and Co. and believe in them. It is only year #2 in the process, and I am incredibly happy with the way things are beginning to turn around. The first part of the process is getting better players, they are doing that. The next part is beginning to happen........playing better football.

Getting guys like Young, from such a great program as Loyola, speaks for itself. Welcome to the Bruin family Mr. Young!!

[UPDATE] Four Star RB Jordon James Commits to Bruins!

muircoach — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:54:52 -0000

Bumped. GO BRUINS. - N

Great News!! Say what you will, but the talent coming into Westwood these past few years is much, much, much better than in the previous regime. In fact, it isn't even close. Just got done watching ESPNU, fully expecting Jordon James to commit to Cal because of our depth at the RB position, and especially with Jones from Oaks coming in too, but to my amazement, the young man picked our Bruins. This guy can run the ball, and he has very good hands too. He is the type of player we want in our program. He is a playmaker who is very skilled. The tailback position is loaded for years to come and the fact that James will come to compete against all the other guys we have says wonders about his commitment and the type of person that he is. He isn't fazed at all, and I love that.

CRN and the rest of his staff is putting together an incredible staff, and our talent level is increasing with every commitment we get. The recruits can feel the love that CRN has for UCLA, and I hope that we are all patient enough to let him and his staff work their magic. While it may not be as fast as we'd like, I am happy with the talent level being raised and having confidence in the direction of the program.

Welcome to Westwood Jordan. We are very glad to have you!!

UPDATE (N): muircoach who just seems to be breaking one good news after another on BN pointed to the following update on Jordon on WWL:

ESPNU 150 prospect Jordon James (Corona, Calif.) committed to UCLA over California and Arizona Thursday night at halftime of the Ball State vs. Northern Illinois on ESPNU.

ESPN's Billy Tucker said of the news, "We feel Jordan James could end up being one of the more prolific college backs to come out of this 2010 class. Playing at UCLA in Norm Chow's pro-style offense should only exploit his every-down qualities and back that assessment."

"James is far more than just a speed back with great burst and quickness through hole. The future Bruin can lower the pads and utilize his compact, deceptively powerful frame to break initial contact and get the tough downhill yards."

"Injuries are the only red flag that will accompany him to the next level but when healthy James shows elite ability at the running back position and is a major in-state keep for UCLA."

With James and Jones now in the fold UCLA is going to be set at the TB spot for a while.James becomes the 13th commitment for class of 2010.

Guess we should have also read the tea-leaves when coaches earlier this week sent signal via the LAT that they were not interested in pursuing Darryl Scott. CRN continues to bring in talent and if we finish the season on a strong note, he is going to pick up even more momentum on the recruiting trail. GO BRUINS.

UPDATE II (N): A quick post up on this story on LAT which has the following on JJ's speed and the season he is having so far:

James, who has been clocked at 4.4 seconds for 40 yards, has gained 1,132 yards this season and averaged 8.7 yards a carry.

Sounds good to me. GO BRUINS.

UPDATE III (N): Jon Gold from the Daily News has a solid story on Jordon's commitment. Gold interviews Brandon Huffman from Bruin Report Online who offered the following observations what Jordon brings to the table and how he will fit in UCLA's backfield:

"James is speed," Huffman said. "Yeah, they have speed with Thigpen and Franklin, but I don't think it's between-the-tackle speed so much. That's where James and Jones come in - they're not afraid to take on the contact, and they can put a move on a linebacker. I saw (James) play last Friday and he had two stop-and-go moves on a linebacker and he was just gone."

Huffman also pointed out the significance of reeling in recruit like James in terms of making UCLA's presence felt in Southern California's rich recruiting scene:

Huffman said that snagging a star player from the Inland Empire, an emerging football hotbed, is key, as is the interest being shown from major powerhouses such as Oaks Christian and Mater Dei.

"It's crucial - when you look at the schools that are constantly cranking out the talent, it's Mater Dei, Oaks Christian, Corona Centennial, where they got (freshman wide receiver) Ricky Marvray," Huffman said.

"It's crucial to get some of those players as consistently as they can. It shows the younger guys that they have a former teammate at a future school. It makes it acceptable to go to UCLA again. When you look at Mater Dei and Oaks Christian, it took some time to get those guys, but this could be the start of a run they'll have at those schools."

Sounds good to me. GO BRUINS.

New Football Commitment. Kody Innes

muircoach — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:21:46 -0000

I just saw that we got a commitment from Kody Innes, who is supposed to be a pretty good player out of Arizona. I have to be honest, I pride myself on knowing more than the average joe on recruiting and good prospects, but I do not know enough about Innes to give an opinion. I have never seen him play, nor do I know much about him. Are their any Bruins in Arizona who can shed some light on him? Any info. would be great. I do know that it is always great to steal a prospect out of a Pac-10 state, so that is a positive. Welcome to the Bruin family Kody.

Scott Van Pelt rips NCAA

muircoach — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:00:40 -0000

Wow. I was just watching ESPN and radio host Scott Van Pelt just ripped the NCAA for suspending Oklahoma State Wide Reciever Dez Bryant, who didn't break any NCAA rules, but lied to investigators because he thought he had. Van Pelt implied that Bryant was suspended because he didn't go to a big enough school, but that Oklahoma State was just big enough for the NCAA to make an example out of them. However, he ripped on the NCAA for not going after the real culprits in college sports, as he said "the big schools who have broken the rules, but are too big for the NCAA to discipline".

HHHMMMM. What school could that be? Maybe USC? I have never heard a TV/Radio host so vehemently call out the NCAA. Usually they hide and don't comment cause they don't want put their employer, in this case the WWL, who is in partnership with the NCAA, at any risk. This was refreshing. He went on a 3-4 minute rant against the NCAA and basically called out all the big schools who have been caught cheating in the past few years, only to have the NCAA look the other way because they were TOO BIG to discipline and that it would hurt them in the pocketbook.

If you have a chance to see it later, check it out. He said "I won't name the schools cause we all know who they are".
Yep, we sure do! As Van Pelt said "I guess it is worse to not cheat, lie about it because you thought you might have than to cheat and lie about it." In the case of the NCAA, that is the message. Dez Bryant gets suspended for the year, and didn't commit a violation. Bush, Leinart, Jarrett, etc..........they all cheat, and nothing is done. Incredible.

Congrats for Van Pelt for being the voice of reason, hopefully he doesn't lose his job because of it.

[VIDEO] Spencer Havner Rocks!!

muircoach — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:03:18 -0000

Since the state of our Bruins Football team is so bleak, I get my football kicks and love from watching former Bruins do well on Sundays.......and today was great. I expect the great days from the MJD's of the world, but today was special, at least it was for me. I was watching the Green Bay vs. Cleveland game (Directv and fantasy football collide) when out of nowhere Aaron Rodgers throws a pass to a speedy tight end who rumbles and outruns the secondary and dives for a touchdown!! That was all fine and good until the announcer said "That's backup Tight End and Linebacker Spencer Havner".

NFL Week 7 - Green Bay Packers vs Cleveland Browns 31-3 (via 555OO555)

I consider Havner one of the best Bruins ever to play in one of the worst Eras of UCLA football, the Karl Dorrell Era. That may not be saying much but Havner was a great, yes great, Bruin who always gave his best on the field. He was a true Bruin in every sense of the word. He played hard and clean, but always with a small chip on his shoulder. He wasn't a blue-chip recruit, but worked his ass off to become a contributor on Sunday afternoons for one of the most storied franchises in all of professional sports.

The first thing I did when he scored was to tell my 9-year old son that Havner is a "former Bruin". I might be gushing too much, but on a day where I was extremely upset about the Bruins performance in Arizona, a reserve Tight End in Cleveland managed to put a little happiness in my Bruin Heart! Way to go Spencer!!!

Some Good News: Four Star OL Chris Ward Commits to UCLA!

muircoach — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:21:07 -0000

Bumped. Wanted to make sure this big news from the weekend didn't get buried. Getting a 4 star OL recruit such as Ward is a huge deal.It was especially significant given the commitment followed Malcolm Jones from earlier last week as UCLA nabbed two blue chippers from regal programs such as OC and Mater Dei. Bruins now have 10 total commitments. Of course we are not anywhere close to being done. GO BRUINS. - N

Well, a little good news for everyone as we try to salvage a poor weekend. Mater Dei star lineman Chris Ward committed to our Bruins, giving us a great week in recruiting.

I know that some won't be happy because the results on the field are what matters. However, on the offensive side of the ball we are incredibly young. Our top two QB's are freshman. Our top 3 running backs (I don't count Ramirez) are two freshman and a soph. Our three best offensive lineman (Hasiak, Sua, and Baca) are two freshman and a soph. Our top wide receivers, besides Austin, are all sophs, with a great group of freshman making there way. This is the youngest UCLA team in many years, and the mistakes they are making are normal for a group so young.

With that in mind, those kids will be all grown up next year and the influx of talent that is coming into the program is very important. Getting guys like Ward, Jones, and the others will only make things better. While I love many of the guys in the program, the facts are that we are young, and the older players just aren't very talented, except for a few. This team is built for next year, as much as I hate to say it.

Ward is an animal, and to be able to sign a guy from a former USC stronghold program like Mater Dei is big. Next year we will be three years into CRN's recruiting cycle and the team will be ready to take off. Personally, I want better results on the field, but realize that the talent is getting there, but we now need to put experience into the equation. That isn't in yet. Just wait until it does. We'll take off.

Welcome Mr. Ward. You are about to be part of an incredible rebuilding project, and you we are glad to welcome you to the Bruin family! You go Chris Ward!!

[2nd UPDATE w ESPN Rankings] Bruins Get HUGE Commit From Tony Jefferson (Who Dropped U$C*)

muircoach — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:28:03 -0000

Though it was worth a second bump to highlight BruinGold82's find below. GO BRUINS. - N

Alright everyone. UCLA just got a huge commit from one of the top players in the country. Tony Jefferson, from Eastlake HS, Chula Vista, made it official......and this is great news. The guys is a flat-out stud!

According to Rivals he is the #50 prospect overall in the country. A four-star pick. He had offers already from U$C, Florida, and Georgia.....but he picked the Bruins. I really hope we can hold on to this guy through the process as people will be coming hard for him until he signs his name on the dotted line.

He played outside linebacker in HS, but he is projected as a safety. By the time he comes in, R. Moore will be a star and probably a year away from moving to the NFL, so this guy will come in, compete, and be ready to shine for 3-4 years.

Rumor is also that Jefferson was locked and a silent verbal to U$C, but became unhappy with the coaching staff and called CRN to become a Bruin. You gotta love it. This guy is blue and gold the whole way. Still a year away from becoming a Bruin, and he is already sticking it to the cheaters across town. This is a big deal, that other 4-5 star recruits will take notice of. CRN and staff are awesome!

UPDATE (N): Just days ago Jefferson dropped U$C*. More details after the jump.

Scout.com's has this bio on the latest Bruin commit:

Tony Jefferson finished his junior season with 88 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, four sacks, two fumbles caused and two recovered. Offensively, he had 1,328 yards rushing for 28 touchdowns. Jefferson says he can bench 255-pounds, squat 455-pounds and has a 28-inch vertical jump.

Sophomore stats and honors: 77 tackles and three picks. Was named a First Team All-State Sophomore, All-CIF, All-League and Defensive Player of the Year.

Jefferson would like to major in engineering and reports a 3.0 core GPA and a 1400 SAT.

Jefferson: “I can run through people. That definitely makes it easier because most people can’t put a move on me. I go at 100-percent and don’t let guys escape. I can keep them contained.

“On offense I’ve been told I’ve got some great spin moves.

“I think strength is about 70-percent of the game and I try and lift a lot. I also work hard on my route running and run to stay in shape. I want to be able to cover as well as I can tackle.”

Needless to stay a big time get for Rick Neuheisel and UCLA. Check out our up to date commitment list here.

Welcome to Westwood Tony. GO BRUINS.

UPDATE II (N): Tony Jefferson is now the number 1 ranked athlete on ESPN's recruiting board:

He's could fit as a hybrid safety, particularly in a bandit role, due to his impressive physical tools and skill set. He hits the hole fast on offense and wastes no time accelerating downhill. Deceptively very strong. Reaches top speed by his second or third step and that great burst combined with his rare quick-twitched body, low center of gravity and determination allows him to spin his way out of a lot tackles. Never stops his feet on contact and has great balance and body control. Very light and smooth on his feet as well. He shows he can make defenders miss without gearing down much in his lateral cuts. Shifty and elusive through traffic and can slide through the small creases just as they open. Displays a great burst separating in the second level, but may be a bit quicker than fast. Bottom line, Jefferson is very dynamic and an exciting prospect to watch on both sides of the ball. If he were a tad taller he may be one of the more highly-rated prospects in the past few classes, but he does utilize his low center of gravity to his advantage and plays the game fast, physical and with great intensity on every snap. Excellent athlete who may enter college as a strong safety and grow into a disruptive outside linebacker.

HT to for BruinGold82 for the find. Let's hope CRN and his staff can hold on to him. GO BRUINS.

Making the Tennessee trip

muircoach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:42:45 -0000

I just thought I would see if we are getting a good contingent going to the Tennessee game. While I know the numbers probably won't be large, I was just curious if there were alot of people from BN going to Knoxville. I thought it would be cool to see if alot of people were, and if they were, what there plans are for the trip. As for me, I am making the trip, but will be flying into Atlanta. I am going to try and get the most "bang for my buck" by making flying into Atlanta, making the three hour drive to Knoxville for the game, and then head back to Atlanta to watch the Falcons vs. Dolphins game at the Georgia Dome before coming home. A football weekend to be sure. I have no rooting interest in the NFL game, it is more just to say I did it. I would love to hear if any of you are making the trip, and if you will be taking in any of the Bruins festivities while in Knoxville.

New Football Commitment!

muircoach — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:11:04 -0000

I think we just got a huge get because it is in such an area of need. We just got a commitment from former Birmingham standout Marquis Jackson, who played last year at COC (College of the Canyons). This guy was flat-out a stud in HS and he had alot of attention coming out of HS. However, he must not have had the grades, cause he went the JC route and he had Pac-10 potential and offers. He is 6'4 and real quick for a D-Lineman. I saw him play once, and was stunned at how good he was. He seems to have figured it out in the classroom and if he has, we should get three great years from him. He has the body, the game, and the motor, to play on Sundays. I don't say that everyday. Now it seems, he has the grades which will get him into a school so that he can work his way towards that. He is a 4-star prospect, according to several services, and so he isn't a secret. If I remember right, and I could be wrong, but U$C wanted him pretty badly when he was coming out of HS........but I could be wrong. Anyways, great job by CRN and Co. This is great news as we build a solid DL!