Wow. Rick Neuheisel hired by UCLA

[Skkorpion]

Evidence of what I've been saying for a long time: cheating and poor character matter not. Only winning matters.

Go get'em Rick. You'll fit right in.

 

[Dback Jon]

That makes the Pac 10 a little more interesting. "Reformed" cheaters at ASU and UCLA...

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Slick Rick wins, who cares about the extra-curricular activity if everbody else in the conference is up to no good? I would've loved him at his sister's and my alma mater but it was not meant to be. Like Dennis Erickson, this guy has been salivating for a Pac-10gig for years and I expect a similar turnaround.

 

[HooverDam]

I think this is a fine hire. Maybe the 3rd times a charm? I think the whole betting pool scandal at U-dub was ridiculous anyhow, I really don't think that should be against the rules. A huge percentage of NCAA rules are stupid anyhow, so if I don't mind when they get broken.

All that being said, a U-Dub fan and friend of mine mentioned that one year UW couldn't have a Spring practice because Neuheisel had recruited so many WRs but not enough OLineman to play. I don't know if thats true or not, but if so, thats something I'd worry a lot more about than something silly like a NCAA tourney betting pool.

 

[Russ Smith]

Evidence of what I've been saying for a long time: cheating and poor character matter not. Only winning matters.

Go get'em Rick. You'll fit right in.

YEAH I'm really not thrilled. People are saying Guerrero will keep him in check and he's learned from his past etc but just because he played there doesn't mean you have to be the one to give him his next chance to clean up.

I think it's all about a guy who will get them noticed, but won't demand too much money because he's a bit of a Pariah(sorry Jason) .

Really don't like the hire.

 

[Southpaw]

UCLA may have hit the big one with this pick. Tinseltown now has a coaching rivalry brewing. Crazy Carroll vs. Slick Rick. Recruiting in that town should get real interesting.

BTW, does Rick have any QBs coming back healthy?

 

[Dback Jon]

BTW - what EXACTLY has Rick done wrong, other than playing an NCAA pool that he was told was OK to do so?

 

[Southpaw]

Maybe this has some validity, maybe not.

This comes from an AP story and sourced from a Pac 10 release.

Posted 6/13/2003 10:14 AM



Pac-10 Conference

Tracking Neuheisel's controversial coaching career
SEATTLE (AP) — A look at the coaching career of Rick Neuheisel:

1995— Neuheisel hired as head coach at the University of Colorado. He is 34 at the time.

January 1999— Leaves Colorado with a 33-14 record and three bowl victories in four seasons. Takes over as head coach at University of Washington with a contract worth $997,000 a year for five years.

Feb. 3, 1999— Reports surface on national letter-of-intent signing day that Neuheisel is being investigated for improper visits to five recruits. It later is revealed that Neuheisel also made improper contact with several of his former Colorado players and engaged one UW recruit in a basketball-shooting contest, deemed an improper tryout by the NCAA.

June 19, 1999— Pac-10 accepts Washington's self-imposed penalties for two violations, including reducing Neuheisel's off-campus visits in 2000 from 29 to 9. UW also agrees not to accept any of Neuheisel's former Colorado players as transfers.

Jan. 1, 2001— Washington beats Purdue 34-24 in the Rose Bowl, capping an 11-1 season.

Sept. 4, 2001— Neuheisel's contract is improved to a guaranteed $1.21 million a year, with incentives to a possible $1.46 million a season.

Feb. 6, 2002— On national letter-of-intent day, Neuheisel criticizes recruiting tactics of Oregon and UCLA, drawing a Pac-10 reprimand. UCLA coach Bob Toledo also is reprimanded for comments about Neuheisel, and Oregon reprimanded for the tactics Neuheisel criticized.

April 11, 2002— Colorado officials confirm the school has been accused by the NCAA of a lack of institutional control and multiple minor violations during time Neuheisel was coach.

Sept. 3, 2002— Neuheisel receives a contract extension through the 2007 season, including a $1.5 million loan he does not have to pay back if he works through the life of the contract. With the loan and incentives, Neuheisel now can make more than $1.8 million a season.

Oct. 8, 2002— NCAA completes investigation into Neuheisel's tenure at Colorado and prohibits him from off-campus recruiting through May 31, 2003, as a penalty for his part in more than 50 minor violations.

NCAA places the Buffaloes on probation for two years, reduces the number of scholarships and restricts off-campus recruiting by Colorado coaches.

Dec. 31, 2002— Washington loses to Purdue in Sun Bowl, 34-24, ending a 7-6 season.

Jan. 9, 2003— Neuheisel censured by the American Football Coaches Association after its board finds he has shown a lack of remorse for his role in the Colorado violations.

Feb. 11, 2003— After rumors that he interviewed with the San Francisco 49ers for their head coaching position the previous day, Neuheisel releases a statement denying he ever talked to the 49ers.

Feb. 12, 2003— After more reports that he talked to the 49ers, Neuheisel acknowledges interviewing with San Francisco officials, saying his initial denials were a "knee-jerk reaction" to protect a confidentiality agreement.

Feb. 13, 2003— Washington athletic director Barbara Hedges says there will be no discipline of Neuheisel for lying about having interviewed with the 49ers.

Feb. 14, 2003— Interim UW president Lee Huntsman says he had spoken to Neuheisel about the 49ers incident to make it "especially clear to Rick what the university's expectations are." Huntsman says he is "not prepared to talk about" whether the school had considered firing Neuheisel.

June 4, 2003 — NCAA launches inquiry into Neuheisel betting on college basketball. Neuheisel confirms he bet on the NCAA men's basketball tournament for the past two years as part of an annual auction with his friends and neighbors.

June 12, 2003— UW Athletic Director Barbara Hedges announces that she plans to fire Neuheisel and places him on paid suspension. Under the terms of his contract Neuheisel has until June 26 to appeal.

 

[Dback Jon]

Interviewing with the 49er's - every coach has done similar stuff.
Basketball Pool - no big deal.

Minor recruiting violations? Depends on what they were. If the NCAA had the mind to throughly investigate ANY program, they would find minor violations. This is for ANY coach, any sport, any school.

I remember when Illinois got hit in the 80's - some of the cited violations included things like a recruit came to Illinois for a visit from the South in the winter. The recruit did not have a jacket, and it was freezing out. The assistant coach that picked him up lent him a coat for the duration of the stay, without charging him rent on the coat.

 

[Southpaw]

Interviewing with the 49er's - every coach has done similar stuff.
Basketball Pool - no big deal.

Minor recruiting violations? Depends on what they were. If the NCAA had the mind to throughly investigate ANY program, they would find minor violations. This is for ANY coach, any sport, any school.

I remember when Illinois got hit in the 80's - some of the cited violations included things like a recruit came to Illinois for a visit from the South in the winter. The recruit did not have a jacket, and it was freezing out. The assistant coach that picked him up lent him a coat for the duration of the stay, without charging him rent on the coat.

It would also matter who flipped Rick in. Often times it is a pissed off conference rival coach, who wasn't as lucky as the flipped in coach on recruiting. Example is Zook at Illinois. Seems some conference coaches are convinced he cheats. Professional jealousy rears its ugly head. Success breeds jealousy.

 

[Dback Jon]

It would also matter who flipped Rick in. Often times it is a pissed off conference rival coach, who wasn't as lucky as the flipped in coach on recruiting. Example is Zook at Illinois. Seems some conference coaches are convinced he cheats. Professional jealousy rears its ugly head. Success breeds jealousy.

Indeed. A lot of Illinois' problems were caused by other coaches, like in Basketball, Iowa ass coach Bruce Pearl, which is another reason to hate Tennessee

All coaches skirt the line, some more than others. Colorado was Rick's first big-time job, and undoubtably he made mistakes. Hopefully, he has learned from that.

 

[Southpaw]

Rick will be going up against Pete who might be the master of deception when it comes to recruiting. He could get lost in the background and get away with a lot. I don't suspect he will have to.

 

[Russ Smith]

UCLA may have hit the big one with this pick. Tinseltown now has a coaching rivalry brewing. Crazy Carroll vs. Slick Rick. Recruiting in that town should get real interesting.

BTW, does Rick have any QBs coming back healthy?

they have a kid who redshirted this year, Forcier I think I forget the spelling. Some services rated him quite highly, others not so highly.

I think they have a pretty heralded guy coming in with the 08 class if he sticks to it.
Looked it up, Nick Crissman from Huntington Beach Scout ranks him #8 QB prospect nationally.

Forcier was the 19th rated nationally in 07, get this one scouting report compares him to Josh mcCown, great athlete apparently has a weird motion that they're trying to correct.

So they potentially have 2 young kids to work with.

 

[Russ Smith]

Rick will be going up against Pete who might be the master of deception when it comes to recruiting. He could get lost in the background and get away with a lot. I don't suspect he will have to.

I'm actually taking the other angle on it I fear Neuheisel is going to think hey if that's what it takes and USC is doing it, I'll do it too. I really hope Guerrero put things in the contract that make it very clear what kind of program UCLA wants him to run and what they won't tolerate.

 

[Russ Smith]

Interesting rumor making the rounds. Michigan's QB coach is out because of the coaching change, and it's rumored touted freshman Ryan Mallett may leave too and follow him. UCLA is apparently rumored to be in the running for the QB coach and thus Mallett.

 

[Southpaw]

Interesting rumor making the rounds. Michigan's QB coach is out because of the coaching change, and it's rumored touted freshman Ryan Mallett may leave too and follow him. UCLA is apparently rumored to be in the running for the QB coach and thus Mallett.

UCLA makes the 27th college I have now heard Mallet is transferring to.

There is even a U of Miami rumor.