Neuheisel knows he's on the shortest of leashes
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By JEFF S. MILLER / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LOS ANGELES ?- He opened with a joke, an admirable gesture for a man who's dead.
Rick Neuheisel, in his first formal comment on the upcoming football season, announced he's on "the proverbial hot seat" and, as such, was "excited to be invited to any of these things."
Imagine what Neuheisel would have said Tuesday at Pac-12 media day if he weren't such an undying optimist.
Dead, that's what Neuheisel is. Already. Nearly two weeks before UCLA's first practice.
Dead, unless his Bruins suddenly leap forward during a season in which the forecast calls for only a small step.
Dead, unless the man who always thinks positive can somehow will his team to produce positive, too.
Hey, we're not being overly dramatic, not when the coach himself brings up the "hot seat" before anyone in the media even has a chance to ask him if his cheeks are roasting.
"To deny that the number of wins is important is putting your head in the sand," Neuheisel said. "Getting to the postseason is huge because that's where the perception of the program changes. It's postseason or it's not postseason.
"Right now, we've got to get over this hump of (being) mediocre. I've got a bunch of kids (who) are poised to do it. And I've got some coaches who are ready to lock arms and do it, as well. So that's going to be exciting."
A short time later, he added, "When we get there, this is going to be really, really good."
And that's what makes this nearly impossible situation even harder to witness. Neuheisel is so damned optimistic, such a breeze to talk to, so easy to appreciate that to see him dying is tough.
He won't measure the season this way, so we'll do it for him: The Bruins have to make a bowl game for Neuheisel to retain his job. No question. And even that might not be enough.
Missing the postseason for a third time in Neuheisel's four seasons would be asking the boosters, alumni and faithful for far too much patience. Especially now, when 70 teams make bowl games and only 50 don't.
Just improving won't suffice. It's bowling or bust this year at UCLA.
"I don't quantify it (that way)," Neuheisel insisted, expressing an opinion as popular in Westwood right now as "Fight On." "I think people have to see UCLA football played really, really well. Now, hopefully that does parlay itself into a bowl game..."
Neuheisel believes his survival depends on rallying Bruins fans around the performance ? more than the result ? reestablishing hope in a program that, under his guidance, is 15-22 since 2008.
We believe that, while sounding encouraging, this idea couldn't possibly float. Bruins followers need to see more than just their team playing better; they need to see their team playing in December.
More still, they need to see their team winning and doing so right from the start. A 1-3 September could sink this whole operation.
Neuheisel even said, "It doesn't take long to win back your constituency. They just want to know that there's reason for their optimism."
Again, encouraging. However, we'd point out that last season, after the Bruins returned home following their stomping of Texas in Austin ? a victory that, at the time, was startling and unforeseeable ? the Rose Bowl featured entire empty sections for the Washington State game.
Just a few weeks later, Neuheisel and the Bruins were being booed by that constituency.
Tuesday, here was the coach characterizing the running game being "light years ahead of where we were" and the defense having depth previously unseen during his tenure. He referenced "great optimism" and "a great chance" and being "thankful."
And we couldn't help but wonder if Neuheisel was burying himself in an avalanche of feel-good, all this rah-rah setting himself up to fall dramatically should the offensive line continue to struggle and the quarterback play sag.
"If we can go on the road and beat Houston (in the opener) and do so in an impressive way, look like a well coached and sound, fundamental football team, I think they'll come out the next week and be excited," Neuheisel said of the fans.
"And if we can find a way to win that one (against San Jose State)," he continued, "then the next one's against Texas. It can happen that fast. We're not that far away from getting this jump-started."
He sounded convincing, even if he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
No, that's not accurate. Neuheisel is sold, to be sure. He's certain UCLA football ? under his leadership ? will be back, as certain as he is that "good things happen to good people."
That's another thing Neuheisel said Tuesday. He talked a lot, all right.
We have to be honest. We'd really like to believe him. Sure would make for a great story, a program coming back to life in the hands of a dead man.
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mredinburgh
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There are two eras here for Neuheisel: With Chow and without. Personally I?d like to see what he can do without Chow. But if he only has one year to turn it around in the post Chow era, he?ll have his work cut out for him. But if anyone can do it, Neuheisel can. Is he the right coach for this team? I believe 100% that he is. Will the angry mob give him more than one year in the post Chow era to prove it ? probably not. So to that angry mob ? be careful what you wish for. That kind of thinking is how we ended up with Obama.
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sacar47
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First off, UCLA has to recruit an excellent QB prospect. The last two QBs have been marginal at best. If you are going to stick with the "Pistol", then you need a
Massoli (SP) type guy, who has the running skills to be a true threat.
If you try to use this offense with the existing QBs, it is destined to fail.
I am a UCLA fan, but getting extremely discouraged with what we have seen on the field in the last several years.
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