Posted
Tuesday, Dec. 4 2007 5:00 pm
Dorrell done too soon for Bruins
Bruin coach wasn't given fair shot while coaching an injury depleted team, by an athletic director who lacked patience.
By Jeffrey Davenport
The L.A. Pilot
When Karl Dorrell took over as UCLA’s head coach five years ago, he wanted to set new standards. He wanted to get his players out of the newspapers for off-field problems so they could focus more on his team’s play on the field.
He succeeded.
We are talking about his football team more.
Unfortunately for Dorrell, he also brought a standard to the field that was too
consistent: inconsistency.
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| Karl Dorrell was inconsistent, but he deserved more time at UCLA. (Darryl Dennis/Icon SMI) |
So it was inevitable that UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero fired Dorrell Monday. He didn’t know what Dorrell was going to do next.
Could he duplicate the 10-win season of 2005 that was filled with thrilling comebacks, but eliminate the blowout losses to unranked Arizona (52-14) and top-ranked USC (66-19) that same year?
Could he get his Bruins to build on a 13-9 upset victory over USC in 2006, without playing a dud against Florida State in the Emerald Bowl?
Could he still beats the Cal’s, the Oregon State’s and the Oregon’s without losing to the likes of Utah and a hapless Notre Dame squad.
But in spite of the inconsistency, Dorrell wasn’t given a fair shot,
Guerrero told the Los Angeles Times that UCLA needs to hire a coach who is “in the national rankings every year and that can knock on a [Bowl Championship Series] door."
Isn’t that what every athletic director wants.
In sports today everyone demands instant gratification and success. If the coach doesn’t deliver it within five years it’s “let's drag in some other guy who might be better.”
Was Karl Dorrell the right guy? Probably not. Did he have enough time?
We’ll never know.
In Dorrell’s case he was playing with a fourth-string quarterback for part of the year. It’s hard to get a measuring stick out when you are not competing with your top players.
He was on the right track in bringing in more talent. He is bringing in his best recruiting class ever (currently No.4 on Rivals.com).
Those recruits will be happy to know that they will be playing for someone else.
Yeah right.
UCLA is happy to point out that they excel in many sports. They have 100 national championships. That’s impressive.
The have one in football.
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| UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero has wantedthe Bruins to "take the next step" in football. It may never happen. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times) |
Maybe that’s why Boise State head coach Chris Peterson, one of UCLA’s top targets, isn’t jumping at the opportunity and says “I’m not interested in that place.”
Guerrero told the Times he “wants the Bruins to take the next step.”
He has been looking for them to take the next step for a while. They came close with Bob Toledo until things spiraled out of control. Guerrero chose Dorrell, things didn’t spiral out of control, but it didn’t work.
Maybe the Bruin’s will never take the next step in football.
UCLA is a basketball school.
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| Boise State head coach Chris Peterson is one of UCLA's top targets to replace Dorrell. He says "no thanks." (Joe Jaszewski/Idaho Statesman) |
No wonder Peterson referred to it as “that place.”
Why would he want to leave a Boise State program where football is the dominant program on campus.
UCLA needs to realize that an 8-4 season is the norm, not “knocking on the door of the BCS Championship.
The only time they knocked on the door was in 1998 and then the Miami Hurricanes slammed it in their face.
The reason USC was able to rebound from their football woes of the ‘90s after they got the right coach, is because football is at the core of the school.
The reason the Bruins have been able to ascend to the top of college basketball with Ben Howland is because it was in their roots.
Do the Bruins have the resources to make it a 9-3 football program. Yes.
It’s like the way USC basketball has the ability to win 20 games and go to the NCAA tournament. But a national championship, unlikely.
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| Even John Wooden took 16 years before he brought UCLA its first national championship in baseketball. |
Guerrero needs to remember that sometimes good things take time. John Wooden began coaching basketball at UCLA in 1948. He didn’t win his first national championship until 1964. It took the legendary coach a long time to take “the next step.”
Is Karl Dorrell the next John Wooden. As of now, no. Could he be. Maybe. Wooden wasn’t “the Wizard” for sixteen years.
Once he found the correct formula he couldn’t be stopped until he had won 10 national championships.
You can’t develop a blueprint for success unless you have adequate time to do so. Gary Pinkel of Missouri is in his sixth year and his team is 11-2. Mark Mangino is also in his sixth year and his team is 11-1.
Is the sixth year the magic number? To Guerrero, Dorrell was too inconsistent to be given that chance. A lot of coaches are never given that chance anymore.
Give a coach seven years to prove himself. Give him time to score a touchdown and kick the extra point.
If he doesn’t begin to show consistency and win after that time, then it’s time to punt.
In Dorrell’s case, UCLA punted on third and inches and muffed it.
There will be a new coach next season coaching Dorrell’s players and UCLA will have a better season. They will be healthy, talented, ready to go, and the new coach will get all the credit.
Guerrero will have his instant gratification. We’ll just see how long it lasts.
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