Thursday, February 5, 1998
High school stars set to shine as top Bruin players
COLUMN: New prospects ensure next season will be even better
than last
In the words of the great Jimmy Johnson, "How ’bout them
Bruins?!"
Okay, so maybe he was talking about the Dallas Cowboys, but with
UCLA alum Troy Aikman in the pocket and Terry Donahue in the
running for their head coaching job, it’s basically the same thing,
right?
Well, not exactly: given the state of the two teams, the Bruins
could probably take ’em.
At least with the help of this year’s recruiting class.
I mean, come on: Dallas finished 6-10 and didn’t even make the
playoffs. Meanwhile, UCLA was 10-2, with a big bowl win, the No. 5
ranking, and now talk of Cade McNown as next year’s Heisman
favorite.
Yep, yep, yep. It seems that while no one was looking our little
Hoop U. has turned into a genuine football school.
Who’d a thunk it?
However, like the ‘Boys, the Bruins are learning that it’s hard
to keep a quality team together for long. (Of course, we’re losing
players to graduation, not the criminal justice system, so there is
a difference.)
UCLA has eleven starters returning from this year’s team, which
would be great if this were 1940 and ironman football was still the
rage. Unfortunately, this is 1998 and none of these guys is named
Charles Woodson, so the Bruins find themselves half a team
short.
Of those returning, only four line up on defense.
Which is where the recruits come in.
Next year’s freshmen consists of 11 defensive players, including
about a half dozen All-Americans. Of these, four have a serious
chance to make an immediate impact.
Linebacker Robert Thomas: 6-feet-2-inches, 225 pounds, a 4.6
second 40-time. (40-time? What is that, a measure of how fast they
can drain a bottle of Old E? Wow, 4.6 seconds, this guy’s
fast!)
Mr. Thomas is a baaaaad man.
From Imperial High in San Diego, he is considered by most
recruiting services as the best high school linebacker in the
country and one of the top three or four overall players.
Thomas recorded 600 tackles, 29 sacks and16 fumbles in his high
school career.
Safety Lovell Houston: 6-2, 180 pounds, 4.37 seconds (the lush).
One of the fastest defensive backs in the country, Houston is also
considered No. 2 overall at the position.
Oh, and did I mention that he also has a 38-inch vertical and
bench presses 305 pounds? This year he jumped and hit his way to
nine interceptions and three fumbles.
You name an All-America team, these two guys made the first
team: USA Today, Parade, ESPN, SuperPrep, etc., etc.
These impressive credentials, combined with the losses of free
safety Shaun Williams (the highest rated safety going into this
year’s NFL draft), rover Wasswa Serwanga, and linebackers Brian
Willmer and Danjuan Magee, give Thomas and Houston the best chance
for major roles next season.
Likewise, the departure of nose guard Weldon Forde could open
the door for one of the other two defensive gems, linemen Sean
Phillips and Ken Kocher.
Phillips (6-feet-5-inches, 255 pounds, 4.7), a Parade
All-American, hails from Sugar Land, TX (a real sweet place to grow
up), and is one of the top 10 line prospects in the country.
As a senior, he had 64 solo tackles, 10 sacks and forced five
fumbles.
(No knock against Phillips, but it should be pointed out that he
benches only 300 pounds, five less than the much smaller Houston.
That guy’s gonna be killer.)
Kocher (6-feet-3-inches, 285 pounds), a USA Today first-team
All-American, is also among the top 10 linemen. The SuperPrep Far
West Defensive Player of the Year last season, he had 17 sacks and
forced six fumbles.
If he has an Achilles Heel, it’s his speed: a pitiful 5.09 in
the 40. Better get to drinkin’, son; that sort of poor showing
isn’t acceptable in Westwood. Just ask the Madison’s contingent of
the men’s basketball team.
Regardless, he and his classmates have the future looking bright
for UCLA football.
How ’bout them Bruins?!
Rob Kariakin is a fourth-year student. E-mail responses to
[email protected].