ANNA AVIK Former UCLA quarterback, Ron
Caragher, is one of the youngest assistant coaches on the
football staff.
By Joshua Mason
Daily Bruin Contributor
It wasn’t too long ago that Ron Caragher was pacing the
sidelines of the Rose Bowl as a player.
These days, the former UCLA quarterback has the same
disposition, only now in the role of coach.
One of the youngest assistants on the Bruin football staff,
Caragher is certainly living out his dreams in his fifth year as
the wide receiver and punting coach for one of the nation’s
most talented offenses.
“I would have to say I enjoy this game and all that
it’s about,” Caragher said. “I’m such a
hands-on coach that I can’t help being enthusiastic in
practice and game situations.”
The Morgan Hill, Calif. native certainly gets pumped about his
work, but his receivers claim that he’s also the type of
coach who keeps his cool when the going gets tough.
“He’s not one of those coaches that’ll get in
your face and put you down if you make a mistake,” said
freshman receiver Tab Perry. “He’s just so nice of a
guy that you have to respect him.”
Not only a great guy, Caragher also draws raves about his
coaching abilities.
In his short five seasons, the coach has already worked with
some of the greatest receivers in UCLA football history, among them
Jim McElroy, Danny Farmer, and current stars Freddie Mitchell and
Brian Poli-Dixon.
“The system we have is a good one for a receiver to
showcase his talents,” said Caragher. “They come in
here as good players, and we just try to get them to perform to
their potential.”
Like his modesty, Caragher’s abilities as a hands-on coach
most likely stem from the four seasons (1985-89) he served on the
sideline as UCLA’s backup quarterback, two of which came
under the collegiate campaign of current NFL star Troy Aikman.
“I remember the first day Troy came out to play
catch” Caragher recalled, “and just warming up, my
hands were all red and hurting from the football. I knew right then
that he had a strong arm, and he certainly carried that out during
his career here.”
“I think being able to watch a great quarterback like that
from the sideline was a tremendous help to me, in that I could see
firsthand what the standard for an excellent play is. It’s
that standard that I like to tie into the mindset of my
players.”
Caragher brings several other advantages to the table as a
former quarterback providing tutelage to a group of receivers.
“The thing I like to pass on to my receivers is what a
quarterback looks for,” Caragher said. “How a
quarterback likes separation from defensive backs, how patterns
work, and things of that nature.”
In doing so, Caragher is able to reveal to his receivers
important facets of the offensive scheme that a former receiver may
not have the capacity to do. Caragher’s background has
enabled him to stress the importance of working angles and getting
good separation, as well as convey to his receivers the offense in
a broader sense.
“Receivers often only think of a play in terms of their
own individual routes,” said Caragher. “I like to teach
that five offensive routes consist of one single pattern so they
can see the whole picture and become more mature players in the
process.”
At this point in the season, Caragher’s receiving corps
has certainly received attention. Opposing coaches regard juniors
Freddie Mitchell and Brian Poli-Dixon as one of the best 1-2
punches in the nation. Mitchell himself leads the nation in
receiving yards per game at a 122.8 clip. For Caragher, however,
it’s not always the stats that matter.
“I think Freddie is having a good year,” Caragher
said. “More satisfying to me than his catches and touchdowns
is his improvement in other areas ““ blocking down field,
pattern running, and other things that aren’t just catching
the football.”
The respect from Mitchell seems to be mutual.
“Coach Caragher knows his stuff- he’s a great
receivers coach and without him, I wouldn’t be having the
yards that I’m having,” Mitchell said.
“He’s coached a lot of great receivers, and
they’re not where they are just on accident. You sense some
reason behind that.”
Apart from his coaching duties, Caragher also plays a strong
role in the recruiting of potential Bruins.
Perry and redshirt freshman Craig Bragg were two receivers
Caragher helped lure to UCLA because of his northern California
roots.
“Coach (Caragher) seemed really sincere about the things
he said when he was recruiting me and he was able to gain my
trust,” Perry said.
Off the field, Caragher takes care of his other family, spending
most of his free time with his wife, Wendy, a former Bruin
women’s tennis player whom he met in school, and his three
younger boys, Josh, Ron and Ryan.
“When I was waiting in line all those years as a backup
quarterback behind a guy everyone knew was going to the NFL, there
was a time when I thought about leaving and going somewhere else to
play,” Caragher said.
But he didn’t, met his wife and enjoyed the rest of his
days at UCLA.
“It worked out very well for me,” Caragher said
“As for the rest of my career, it’s always fun to
think about what could happen, but I enjoy where I’m at
now.”
Caragher doesn’t seemed too worried about the future
because he’s having fun coaching at the school where
he’s spent over eleven years of his life.
As long as his two families are happy, Caragher seems to be
content with where he’s at.