Football Recruiting - West Region: UCLA Bruins

There were a number of highly recruited quarterbacks at last weekend's Elite 11 stop in Northern California, and all eyes were on Vanderbilt commit K.J. Carta-Samuels (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine Prep), Michigan commit Wilton Speight (Richmond, Va./Collegiate School), Oregon commit Morgan Mahalak (Kentfield, Calif./Marin Catholic) and Miami commit Brad Kaaya (West Hills, Calif./Chaminade), in addition to the top quarterback in the West region, Keller Chryst (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto).

But several other quarterbacks managed to play their way into the spotlight, including Keaton Dunsford (Santa Rosa, Calif./Cardinal Newman), who jumped out early and often.


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Heading into the 2012 season, the Culver City (Calif.) Centaurs were faced with two distinct question marks at cornerback.

It would be the first time sophomore Stanley Norman played the position after bouncing between linebacker, safety, running back and wide receiver during his career. And it would be junior Kevin Beacham's first time ever playing football, let alone cornerback.

One year later, those question marks have straightened themselves into exclamation points as Norman and Beacham prepare for the 2013 season as one of the top cornerback tandems in the region.


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Texas’ search for potential 2015 quarterback targets has taken Major Applewhite all the way out to California.

The Longhorns offensive coordinator has at least five West Coast quarterbacks on his radar right now and is visiting them this week. Kyle Kearns is glad to know he’s one.


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Damien Mama (Bellflower, Calif./St. John Bosco) made himself invisible to college coaches for a short time this spring, which isn’t an easy thing for a 6-foot-4, 352-pound recruit -- as well as the No. 68 player overall and No. 3 offensive guard in the country -- to do.


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Lessons Learned: Oakland NFTC 

May, 19, 2013
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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Despite being one of the final stops in Nike Football Training Camp tour, Oakland certainly proved it was worth the wait. The event’s biggest impressions centered around a handful of ESPN 150 members, the region’s top-rated running back, an SEC-committed quarterback and performances by Northern California-based recruits, who definitely defended their turf.

Star power shined

Nine campers earned invites to The Opening, including ESPN 150 members Adoree' Jackson (Gardena, Calif./Serra), Michiah Quick (Fresno, Calif./Central), Joe Mixon (Oakley, Calif./Freedom) and Dalton Schultz (South Jordan, Utah/Bingham).

And while the big-name prospects proved themselves, there were also some under-the-radar athletes who had standout performances, as linebacker Joey Alfieri (Portland, Ore./Jesuit), quarterback Kyle Carta-Samuels (San Jose, Calif./Bellarmine Prep), lineman Kammy Delp (Pomona, Calif./Diamond Ranch), cornerback Adarius Pickett (El Cerrito, Calif./El Cerrito) and safety Brandon Simmons (Arlington, Texas/Timberview) received golden tickets.


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Quips go to Pitt.

That is the expression in Western Pennsylvania. The elite prospects from talent-rich Aliquippa (Pa.) High almost exclusively go to nearby Pittsburgh to star for the Panthers. Jonathan Baldwin, Tommie Campbell and Darrelle Revis are all NFL players who came through Aliquippa and then Pitt.

So four-star athlete and ESPN 150 member Dravon Henry feels the pressure to stay close to home. In fact, Henry is related to Revis and former NFL lineman Sean Gilbert, who also went the route of Aliquippa to Pitt.


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In one of the least surprising developments of the 2014 recruiting class, three-star wide receiver Dionte Sykes (Chandler, Ariz./Chandler) is headed to the school he always knew he'd attend.

Sykes, who was previously offered by Arizona, Arizona State, Michigan and Michigan State, among others, picked up an offer from UCLA earlier this week and didn't need more than a few moments to know he would commit. On Thursday evening, he made it official by committing to the Bruins.

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ESPN 150 safety Bishard Baker (Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue) estimates it took about a month for a few generic pieces of USC mail to turn into a consistent stream of handwritten letters.

On Tuesday afternoon, the increase in contact culminated to a scholarship offer.

“They started sending me a whole bunch of handwritten letters, so I wanted to see what would happen,” Baker said. “It came slow, but then it picked up.”


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Long Beach (Calif.) Poly is the kind of high school football power where a four-loss season constitutes a disappointment, no matter the circumstances. So then why is it that a 12-4 record in 2012 has so many people around the Jackrabbits program so excited for 2013?

It stems from the belief that one of darkest days in program history is helping to shine the spotlight forward onto one of the most anticipated seasons of Poly football.

It was understandable to see sadness merge into confusion for the Jackrabbits players as they walked off the field following a 56-0 loss at the hands of Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne last September. They'd never seen the scoreboard look like that in their time at Poly. For that matter, neither had their parents, nor their grandparents. It had been nearly 100 years since the Jackrabbits suffered a defeat of that magnitude -- a 62-0 loss to San Diego High in 1916 -- and if that was rock bottom for the 2012 team, the following week didn't offer much of a reprieve as Poly dropped a 29-6 decision to Bakersfield (Calif.).

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Corona (Calif.) Centennial was the place to be for college coaches this past Thursday, as the Huskies went through their spring showcase event designed to give schools from every level a chance to evaluate the juniors and top underclassmen. More than 30 schools were represented, including coaches from Alabama, Oregon, Stanford, UCLA, USC and Washington.


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Recruiting Pitches: Pac-12

May, 10, 2013
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Inspired by Florida's "#ComePlayWRFortheJoker" campaign, our recruiting writers looked at other ways schools can sell themselves on the trail. Here's a look at recruiting pitches for the Pac-12:

Arizona Wildcats
What they're selling: Rich Rodriguez's offensive system worked wonders at West Virginia and introduced the nation to Denard Robinson at Michigan. In 2012, the explosive offense scored at least 34 points in 10 of the Wildcats' 13 games.
What they're missing: The Wildcats don't have the Territorial Cup, which went to Arizona State following a 41-34 victory last season. If Arizona is going to climb the Pac-12 ranks, it'll need to win at home and lock up local talent over the Sun Devils.

Arizona State Sun Devils
What they're selling: There's a new attitude at Arizona State, as Todd Graham took the Sun Devils from the most penalized team in the country to one of the least penalized in just one year. Installing that discipline and accountability has been a major selling point for recruits signing up to play with Graham.
What they're missing: The Sun Devils won their final three games of the season for the first time in more than three decades, but losses to UCLA and USC leave them looking up at the Pac-12 South leaders in the battle for national prominence.

California Golden Bears
What they're selling: One of the top public universities in the world, Cal will always be able to pitch its strong academics to recruiting. The new facilities and revamped California Memorial Stadium will help accentuate the package with a pretty bow.
What they're missing: Coach Sonny Dykes has recent Pac-12 experience, but his three years at Louisiana Tech took him completely out of the minds of West region recruits. In-state recruits, essential to Cal's recruiting success, are unfamiliar with what Dykes' systems look like in game action, although the Golden Bears will have a chance to make several statements this fall.

Colorado Buffaloes
What they're selling: The Buffaloes need playmakers at a multitude of position on both sides of the ball. Playing time and the ability to make an instant impact are certainly on the table for Colorado recruits.
What they're missing: Colorado was two points away from a winless season in 2012 and has very little on-field momentum heading into 2013. The Buffs have just four wins in two years in the Pac-12, and until that changes, it'll be difficult to win significant recruiting battles.

Oregon Ducks
What they're selling: The noisy uniforms and noisier Autzen Stadium provide the flash, but there is plenty of substance in the fast-paced offense the Ducks run. It's unlikely that will slow down under new coach Mark Helfrich.
What they're missing: Mostly obviously, they're missing Chip Kelly, which has left a slight cloud over how the program might change direction or continue unaltered under the new staff. But the possibility of looming NCAA sanctions means the Ducks can't sell completely smooth sailing to recruits in this class.

Oregon State Beavers
What they're selling: The Beavers can sell credibility, not just on the field, but with the coaching staff as well. Mike Riley and his staff have proven they can win in Corvallis and year after year, the Beavers' coach comes across as incredibly genuine to recruits.
What they're missing: In state, Oregon State is the decided underdog when it comes to flash and national appeal. The Beavers aren't often referred to as a "dream school" by recruits, so there is rarely a sure-fire commitment for coaches when they go out of state.

Stanford Cardinal
What they're selling: Arguably no school in the country has the combination of academics and athletics of Stanford. When you're recruiting student-athletes, that's a good place to start.
What they're missing: Despite the recent success, Stanford is never going to be able to put together the game-day atmosphere of some of its Pac-12 competition, including Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington.

UCLA Bruins
What they're selling: Jim Mora's staff has Southern California buzzing about the new direction UCLA is headed. That's a good thing for the Bruins, who have climbed out of the shadow of USC.
What they're missing: The Bruins had a chance to completely pass USC, but dropped their final three games of the season. There is still a question about whether they've jumped the Trojans for good and until that is settled on the field this season, the Trojans will likely get the benefit of the doubt, regionally and nationally.

USC Trojans
What they're selling: No Pac-12 program can fall back on tradition like USC. And now with the John McKay Center, old school meets new school in a much-needed facility upgrade.
What they're missing: Rumblings about Lane Kiffin's job security began after a 10-point loss to UCLA, grew louder after a loss to Notre Dame and became deafening after a Sun Bowl loss to Georgia Tech. Despite athletic director Pat Haden throwing his full support behind the coach, recruits and their families are having difficulty believing Kiffin and his staff are there for the long haul.

Utah Utes
What they're selling: Offensively, there is plenty of intrigue as to how co-offensive coordinators Dennis Erickson and Brian Johnson direct the attack. Overall, there is still the memory of what Utah was able to accomplish as a BCS spoiler in 2008, and Kyle Whittingham hopes to spark some of that magic in the Pac-12.
What they're missing: In two years, the Utes are below .500 in the Pac-12 and missed out on a bowl game last season. At this point, it's still an uphill climb in terms of convincing recruits they can cause an upheaval in the conference standings.

Washington Huskies
What they're selling: It's tough to find a coaching staff with more energy on the field or recruiting trail, starting with head coach Steve Sarkisian and moving to every assistant coach on the staff. It's a young group that relates incredibly well to recruits.
What they're missing: The Huskies have yet to win eight games in Sarkisian's three years in Seattle, so hitting that number would be a big step toward proving there is some growing on-field momentum.

Washington State Cougars
What they're selling: Mike Leach is still one of the most interesting personalities in college football, and despite some stumbles in his first year at Washington State, recruits are still interested to see what the Cougars can do this fall in his second year.
What they're missing: The Cougars need wins and they need them now. Washington State hasn't posted a winning record since 2003 and when it comes to on-field performance, it simply can't compete with a majority of Pac-12 teams.
Heading into the spring, it was difficult to imagine any duo in the West region stealing the recruiting spotlight from Gardena (Calif.) Serra's Adoree' Jackson and Dwight Williams. And while the five-star cornerback and four-star linebacker still rank as two of the more highly-recruited players in the country, some of the buzz has shifted to another set of teammates in Southern California. You won't hear much complaining from Jackson and Williams, however, as they share a locker room with the new dynamic duo.

Outside linebacker John Houston and defensive end Rasheem Green -- stars of the 2015 recruiting class -- didn't step into the recruiting process this spring; they dove in. For both, it was outstanding performances at the Los Angeles Nike Camp that catapulted them onto the radars of college coaches. UCLA offered both shortly after the event and they have been on a roll since then.


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Cornelius Sturghill quickly has become a nationally known prospect.


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Some of the top prospects in the West turned heads during this past weekend's IMG West Regional, but while Adoree' Jackson (Gardena, Calif./Serra), John Smith (Long Beach, Calif./Poly), Tyler Luatua (La Mirada, Calif./La Mirada) and Jalen Brown (Phoenix, Ariz./Mountain Pointe) are some of the area's most well-known prospects, a few lesser known recruits made their presence felt as well.

" Athlete Jake Mann (Carlsbad, Calif./La Costa Canyon) made a statement early and often, as he was the go-to receiver for Team Elevate and came up with a huge game against Ground Zero in the 8-9 matchup on Sunday. The scrappy receiver was left bloodied after the game, but was the driving force in the close win. Mann will play quarterback this fall, but will play slot receiver at the next level. He visited Texas and Texas A&M this spring and will likely be back to compete in the Longhorns' summer camp. He said Cal, Harvard, Montana, San Diego State, UCLA and USC have been by the school.


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John Smith (Long Beach, Calif./Poly) proved during his junior football season that he would be one of the region's top recruits for the 2014 class. But the 6-foot-1, 185-pound athlete is proving this spring that he is one of the top targets nationally, as well.


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