Just My Type

The Interview

Rick Neuheisel
UCLA FOOTBALL COACH

I was in the stands on Sept. 1, when the Bruins upset Tennessee 27--24. UCLA faces No. 18 BYU on Saturday.

Dan Patrick: I don't make many house calls, but when I think someone needs my help, I'm there. Coach, we're 1 and 0.

Rick Neuheisel: Dan, I looked for you. Were you talking to [QB] Kevin Craft in the first half?

DP: I hid behind Kareem during the first half. I didn't want to get hit by any of Craft's passes. [The junior threw four first-half interceptions.] Does it help, your being a former quarterback? I know you struggled when you had your debut for UCLA in 1983, but do you sympathize with Craft, or do you just want to shake him?

RN: Well, both. You feel terrible for him because you've been there, and you know how that feels inside, your guts are just churning. But you also are trying to shake him out of it and trying to explain to him what's going wrong and why, and how quickly he can get out of it. Maybe the best thing that happened was that at halftime, the entire defense told him, We got your back, don't worry about it.

DP: Do you believe you're one of the top 25 teams in the country?

RN: No. Because I haven't seen all the teams in the country, and I'm like you: I don't believe that it makes a lot of sense to decide who's the best right now.

DP: Who did you vote Number 1?