With the football season only 67 days away, a lot of interesting news is coming out of Westwood. recruiting is picking up and some high profile transfers are looking at UCLA as possible destinations.
First off, since football is a quarterback driven sport, UCLA picked up one of it's most important commitments, QB Brett Nottingham from Monte Vista HS in Danville. Nottingham is from a UCLA family, his father and two sisters are all Bruins. Nottingham committed on the spot once given a scholarship offer and said it was a "dream come true" to be a Bruin.
Nottingham
Nottingham also was named the top performer at the Elite 11 quarterback camp at UNLV this past weekend. Apparently he didn't have the best arm strength at the camp, but his accuracy in the short to intermediate passes was by far the best.
The Bruins also picked up another commitment on the defensive line. Wesley Flowers a defensive tackle from Edison HS in Fresno is the second player to commit from Edison to UCLA this year, joining safety Tevin McDonald. Flowers is going to have to get bigger in order to play at UCLA so don't expect an immediate impact. But it is still a great pick up for a position of need.
Flowers
Last season at the University of Colorado at Boulder, wide receiver Josh Smith was an all-purpose yard machine. Smith, from Moorepark, decided that he wants to pursue a degree in Music Producing and Colorado doesn't have that major. So Smith has been granted his release to transfer and is looking hard at coming to UCLA. Apparently, if UCLA has scholarship space, there is a good chance we will see Smith in a UCLA jersey soon.
Smith
Smith is also the uncle for highly touted running back Darrell Scott, the number one recruit coming out last year. He battled injuries last year at Colorado, where he committed to be with Smith. Although he says he will stay in Boulder, if he struggles again its possible he would transfer to be closer to home. UCLA finishedthird for him on signing day.
Scott
Another high profile player looking to transfer closer to home is tight end Joseph Fauria, nephew of former NFL tight end Christian Fauria. Joseph had been at Notre Dame and was looking to be the primary back up this year when a off the field incident got him suspended from the team. Apparently the matter was laughable and Fauria chose to transfer instead of going back to play for Charlie Weis.
Fauria
Fauria is from Encino and played with our quarterback Kevin Prince. Fauria is also a beast at 6-foot-7-inches and 250 pounds. He would likely have to sit out a year, but he also has a redshirt year that he has not taken. If he came to Westwood and sat out, he would be a sophomore for the 2010 season.