Dorrell will not coach Bruins in Las Vegas Bowl

UCLA announced that football coach Karl Dorrell, dismissed yesterday, will not coach UCLA during the upcoming Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl against BYU. The full announcement:

"Karl Dorrell has decided not to coach the UCLA football team in the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 22.

“I appreciate the opportunity to coach in the bowl game, but I have decided it is in the best interests of the program for me to decline that opportunity," said Dorrell. “The game should be about the players, especially the seniors. While I would love to take the field with these young men one last time, I felt that my situation would take the focus away from our players and their efforts and that’s the last thing I would want to do.

“I wish the players great success against BYU and in their respective futures.”

The move leaves DeWayne Walker as the interim head coach of the Bruins as they prepare, an exceptional opportunity for Walker to showcase his potential ability as a head coach although he does not have any head coaching experience.

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero was conducting individual interviews with the defensive coaches today. Guerrero said yesterday that he expects all of the assistant coaches to remain on the job with the team and fulfill their recruiting responsibilities. He said their contracts through June of next year will be honored.