Guerrero: "An opportunity for Rick to start anew"

"After a thorough and exhaustive search process, I am absolutely thrilled to name Rick Neuheisel as our new head football coach."

Dan Guerrero’s comment on this afternoon’s conference call brought an end to the UCLA head coaching search that began after the dismissal of Karl Dorrell on December 3.

"In the end," said Guerrero, "it was all about 66 collegiate wins and a winning percentage that places him among the top active coaches in the country and an opportunity for Rick to start anew with a clean slate at his alma mater."

Among the points made by Guerrero during almost a two-hour conference call that included a comical half-hour during which Guerrero’s comments about Neuheisel were replayed on the line over and over again:

>> The search was lengthy and was designed to be confidential; a lot of names were thrown out and contact calls were being made well after Neuheisel and others met with Chancellor Gene Block. Neuheisel was offered the job this morning.

>> "Rick’s past transgressions very much an issue for me," said Guerrero. He said he spoke with contacts at the NCAA, at both schools at which Neuheisel had been the head coach before and with others and was satisfied that such activity was behind him.

>> Neuheisel’s contract is for five years at a base salary of $1.25 million per year with up to $500,000 in annual incentives plus participation in camp revenues and other ancillary items.

Guerrero pointedly declined to name other coaching prospects that had been contacted during the search, noting that he had emphasizes the confidentiality of the process to everyone who was involved.