Football: Loyola could be losing one of its quarterbacks

On Tuesday,  Los Angeles Loyola quarterback Jerry Neuheisel showed up to a passing competition with a sore arm, but his backup, junior Brett Nelson, was nowhere in sight and apparently making plans to transfer

This is about the least surprising development of the summer, for whatever decision Coach Jeff Kearin made in picking a starting quarterback, the runner-up was expected to shop for another school.

This has become part of the high school sports scene. Two summers ago, after Nick Montana showed up at Westlake Village Oaks Christian, three backup quarterbacks transferred to other schools.

But there's no easy decision for the 6-foot-3 Nelson, who has a strong arm and was talented enough to be the varsity backup as a sophomore. One school he'll probably look at is La Canada St. Francis, a school his family has ties to, but the Golden Knights already have a senior starter and their backup is a junior, James Bonds, the son of Coach Jim Bonds.

And St. Francis Principal Tom Moran hasn't approved many transfers. Nelson also has to have a change of residence to be eligible. So I feel sympathy for Nelson's plight, but transferring is no guarantee of playing time or success. Loyola sure could have used him Tuesday.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Comments

[Bobby Sans]

Well Eric, Acorrding to your artical , it seems that the Coach of Loyola, has his mind made up , about who his starter is. It is a lot eaiser to tell an average joe that, his sons not going to play , than it is , the coach for UCLA.

[Mark Gallagher]

Eric, I enjoy following So Cal High School sports and your articles. I think that the naming of Rick Nueheisel's son as the starting quarterback before camp week is a really foolish move by the Loyola coach. Now it appear he may be losing one of his quality quarterbacks to a transfer. Anything can happen before the first game in the Fall. I am not an insider but it looks like to me that pressure from Westood is the only logical reason for this dumb descision. Grow some........Coach Kearin!!

[cub97]

It seems that even when Kearin has a plethora of talent (this time at the QB position) he still finds a way to muck things up. A very talented QB Ryan Griffen, ended up transferring to Chaminade under Kearin's watch a couple of years ago for the same reason. Kearin told him, long before the season ever started, that he had no shot at getting playing time. Which turned out to be very stupid thing to say as the other 3 QBs that stayed on the roster performed terribly that year and Griffen probably would have played and won the job.

It's time for Kearin to resign.