UCLA officials cautious about commenting on USC

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UCLA officials and coaches are mum ... mostly ... about USC’s probation.

Asked how the probation would affect the Pacific 10 Conference football race in the future, UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero said Thursday morning, “I couldn’t tell you. I have heard only speculation.” When told that Thursday morning’s Los Angeles Times article was confirmed by the NCAA report, Guerrero said, “I would have no comment.”

The cautionary stance extended to a teleconference with UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel. The call was set up to address the conference’s expansion, and the media alert sent out by the sports information department included: “This is the only subject he will discuss during the call.”

When asked about the probation, Neuheisel said, “I think it is inappropriate to comment on something if you are not directly involved.”

Asked whether the probation will create a similar upheaval to the Pac-10 as the announcement that Colorado was joining the conference, Neuheisel said, “It is certainly newsworthy. Lots will be made and speculated upon with all this movement, the conference alignment and so forth. At the end of the day, it will shake itself out. At the end of the day, we all are football coaches who have a job to do, and we‘ll do it.”

-- Chris Foster