Fitterer Switches, Commits To UCLA

Scott Fitterer has changed his mind about playing football at the University of California now that the Bears have made several coaching changes.

Instead, the Kennedy High School quarterback has orally committed to UCLA, he announced last night.

Once Coach Bruce Snyder left Cal for Arizona State, Fitterer was thrown into a state of confusion.

One of the big reasons he had picked Cal was Steve Mariucci, Cal's quarterback coach.

Mariucci was interviewed for the head coaching job, which instead went to Washington's Keith Gilbertson. Mariucci then accepted a job with the NFL's Green Bay Packers as quarterback coach.

"Every coach on the Cal staff has left," Fitterer said. "I was pushing for Mariucci to get the head coaching job. But when they named Gilbertson, that made it tough, too. I would have liked to have played for him in his offensive style.

"But they still haven't named a quarterback coach. I was so confused with what was going on. I talked to the recruiting coordinator one time, but then I went 2 1/2 to three weeks without talking to a coach. I was left out in the dark. I wasn't sure how they felt about me."

Homer Smith, a UCLA assistant coach, called Fitterer "about an hour" after Snyder announced his departure and invited him for a visit. Fitterer (6 foot 2, 192 pounds) originally had planned to visit UCLA, but canceled the trip after committing to Cal.

"I decided to make the trip (weekend before last) and I went down there and really liked it," he said. "It was really beautiful."

Fitterer said he still was considering Cal and ASU as well. Gilbertson had called "and said he was looking forward to me going down there (Cal)." But Fitterer's mind was all but made up after the UCLA trip. Smith came to Kent this past Saturday with the official offer from UCLA and Fitterer accepted.

"I really like Coach Gilbertson, but it's a better situation for me at UCLA," he said. "They don't have very many quarterbacks down there at all."

Lineman commits to UW

-- Joe Wells, an offensive lineman at Arroyo Grande, Calif., has announced his intent to accept a football scholarship from the University of Washington. Wells, 6-4, 290 pounds, is considered an exceptional pass-blocker, said his coach at Arroyo Grande High, John Huss.

At Washington, Wells will join his brother, Jay, a freshman fullback who redshirted last season. Joe Wells is the 13th high-school senior to announce his intent to accept a Husky scholarship.

Players can make it official by signing letters of intent, beginning Feb. 5.

Reyna chooses WSU

-- Brandon Reyna, a 6-3 1/2, 306 pound Class AA all-state lineman from Bellingham High School, has orally committed to Washington State. His brother, Jay, completed his Cougar eligibility last fall as a defensive lineman and special-teams player. Brandon said he would begin his Cougar career as a defensive lineman.

Olson quits at Terrace

-- Craig Olson has resigned as head football coach at Mountlake Terrace High School. Olson, who has been the head coach for five years, had a 6-36 record. He will stay at the school as a teacher. "I have a 2-year-old and a 7-month-old, so from that standpoint, it wasn't that difficult of a decision," Olson said. "From the standpoint of working with kids, it was tough."