College Football -- UCLA Gets Cream Of California -- Bruins Considered To Have Pac-10'S Best Recruiting Class

Some say the power shift has been subtle.

With each disappointing season, Southern California was losing its hold on the state's top prep football talent. As the list of touted high-school All-Americans who languished on the Trojan sideline grew, USC's appeal dimmed.

But others suggest the shift was more dramatic.

The day John Robinson was fired and replaced by former Paul Hackett, USC fell from atop the recruiting hill. Hackett is great with the X's and O's, but he hadn't been in a high-school recruit's living room since leaving Pittsburgh in 1992.

"It takes some adjusting," Hackett said.

The Trojans didn't fall far, but they allowed their crosstown rival UCLA to ascend in the battle for the state's best football players.

And the Bruins have taken it to another level.

"By far and away, it's UCLA and Michigan," said Tom Lemming, recruiting analyst and publisher of the Prep Football Report. "They are the best we've seen in a long while."

Already UCLA is considered to have the best recruiting class in the Pac-10 Conference without receiving oral commitments from two highly sought-after prospects, running back DeShaun Foster and offensive lineman Mike Saffer.

With them, the Bruins would pass Michigan as having the top recruiting crop in the country.

"We're getting the kids we want," said Gary Bernardi, UCLA's recruiting coordinator. "And that's about all you can ask for."

The Bruins' success centers around an offense that finished 11th in the country last year and features preseason Heisman Trophy candidate Cade McNown.

They went after receivers and nabbed the best tight end (Sia Makakaufaki of Laguna Hills, Calif.) and split end (Paul Nelson of San Bernardino, Calif.).

UCLA also loaded up on offensive linemen, grabbing two of the top six in the West Coast, Blake Worley of Mission Viejo, Calif., and Scott Weigand of Arcadia, Calif.

"Linemen aren't like quarterbacks and running backs," Weigand told PrepStar magazine. "You kind of want to go to the same place as the other top guys coming out that year. You want to be where the best are."

Weigand and Worley might influence Saffer, a USA Today first-team All-American. "I've been told that they've been calling (Saffer) and pushing him to go there," said Jeff Scurran, Saffer's coach at Sabino High School in Tucson.

As good as UCLA's recruiting list appears, offensively the Trojans are close.

USC lured Carson Palmer, a 6-5, 210-pound quarterback, with the promise of competing for a starting position next year. The Trojans need a quarterback to run Hackett's West Coast offense, and Palmer has impressive credentials.

He finished his senior season with a 13-0 record, 2,685 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. He gathered 10 out of 10 votes on the Best in the West list published by the Long Beach Press-Telegram and was a SuperPrep All-American.

Carson considered Washington but quickly chose USC, which may force another highly touted recruit, Jason Thomas of Compton, Calif., to look for another school. Thomas had chosen the Trojans but now is considering Nebraska.

USC's coaching change caused several recruits to rethink their commitment. "Let's just say, I'm not sure," said Jermaine Brooks, a SuperPrep All-America linebacker from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

But others remain faithful to USC, such as running back Sultan McCullough of Pasadena, Calif. His stats equal Foster's, and he is one of the nation's fastest prep seniors,, having run the 100 meters in 10.24 seconds and the 200 in 20.6.

"USC and tailbacks are synonymous," said Jason Bornn, a coach at John Muir High School, which McCullough attends.

Stanford is the only Pac-10 school that recruits nationally; it pulled recruits out of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, Virginia, Utah and Florida.

However, California is still an important recruiting source, and Stanford landed the top defensive lineman in the state, Matt Leonard, a 6-4, 280-pound senior from Palmdale, Calif.

Last year, the Cardinal had the second best recruiting class in the conference largely because it secured the nation's top quarterback in Randy Fasani.

This year, the offensive talent wasn't nearly as good. They will sign as many as six offensive linemen.

"When you get somebody that talented like (Fasani) you need people around him, to protect him, to throw to," said Mike Bowen, a recruiting analyst in California. "That seems to be their approach."

Arizona is perhaps the biggest surprise of the recruiting season.

The Wildcats received an oral commitment from Leo Mills, a 6-2, 215-pound running back from Humble, Texas. He's the second best runner in the state and gained over 2,000 yards his senior year.

Mills is considered an impact player who will push for a starting job. However, he has yet to earn a qualifying score on college entrance exams, and Arizona might lose him to a junior college.

Arizona State outdueled cross-state rival for the top in-state recruits, but its class doesn't have the appeal of the Wildcats.

Still, the Sun Devils will get immediate help from three junior-college transfers, and running back Kyran Jones (a 6-0, 170-pounder from Peoria, Ariz.) should get some playing time.

Next is Washington.

The Huskies are waiting on Anthony Kelley, a tight end/linebacker from Pasadena. He received seven votes on the Best in the West list and could be their top player if he signs. They must also wait for running back Willie Hurst of Dominguez Hills, Calif., and Mike Belisle, an offensive lineman from Coos Bay, Ore.

With those three, the Huskies would move past Arizona State. If they loses one, they would remain in fifth place. Lose two or more, they would drop to sixth and maybe seventh in the conference.

Hurst appears to be a lock but has expressed an interest in Arizona.

Without him, the future running game would rest with Ferndale's Matthias Wilson, who ran for a state-record 2,678 yards.

"Year after year, we don't get the kids the recruiting gurus say we should get, and that probably won't change," said Dick Baird, Washington's recruiting coordinator. "But we get the kids we feel good about."

Washington State normally recruits several junior-college players and at-risk students but this year made an extreme departure from that approach.

So far, the Cougars have received oral commitments from three JC transfers, including running back Kevin Brown, who rushed for 1,762 yards and 20 touchdowns at San Francisco City College.

WSU needed to replace its four members of its "Fab Five" receiving corps and recruited three talented prep receivers. David Baker, a 5-10, 155-pounder from Tacoma's Curtis High, might be the best.

The Oregon schools finished behind Washington in the Northwest recruiting wars.

Oregon went after immediate help and is expected to sign five junior-college players, the most promising being Reuben Drouhns, a 6-1, 205-pound running back at Merced College.

"The teams that didn't get the top prep talent went after junior-college players," Bowen said. "You see a lot of that in the Pac-10. There's an emphasis to win right now, and if you can't get a prep kid who'll play right away, then the junior-college route seems to be the way to go."

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. BEST OF PAC-10 RECRUITING .

. UCLA . Prep All-Americans at every position. Considered top class nationally.

. Robert Thomas San Diego LB 6-2 225 . Top LB in the country . Lovell Houston Denver DB 6-1 183 . USA Today All-American . Paul Nelson San Bernardino, CA WR 6-3 201 . Top WR on West Coast . Mike Saffer Tucson, AZ OL 6-5 290 . May lose to Nebraska . Ken Kocher San Diego DT 6-3 280 . 1st-team Best of West .

. USC . Hurt by late coaching change. No longer the top recruiter in the West. Carson Palmer Santa Margarita, CA QB 6-5 210 . Top QB on the West Coast . Jason Thomas Compton, CA QB 6-4 230 . May lose to Nebraska . Sultan McCullough Pasadena, CA TB 6-0 180 . Another late NEB steal? . Jermaine Brooks Rancho Cucamonga DL 6-3 265 . Considering Mich/LSU .

. Stanford . Very good recruiting class last year, but mediocre season hurt this year's crop . Matt Leonard Palmdale, CA DL 6-4 280 . Top DL on West Coast . Colin Branch Carlsbad, CA DB 6-1 185 . SuperPrep All-Star . Eric Heitman Katy, TX OL 6-5 280 . PrepStar Dream Teamer . Caleb Bowman Sandpoint, ID WR 6-2 170 . Top in-state recruit .

. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- . Arizona . Focused on skilled positions. Mills was a great find out of Texas. Leo Mills Humble, TX RB 6-0 220 . May lose to JUCO . Andre Gayles Kentridge HS WR 6-0 170 . Best of Gayles brothers? . Ryan Zylius San Marcos, CA TE 6-6 255 . A late steal from USC . Jason Johnson Rogers HS QB 6-3 195 . 2,433 yds, 26 TDs .

. Arizona State . Defensive line is much improved with three JC transfers. Kyran Jones Peoria, AZ TB 6-0 170 . Top in-state recruit . Michael Ainsworth Monrovia, CA DB 6-1 175 . Kid brother of OSU WR . Jawell Samiton LA Southwest CC DL 6-4 290 . Immediate starter . Orlando Huff Sacremento CC DL 6-3 235 . Very good pass rusher . Damien Niko Mesa, AZ OL 6-5 300 . 2nd best OL in state .

. Washington . Not a prep All-American in the group, but what else is new? Still tops in NW. Matthias Wilson Ferndale HS RB 6-0 198 . State record 2,678 yds. Antonio Cooks San Francisco DB 6-1 185 . Late pickup . Toalei Mulitauopele Walla Walla JC DL 6-7 320 . Worth the wait . Will Hooks, Jr. Anchorage DB 6-1 185 . UW's first 2-way player? . Willie Hurst Compton, CA RB 5-9 185 . The next Shehee? .

. Oregon . Needed immediate help in backfield and recruited two JC transfers. Reuben Drouhns Merced College RB 6-1 205 . Projected starter . Corey Chambers Tustin, Ca OL 6-3 310 . Squats 400 lbs.;Good size . Josh Jones Peoria, AZ OL 6-4 285 . State's top OL prospect . Cy Aleman Ashland, Ore. WR 6-4 187 . Only in-state recruit . Chad Chance Scottsdale CC RB 6-2 220 . Projected backup . --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- . Washington State . The Rose Bowl helped Cougs gather the best collection of WRs in Pac-10 . Jason Gesser Honolulu QB 6-2 195 . 24-0 as a starter. . David Baker Curtis HS WR 5-10 155 . Fab Five replacement . Tim Lemon LaMirada, CA WR 6-1 175 . Another speedy WR . Derrick Dillon Rogers HS WR 6-2 180 . 52 catches, 8 TDs .

. California . Small recruiting class and very little recognizable talent . Damion Marzatt LA-S'West JC, CA DB 6-0 190 . JUCO All-American . LaShaun Ward Pasadena, CA WR 6-1 195 . May lose to USC/Mich/Neb . Marcus Helfman Agoura, CA TE 6-5 235 . Solid run-blocker .

. Oregon State . Failed to entice top Californian prospects to leave the Sunshine state. Mike Kuykendall Bend, Ore. OL 6-5 275 . Brother plays for OSU . Shawn Kintner Salem-McNairy, Ore. WR 6-4 185 . 77 rec., 1,574 yds. . Eric Bracken Compton, CA DB 6-3 200 . Projected starter .

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. BEST IN THE WEST .

. The Best in the West list, compiled annually by the Long Beach Press-Telegram, is a rating based on how many major-college coaches who recruit heavily on the West Coast believe a recruit will be an impact player by his sophomore year. .

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. 10 Michael Ainsworth, Monrovia DB-WR 6-2 175 . 10 Justin Fargas, Sherman Oaks, Notre Dame RB 6-1 185 . 10 DeShaun Foster, Tustin RB 6-1 205 . 10 Ken Kocher, San Diego Patrick Henry DT 6-3 280 . 10 Sultan McCullough, Pasadena Muir RB 6-0 180 . 10 Carson Palmer, Santa Margarita QB 6-5 210 . 10 Jashon Sykes, Gardena Serra OLB 6-3 220 . 10 Jason Thomas, Compton Dominguez QB 6-4 230 .

9 Taylor Barton, Beaverton, Ore. QB 6-2 185 .

9 Mike McNair, Santa Ana Mater Dei RB 6-2 225 .

9 Robert Thomas, Imperial LB 6-2 225 .

8 Hakim Akbar, Riverside Poly DB 6-0 190 .

8 Todd Heap, Mesa, Ariz., Mountain View TE-OLB 6-4 210 .

8 Herman Ho-Ching, Long Beach Poly RB-SS 6-1 195 .

8 Matt Leonard, Palmdale OL-DL 6-4 280 .

8 Blake Worley, Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley OL 6-6 270 .

7 Omar Bennett, Beverly Hills WR 6-0 170 .

7 Jared Jones, Walla Walla QB 6-5 210 .

7 Kyran Jones, Peoria, Ariz. RB 6-0 170 .

7 Anthony Kelley, Pasadena Muir TE-OLB 6-3 215 .

. SECOND TEAM .

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6 Joey Boese, Santa Ana Mater Dei WR 5-11 170 .

6 Jermaine Brooks, Rancho Cucamonga DL 6-3 270 .

6 Corey Chambers-Alston, Tustin OL 6-4 300 .

6 Hayden Epstein, Torrey Pines PK 6-1 175 .

6 Scott Huber, Palos Verdes Peninsula TE/DE 6-4 250 .

6 Willie Hurst, Compton Dominguez RB/CB 5-9 185 .

6 Adam Kennybrew, Beverly Hills QB 6-1 165 .

6 Gary Love, Los Angeles Jefferson WR/DB 5-11 180 .

6 Sale Makaraufaki, Laguna Hills TE 6-4 240 .

6 Ryan McCann, Agoura QB 6-4 200 .

6 Paul Nelson, San Bernardino WR 6-2 190 .

6 Carlos Pierre-Antoine, Seattle, Wash., O'Dea LB 6-2 225 .

6 Mike Saffer, Tucson, Ariz., Sabing OL 6-5 280 .

6 Nathan Wente, Canby, Ore. TE 6-8 225 .

6 Scott Wiegard, Arcadia OL 6-7 270 .

6 Rusty Williams, Vista TE/DE 6-4 240 .

. HONORABLE MENTION .

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5 D'Shaun Crockett, San Jose Oak Grove RB/CB 5-8 175 .

5 Tim Lennon, La Mirada WR/CB 6-1 175 .

5 Keith Miller, Gardena Serra LB 6-1 215 .

5 Frank Strong, Stockton Franklin FB/OLB 6-2 205 .

. WASHINGTON PLAYERS .

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4 Andre Gayles, Kent Kentridge WR 6-1 170 .

4 Luke Huard, Puyallup QB 6-4 220 .

3 Derrick Dillon, Puyallup Rogers WR 6-2 180 .

3 Chris Jackson, Kent Kentridge LB 6-4 240 .

2 Scott Lesure, Port Angeles DL 6-5 270 .