UCLA's Kevin Craft loses starting job

George S. Patton · Post by **George S. Patton** » Mon May 04, 2009 10:32 am

This was the QB Jones was going after last year, and we lost out to slick Rick at the last minute.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4117148

Caballo · Post by **Caballo** » Tue May 05, 2009 1:25 pm

So I wonder how Craft feels now about his decision to forego a starting position as a QB at SMU where he would have thrown about a hundred times a game, for about a begillion yards and been the showcase QB for a coach who recently led his team to a BCS bowl from a non-BCS conference and who also has many ties to the NFL should a QB want to go in that direction.

Hope he has fun fighting for the third string QB position in LA. At least their cheerleaders are hot.

Dwan · Post by **Dwan** » Wed May 06, 2009 2:00 am

If you saw a UCLA game last year, it was very apparent that Craft, even with Norm Chow, was not a division one QB. I highly doubt he would have been a two year starter at any school in the country including SMU

kull · Post by **kull** » Wed May 06, 2009 9:14 am

my take: Craft has the tangibles. He get rattled and needs mental support. Rick knows a lot about football, but he is all about 5 step drops and timing. Chow is a scheme guy. Kraft went into the tank in week 1 and was yelled at constantly through the season, he needed to bring himself out and never did. He got beat by a better QB at UCLA. The transition from a WCO to Lavell Edwards reads and terminology was [deleted] the kid as well. Kevin's father is a WCO guru in California.

Cadillac · Post by **Cadillac** » Wed May 06, 2009 9:18 am

I also think that Craft would have been up against the same thing at SMU. Unless he was lights out in 2008, the home grown Candidate was going to be favored for 2009. The difference is that Jones wouldn't mention this to Craft until around September 1st.

-CoS

SMUtrojanFAN · Post by **SMUtrojanFAN** » Wed May 06, 2009 7:46 pm

SMU's OL was twice as good as UCLA's last year. No joke. Not all his fault. Fact is, the guy had a great attitude despite all the heat thrown his way.

ChrisFowler · Post by **ChrisFowler** » Wed May 06, 2009 10:42 pm

Nueweasal was like Tommy Lasorda last year, ranting and raving and waving his arms in the air; great way to absolve yourself of blame.

Carson Palmer didn't get it until the second half of his senior year (his second with Chow), so I wouldn't expect Kevin Craft to do any better. Especially, as SMUTrojan said, with guys no more athletic than me on the offensive line.