Neuheisel Still Keeping Thoughts to Himself

Maybe it was his upbringing. Rick Neuheisel, smooth, likable, forever young, exhibits uncommon diplomacy for a coach. If he doesn’t have anything nice to say, he keeps his mouth zipped.

So after UCLA caused the Washington coach a third disappointment in eight years by whipping his team, 35-13, Saturday, he kept his comments brief, packed up and went home.

Home, of course, is Seattle, not Westwood, which reminds the former Bruin walk-on quarterback of the first disappointment.

In 1993 Neuheisel was the UCLA receivers coach under Terry Donahue. He had talent and aspirations, and when the offensive coordinator position opened he figured it was his.

Donahue, however, brought in an outsider, the offensive coordinator at Texas A&M.; A fellow named Bob Toledo.

Neuheisel said nothing. In his mind, acrimony between he and Donahue, his mentor, was a private matter.

His sister, Nancy, showed less restraint, calling a Los Angeles talk-radio show and saying, “Rick feels as if he has been kicked in the stomach. He thought he would be at UCLA forever, and this is how he’s treated? Today is Rick’s birthday, and how is he spending it? He’s teaching the offense to Bob Toledo.�

Not for long. Colorado called, Neuheisel became the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator, and within a year was the coach when Bill McCartney resigned. A year later Donahue left UCLA, and Neuheisel was a leading candidate until withdrawing out of respect for Colorado, which had shown great faith in hiring a 33-year-old head coach.

Neuheisel went 33-14 and 3-0 in bowl games with the Buffaloes before moving to Washington in 1999. That led to disappointment No. 2.

Washington met UCLA in a late-season game at the Rose Bowl knowing a victory would almost certainly ensure a return trip to Pasadena on Jan. 1. But the injury-ravaged Bruins snapped out of a nightmare season long enough to dash Washington’s dream, 23-20, in overtime.

How did Neuheisel respond? Typically, he offered platitudes. His true feelings were difficult to gauge. But last season his team spoke for him, going 11-1, beating UCLA at Seattle and winning the Rose Bowl game over Purdue, 34-24.

He was back with an unbeaten team Saturday, but the Huskies were no match for senior-dominated UCLA. DeShaun Foster ran for 301 yards, the most ever against Washington, which had a 12-game winning streak snapped and probably will be stuck with a rebuilding tag the rest of the season.

This is all Neuheisel had to say: “They dominated play. No excuses. We’ll go back to Seattle and regroup and try to get better.�

For someone who appears so open, Neuheisel is difficult to read. Is there lingering bitterness? Did he take special delight in defeating UCLA last year? Did the loss Saturday cut especially deep?

Is he satisfied in Seattle, where his salary is about double Toledo’s, or at age 40 does he continue to long for what he always said was his dream job?

“I don’t spend much time thinking about things that didn’t happen,� he said on the eve of Washington’s game against UCLA in 1999. “I count my blessings, in all the good things that have happened to me in my life.�

UCLA is pleased with Toledo, who like Neuheisel is well-liked by players, administrators and boosters. Donahue very well might have chosen the right man eight years ago, as head-scratching as the move was at the time.

Neuheisel, unwaveringly well-mannered and politically correct, says he doesn’t look back. By this time, he deserves the courtesy of being taken at his word.