FanHouse JayNorvell

For Iowa State, their next football coach was obvious. All they needed to do was send a dump truck full of money to Turner Gill's office in Buffalo and the former Nebraska quarterback would be Iowa-bound. It didn't work out that way, though, as Gill signed a contract extension with Buffalo on Tuesday.

That makes ISU athletic director Jamie Pollard's job about 30% harder, which means it's now Impossible + 30%. You can tell the stress is getting to him. He hasn't yet started calling Gene Chizik "a great big lying poopy-pants" but it sure seems like he wants to. And now he the obvious guy is off the market.

Of course, if Pollard's got a sense of humor at all, he's already been in contact with Tommy Tuberville's agent. Tubs might not like Ames winters, but he's known to have a mean streak. What better way to get back at Auburn than to take Gene Chizik's players and put up a better record than the Golden Boy? All he has to do is win four games to exceed Chizik's best season.

While that would be triple-distilled awesome, I don't expect it to happen. But where will Iowa State find its next coach?

Although the UCLA Bruins started spring camp expecting a heated race for the starting quarterback spot, it seems that neither Pat Cowan nor Ben Olson are actively trying to win the job.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, "Ben Olson completed 6 of 11 passes for 100yards and one interception - on a tipped pass - and Patrick Cowan was 2 for 8 for 7yards." The only touchdown of the scrimmage was scored by the third-stringer, McLeod Bethel-Thompson.

Bruin optimists will say that the lack of offensive productivity comes from the fact that the defense is just so good this year--but this is Westwood, so the spin is that the quarterbacks are still learning new offensive coordinator Jay Norvell's system.

Last Year: 6-7, unranked

Fans Are: Into basketball.

Expectations: Win nine games and beat USC.

Questions:

1. How in the world did UCLA beat USC again?

In one word: DEFENSE. The Bruins brought in a new defensive coordinator for 2006--DeWayne Walker--and had two weeks to scheme for what had become a rather predictable Trojan offensive system. On the other side of the ball, the Bruins' most productive play was backup quarterback Pat Cowan scrambling for his life.

The Bruins, however, will have to travel to the Coliseum this year, where they lost 66-19 two years ago.

2. Is there a quarterback controversey in the works?

Last year, Brigham Young transfer Ben Olson started the season for the Bruins, giving the Sons of Westwood high expectations on his reputation as "Southpaw Jesus"... Olson got injured midway through the season and was replaced by Pat Cowan.

Cowan then did the unthinkable and led UCLA to a win over cross-town rival USC, who had been poised to play for the BCS Title against Ohio State. Cowan then topped himself in unthinkability when he made Jeff Bowden look like an offensive genius during the Bruins beat-down from Florida State in the Emerald Nuts Bowl.

Head coach Karl Dorrell had consistently said that if Olson were healthy he'd play...so those who are hoping for more Cowan heroics in 2007 may have to cool their heels.

3. Who are those new guys on the sidelines?

UCLA had a major blood-letting on its offensive coaching staff this off-season. Dorrell told Offensive coordinator Jim Svoboda in January, "you're fired!" Offensive line coach Jim Svoboda then left for the NFL and wide receivers coach D.J. McCarthy then left for greener pastures at Louisiana State.

Nebraska's Jay Norvell takes over for Svoboda in 2007 and Bob Connelly takes over the offensive line--each the fourth to hold the position in Dorrell's five-year tenure in Westwood.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers found their new OC Saturday, and it didn't require a big national search. Tight ends coach Shawn Watson was hired to replace Jay Norvell who joined the UCLA staff after three years in Lincoln.

He sounds like someone who can compliment coach Bill Callahan in that he is versed in Callahan's offense and outlook.

He has an excellent offensive mind and has worked in this type of offensive system for a number of years. Shawn is also extremely organized and detail-oriented, and I am excited to having him lead our offensive unit

Don't expect many radical changes for the Husker offense, however. This is Bill Callahan's offense - part of the reason Norvell left for UCLA. Callahan calls the plays and can lead some to interpret his OC's as puppets.

That said, Watson was Colorado's offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2005 and head coach at Southern Illinois from 1997 to 1998.

So, what does this mean for Big Red? More of the same, probably. Watson has plenty of Big 12 experience and should nicely compliment Callahan's offensive duties. He's familiar with the personnel having spent a year as an offensive assistant (tight ends) and will have the luxury of coaching several fine offensive players like tailback Marlon Lucky, senior transfer quarterback Sam Keller and receiver Maurice Purify.

Lil' Red may be coming to Los Angeles--at least metaphorically.

While the transition between offensive coordinators went smoothly this week at USC, the search for a new playcaller in Westwood is taking its time. All we know now is that Jim Svoboda will not be offensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins next year and that Nebraska's Jay Norvell is being considered for the job.

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, "Norvell was one of the coaches Dorrell interviewed," when Steve Axman was fired in 2003.

On paper, Norvell's Cornhusker offense is just what the doctor ordered for UCLA--ranking among the tops in the nation in scoring and total offense. However, UCLA fans would rather not win statistical contests if their team isn't winning games--something Nebraska struggled to do down the stretch in 2006.