UCLA Has Freshman Quarterback, Too

Don’t look now, but UCLA has a freshman quarterback, too.

It wasn’t a surprise in Westwood, like it was across town. Kevin Prince went from running the Crespi High School offense two years ago to running the scout team as a redshirt last season to being the anointed starter after spring camp. After Kevin Craft threw 20 interceptions last season, were things really going to get worse with a freshman?

Prince has some advantages his predecessor would envy — and not just a much stronger arm.

Prince will be behind a larger, stronger offensive line than the porous one Craft tried to set up behind last year (UCLA had seven games where Craft was sacked three or more times). This year, UCLA’s offensive line averages 312 pounds — a credit to coach Rick Neuheisel’s recruiting efforts. UCLA also has a faster, more athletic defense that should keep games close so the offense does not feel like it has to score every time it touches the ball.

But still, UCLA (and USC) is going with a freshmen quarterback. Traditionally that means up and down seasons with some mistakes that cost teams games. But trusting the freshman tends to pay off over time.

Look at former Bruin Cade McNown, who midway through Terry Donahue's last season became the starter. McNown threw for 1,698 yards for a team that showed promise and finished 7-5. His junior and senior seasons, McNown led the Bruins to 10-2 seasons.

Pretty much the same thing happened to Carson Palmer at USC — an up and down freshman year that was eventually followed by a Heisman Trophy.

And the list goes on. Matthew Stafford was pretty average as a freshman starter at Georgia, but by last season he was the top pick in the NFL draft. Brady Quinn was 6-6 as a freshman but went to BCS games his last two years. Jake Plumber led Arizona State to a 6-5 record as a freshman but almost won them a national title his last season.

You get the idea. Prince is going to make a few mistakes for UCLA, but with a young team around him they are going to learn the lessons. And that is going to pay off a couple years down the road.