Editor’s Note:  New data from US government sources proves Karl Dorrell has lost UCLA Millions of Dollars .. read here. 

Look back at the 4 years of Karl Dorrell’s tenure as head coach and it’s not too hard to figure out what the key to his performance is: it’s his assistants. In 4 seasons, as we have pointed out many times, Karl Dorrell has had 3 different offensive coordinators and 2 different defensive coordinators (certainly a record somewhere) … and a large number of position coaches. If we follow the performance of the team during those years it’s the performance of the assistants that determined the results.

To give you an idea, after his first three years Karl had already basically fired everyone on both sides of the ball because, well, the team was underperforming and that was the easiest way to deflect criticism directed at himself. It was not Karl who was the bad coach, it was the assistants.

2003 Offensive Coaches Scapegoated

In his first season, 2003, Karl Dorrell’s offense sputtered putting up less than 20 points a game and coming in near last in the country (ranked #110) in total offense. Karl fired OC Steve Axman, the highly touted quarterbacks guru who couldn’t get Matt Moore or Drew Olson, or the rest of the offense, to perform. The defense performed better, but with such a lousy offense, teams weren’t needing to run up the score to win. Defensively we ranked in the top 20. The problem with the team was the offensive assistants, not Karl. So the offensive coaches were fired, including many positions coaches (the ones we remember were OL coach Mark Webber and TE coach Gary Bernardi).

In 2004, KD hired former Idaho head coach Tom Cable, a West Coast offensive mind. UCLA improved on offense jumping to #28 in the nation in total offense and averaging 30 points a game. Karl could keep his offensive coordinator this time. On the defensive side though things started to look bad for KD and Kerr. We slipped to #106 nationally in total defense. Karl had another scapegoat in Kerr, but would give him 2005 to make things better. Still, we ended the season 6-6 with a loss to Wyoming in a no name bowl.

2005 Defensive Coaches Scapegoated

In 2005, KD’s magical 3rd year 10-2 team, offensive coordinator Tom Cable opened up the offense (often at the close of game to overcome deficits) to great results, improving to #23 nationally. It helped that Cable had 3 future NFL players at key positions but it was still a dynamic productive offense. Cable saw the writing on the wall however and bolted after last season’s success to the NFL, along with 2 other position coaches. They knew with so many starters leaving, the KD bus was about to fall apart. Nevertheless, Karl Dorrell was suddenly a great coach on the rise.

The one problem: defense. We were lucky in 2005 to outgun teams at the end of the game to win. Our defense was horrible, ending the season near dead last in the country at #113. So Karl did what Karl does, he fires the person responsible, DC Larry Kerr. Karl was the genius offensive guru that now got rid of the problem with our defense. 2006 was looking to be a great year.

2006 Offensive Coaches Scapegoated

Unfortunately, with Cable gone the offense went back to being horrible, ranked #76 in the nation this year after a mediocre 7-5 season. What happened to KD’s genius coaching? Cable left and Svoboda was hired is what happened. Had nothing to do with KD’s coaching ability. We all now anticipate Svoboda will be fired and the problem on offense will be gone. We get to keep the great head coach Karl Dorrell.

On defense though, KD finally hit gold in his 2rd DC hire in 4 years by hiring DeWayne Walker prior to this season. Voila, the defense is good under Karl Dorrell. Or is it Karl Dorrell? We are still 7-5 and without new DC Walker we would have ended below .500 and KD would be looking for a new job. Even with a 7-5 season, and everyone knowing that Walker is the man who turned around our defense, everyone is talking about how great Karl Dorrell is as a head coach. It’s amazing.

2007 The Big Year??

So in 2007, with all the returning starters and all the returning seniors, and the easier schedule, and the 1 year return of Walker, Karl Dorrell has a chance to become a “great coach” … by hiring a great offensive coordinator. KD will not risk calling the offensive plays knowing that all criticism will be pointing to whomever does that next year when we lose games. No one is going to point to Walker as the problem. So KD will hire a new scapegoat at OC. If he hires a great OC for a one year championship run KD can have his breakout year. But we all know that its the assistants that made the team, not Karl Dorrell.

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