UCLA HIRES RICK NEUHEISEL - He's a college man again - The former Bruins QB and assistant answers questions about his past and gets the job he has always wanted. He will try to keep Walker.

"There is going to be a moment when I sit back in my chair at Morgan Hall and pinch myself and think how lucky it is to be back home," Neuheisel said.

While that can be left to different interpretations, there was no doubt that the Bruins' prodigal coach was relieved to be back at UCLA, ending a monthlong process to replace Karl Dorrell.

Neuheisel and UCLA agreed on a five-year deal that will pay him $1.25 million per season and includes incentives that could add $500,000 a year. It is the latest step in what has been a tumultuous collegiate coaching path for Neuheisel, one that led back to UCLA, where he was a player and an assistant coach.

He brings with him a 66-30 record during eight seasons as head coach at Washington and Colorado, though his departure coincided with NCAA investigations at both universities.

Neuheisel will finish out his duties as the Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator today, then will be introduced at a UCLA news conference Monday before he starts assembling a staff and shoring up recruiting.

He can accomplish a little of both by retaining DeWayne Walker, the Bruins' defensive coordinator who was the interim coach for the Las Vegas Bowl. Walker, who was also a finalist for the job, is the linchpin for the Bruins' recruiting efforts.

Neuheisel said he would meet with Walker, adding, it is "important to do everything I can to make him feel welcome."

UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero, meanwhile, said he had found the right person for the job after an "exhaustive" search in which Boise State's Chris Petersen refused to participate and Oregon Coach Mike Bellotti issued a rough "thanks, but no thanks" statement.

"Rick was on our radar screen from the beginning," Guerrero said. "He had a good track record as a collegiate coach and that ultimately was the deciding factor in our decision."

Other issues had to be addressed first. Neuheisel spent four seasons at Colorado, leaving behind a lengthy list of secondary violations that helped land the Buffaloes on probation for two years. He spent four seasons at Washington before being fired for his involvement in an NCAA basketball betting pool. He later filed a wrongful termination suit and received a $4.5-million settlement from the NCAA and Washington.