Aundre Dean, Katy High running back and UCLA recruit, has a lot on his mind these days.
It is a hectic week in Texas for many cities and small towns from the Rio Grande to Red River. The football playoffs start tonight and Katy is the second-ranked team in Class 5A, which in Texas terms means the Tigers are only slightly less important to locals as remembering the Alamo.
Still, Dean can't help doing a little California dreaming. He was one of 23 players who have committed to play at UCLA in 2008. He made his decision in April, though, back when the Bruins still had a Texas-sized hope for their 2007 season.
But a disappointing season has put UCLA Coach Karl Dorrell's job in jeopardy and caused some concern among the team's latest group of recruits. Dean says he is still committed to UCLA, but the volatile situation has him taking precautions. He arranged extra recruiting trips to Louisiana State and Kansas State.
"If everything stays the same, if [Dorrell] stays, then good," Dean said.
If not?
"I've got to have a backup plan," Dean said.
Given this uncertainty, Dorrell gathered as many recruits and their families as possible at UCLA on Monday.
Dorrell and his staff have a murky future as a season of promise has turned into another IOU to UCLA fans. The Bruins have a 5-5 record after losing four of their last five games, and have tumbled out of the Pacific 10 Conference title race.
But the losing does not concern recruits nearly as much as Dorrell's shaky future. This is a delicate dance for a coach on the brink. The Bruins are expected to have a top-flight recruiting class next fall, provided everything goes as planned.
That was a topic of discussion Monday, as a source familiar with the program said, "It had to be addressed and it was."
Asked how he handles recruiting in these uncertain times, Dorrell said, "You have to go business as usual. I'm going to continue to work hard on the field, off the field, recruiting, and all the stuff that's my obligation to do. I'm sure they hear the information that [the media] has presented out there. I've got to continue to do my job."
Recruits, though, are wondering if the job will still be his next season. Milton Knox, a running back at Lake Balboa Birmingham, will make recruiting visits to Florida and Colorado, and Florida coaches are already expected to offer him a scholarship.
