UCLA football players' ditch day gets a harsh reaction

At Florida State, Chief Osceola throws a flaming spear into the ground to announce the Seminoles' arrival on the field. At Clemson, players touch "Howard's Rock" as a promise to give their all during a game. At UCLA? Players run away.

The Bruins went "over the wall" Tuesday, a UCLA football tradition in which players bolted from practice for a self-imposed day off -- high-tailing it through a gate instead of scaling the practice facility wall as tradition demands.

It left Bruins coaches angry, high school coaches and potential recruits in attendance perplexed and fans questioning the team's commitment. Though visibly upset, first-year Coach Rick Neuheisel tried to put a lighter touch on it Tuesday, saying, "Maybe we can banish it forever since no one went over the wall."

His mood Wednesday was unknown, as a UCLA official said Neuheisel was unavailable for interviews.

The flight cost the Bruins a day of practice in their effort to rebound from a series of mediocre seasons.

Neuheisel apologized to an officiating crew that was assigned to work scrimmage portions of the practice.

Meanwhile, coaches from La Palma Kennedy High, who had come to Westwood to see practice, left shaking their heads.

"I guess that's why they're in the Lay's Potato Chips Bowl every year," said Chris Pascal, Kennedy's freshman coach.

Coaches from Encino Crespi High also left with a vivid impression.

"Let me put it this way, they wouldn't have done that at Fresno State," said Coach Jeremiah Ross, a former Fresno State player.

Pascal said he and other coaches had yet to receive an explanation or apology from UCLA as of Wednesday afternoon even though they were required to leave their e-mail addresses when they signed in before practice.

"They had recruits there, and can you imagine what they think after being driven there and being sent back onto the freeway at 5 p.m.?" Pascal said. "The four of us were standing there for a half-hour, someone could have said something. On the way home we thought about going over to USC because we knew they would be on the practice field."

Reaction from UCLA fans was equally harsh Wednesday.

"This is exactly why USC wins and UCLA is subpar," David Wong said in an e-mail. "The culture of USC is to practice hard and play hard. UCLA's culture apparently is ditch practice and play around Westwood."