Football Team

Raymond Nelson, freshman tight end at UCLA, has been kicked off the team for an incident that occurred before the Bruins played Illinois in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on Dec. 31. Nelson was sent home the day before the game for violating team rules, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak on the subject. Coach Jim Mora, hired last month, reviewed the situation before making his decision. Neither Mora nor Nelson could be reached for comment.

Chris Czernek of Newbury Park High is featured on The Times' 1995 All-Ventura County football team. The junior quarterback set a state passing record, throwing for 4,362 yards this season. Czernek earned player-of-the-year honors. Other award winners include Hueneme's Ronney Jenkins, who rushed for a national-record 619 years in a game against Rio Mesa and earned back of the year, and Brant Diediker of Newbury Park, the lineman of the year.

Reserve quarterback Damone Scott has quit the Cal State Northridge football team because of a lack of playing time. Scott, a senior from Long Beach, had yet to get into a game this season. "I couldn't understand why I wasn't in the (second-string) position," said Scott, who made his decision to quit last week. "I hate it to end like this. I'd hate for one of them (Marty Fisher or backup Coley Kyman) to get hurt." In 1991, Scott started two games after Fisher suffered a broken ankle.

Clothes may make the man, at least in terms of public perception. When it comes to football, however, uniforms rarely shape the team. Sometimes, the best they can do is disguise it. In a world of changing fashion, the majority of NFL teams are content to wear last year's threads. Consider that only four of the 28 clubs reported additions to their basic wardrobe for the 1990 season. Note that the San Francisco 49ers, the current dynasty in progress, were not among them.

The football season is at the halfway point for the five Orange County teams, so it's time for a brief update on each, in the order of their position in the standings: Orange Coast (3-2): The Pirates started with the most potential and, with a three-game winning streak, they are starting to realize it. Jeff Clayton, a redshirt freshman from Trabuco Hills, has rushed for 501 yards and scored seven touchdowns, five in the last two games.

UCLA basketball players are off to China, where they will see the Great Wall. UCLA football players are off to San Bernardino, where no one will see "over the wall. " "I would love to be in China," senior running back Johnathan Franklin said during the Pac-12 media day. "Anywhere but San Bernardino. " Franklin, laughing, said, "I hear it's going to be 105 degrees out there every day. " First-year Coach Jim Mora can only hope. If the UCLA football team has been known for anything recently, it's for being soft.

The Times' 1991 Westside football team will be announced in next Thursday's edition. The first and second teams from The Times' 12 circulation areas were chosen by Times sportswriters with the assistance of area coaches. A breakfast and awards ceremony at 9 a.m. Jan. 12 at the Guest Quarters Hotel, 1707 4th St. in Santa Monica, will honor the first-team Westside selections. At the ceremony, the area's back, lineman and coach of the year will be named.

Jamal Farmer, a junior running back from Granada Hills High, quit the Hawaii football team Tuesday, citing differences with the coaching staff. Farmer, who set an NCAA freshman record by scoring 18 touchdowns in 1989, rushed for 474 yards in five games this season. Farmer has rushed for 2,122 yards and scored 31 touchdowns in his college career.

The San Diego State football team has received oral commitments from four high school players, three of whom were all-state selections. The players are Chad Finch, an offensive tackle from Ramona High School in Riverside; Ray Peterson, a wide receiver from Walker High in New Orleans; Mike Burns, a linebacker from Esperanza High in Anaheim; and Julian Ford, a linebacker-tight end from Trabuco Hills High in Mission Viejo. Finch, Peterson and Burns were all-state selections.