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In his seventh season as head coach, Bob Toledo’s job has been deemed in jeopardy by the national media after UCLA went 17-17 in the last three years.

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By Diamond Leung

DAILY BRUIN SENIOR STAFF

dleung@media.ucla.edu

The critics agree:

“Bob Toledo ... is on the hottest of hot seats,” reads Sports Illustrated.

“What coach is sitting on the hottest seat? UCLA’s Bob Toledo could use a bottle of seltzer water,” reads the Sporting News.

Ever since the Bruin football head coach took his team to a 10-2 record, to the Rose Bowl and within reach of a national championship three years ago, the expectations have risen.

And now, the Bruin faithful have reached their boiling point. Since 1998, Toledo has gone a ho-hum 17-17, with his highest finish in the Pac-10 being fifth. Last season’s flameout and failure to go to a bowl game after starting the season 6-0 only fueled the fire. A 27-0 loss to cross-town rival USC had fans seeing red.

Still, you won’t hear Toledo addressing his growing band of bashers.

“I don’t worry about that stuff,” Toledo said. “You have to go about your business, work hard and do what you believe in. I’ve proven I’m a good football coach, okay?”

With a new boss – athletic director Dan Guerrero – comes even more expectations, but if Toledo’s job is on the line this year, Guerrero isn’t letting on.

“I’m hearing those (negative) things, and I don’t know why that’s being said,” he said. “I’m very impressed with both Bob and his coaching staff. Our student-athletes are going to be ready. They’re going to be prepared for every game, and that’s all you can ask of a coach.”

Fans, apparently, want more than that. They want consistent results. They want their team to beat USC for the first time in four years. And they sure don’t want to see Toledo losing control of his team off the field anymore after tailback DeShaun Foster and quarterback Cory Paus were both suspended last year.

“The two problems that we had off the field affected this team,” Toledo said.

“If there’s anything that I blame myself for is that I could not get them to refocus on now. I’m the one responsible, and I’m going to take the blame. Hey, I’ve got big shoulders, all right?”

Already in the off-season, Toledo has flexed his muscles, dismissing linebacker Audie Attar and safety Chad Rogers for repeated violations of team rules.

Freshman defensive lineman C.J. Niusulu has a date in court to face a felony assault charge and will be kicked off the team if convicted.

Toledo’s 10-member players’ council will meet with him on a weekly basis to discuss team issues. Peer pressure tactics will be used to keep the team in line off the field.

“Ultimately, I’m the one who’s responsible, but I told them, ‘If something’s going wrong, get it stopped (yourselves),’” Toledo said.

“That’s a good plan for Coach Toledo,” cornerback/councilman Ricky Manning Jr. said. “He hit it right on the head when he said we have to police ourselves. We listen to our peers before we listen to anybody. Me saying something to a teammate means a lot more.”

But even if the Bruins stay trouble-free off the field, according to most preseason publications, they will have plenty of trouble on it. After losing stars Foster and linebacker Robert Thomas to the National Football League, the Pac-10 members of the media picked UCLA to finish in the bottom half of the conference.

Toledo has said that his realistic goal for this season is to simply have team unity and to win the upcoming game. It’s also realistic for him to expect criticism from people who want more than that.

They might even want a new coach.

“We’re going to go out and do the best we can,” offensive tackle Mike Saffer said. “Hopefully by the end of the season, all that will be forgotten.”

Otherwise, Toledo may be sweating out the season.

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