Pollard to UCLA (Again)

As had been rumoured for some time, Marlon Pollard has decommitted from ND and recommitted to UCLA. Obviously, this is a disappointing development for the Irish. Pollard is a 4-star athlete and would have been a fine addition to the program. That having been said, this is a much more disappointing development for Pollard as student-athlete. Consider the following:

• UCLA is coached by a man (Rick Neuheisel) who has been cited for violations of NCAA rules at two different schools (Colorado and Washington). In the case of his time at Colorado, the NCAA cited 51 separate violations which they described as "a football coaching staff, led by the former head football coach, in a calculated attempt to gain recruiting advantage, pushed beyond the permissibly bounds of legislation, resulting in a pattern of recruiting violations." Neuheisel is not a "molder of men" or a role model to be followed; he is a total sleaze.
  
• In 2008, the University of Notre Dame topped all BCS college football programs with a 94% graduation rate for its football players. UCLA was tied for 40th with a 62% rate.
  
• Worse, still, UCLA's graduation rate for black football players was a woeful 47% (Notre Dame was second nationally with a 74% rate).

Given how important academics are to both he and his mother, this would seem to be a bad decision. Still, Pollard has a right to his choice and we wish him all the best...especially against USC.