Long Says Toledo Will Bounce Back

LAS VEGAS —  Interim UCLA Coach Ed Kezirian posed stiffly with an Elvis impersonator and two showgirls.

Bruin Athletic Director Dan Guerrero took time away from his coaching search to enjoy penne arrabatia with Rudy Davalos, his counterpart at New Mexico and a longtime friend, at an Italian restaurant in New York-New York Hotel & Casino.

And New Mexico Coach Rocky Long lamented that the dismissal of his good friend Bob Toledo will deprive them of hanging out in Sin City in the days before the Las Vegas Bowl.

A news conference Wednesday promoting the game between UCLA and New Mexico on Christmas Day was rife with reminders of the uncertainty hanging over the Bruin program since Toledo was fired Monday.

“There’s a proverb: May you live in interesting times,” Kezirian said. “Right now, these are interesting times at UCLA.”

Long, the UCLA defensive coordinator in 1996 and 1997, has talked with Toledo twice this week. The Bruin coach has not commented publicly being dismissed despite a 7-5 record this season and a 49-32 mark in his seven-year tenure.

“He’s not depressed, just disappointed,” Long said. “He still believes this is his football team and he wishes he could continue because of all the young players.

“In his mind, he still believes he should be the coach.”

Long believes Toledo, 56, will get back to work either as a head coach or offensive coordinator.

“Knowing Coach Toledo, he loves to coach,” he said. “Given the right opportunity, he’ll coach again. But he’ll take some time and be selective.”

Guerrero is taking the same approach to finding a replacement for him. The athletic director returned to UCLA after the news conference and is scheduled to remain on campus today.

He might want to devote a portion of his time to generating interest in the game. UCLA has sold far fewer than the 4,000 sold by New Mexico to date.

Corporate sponsors in Albuquerque are paying for free tickets and bus rides to Las Vegas for full-time Lobo students. About 400 have taken advantage.

“We should bring in 6,000-8,000 fans,” Long said. “Our corporate people have really stepped up.”