Bruins Sign Top Recruit Terrence Austin and a Plethora of Linemen

UCLA’s main personnel needs going into the 2006 season are at running back, wide receiver, linebackers, and in the trenches. Although Coach Karl Dorrell and his recruiting staff aimed to fill these needs, critics are questioning whether or not the Bruins’ 2006 recruiting class will help them maintain the momentum gained by their 2005 season where they finished with a 10-2 record.

The Bruins’ 2006 recruiting class is solid and will help them fill some of their needs, but their incoming recruiting class lacks the major skills players the Bruins need in order to make a push at a national championship run.

The top rated recruit for the Bruins in 2006 is wide receiver Terrence Austin. Austin is a top ten wide receiver recruit in the nation. His impressive senior season at Long Beach Poly High School, a premier high school football program nationally, earned him a trip to the U.S. Army All-American Game where he verbally committed to UCLA on national television.

With the necessity for a new target after the departure of tight end Marcedes Lewis, UCLA’s main target last season, Austin should figure into the Bruins’ offense immediately. Another addition for the Bruins on offense is one of the top kickers in the nation from last year, Kai Forbath of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High School.

The main addition to the Bruins’ roster for the 2006 season is the amount of linemen coming in with this year’s recruiting class. The Bruins are certain to improve on both the offensive and defensive lines thanks to many strong linemen coming to play for UCLA in 2006. The additions on the defensive line should help to improve a run defense that has been awful of recent.