View source for Rick Neuheisel

{{Short description|American football analyst, coach, player, and attorney (born 1961)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name           = Rick Neuheisel
| image          = Rick Neuheisel at UCLA 2011 spring game.jpg
| caption        = Neuheisel at the UCLA spring scrimmage in 2011
| number         = 7
| position       = [[Quarterback]]
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1961|2|7|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Madison, Wisconsin]], U.S. 
| height_ft      = 6
| height_in      = 1
| weight_lb      = 190
| high_school    = [[McClintock High School|McClintock]] ([[Tempe, Arizona]])
| college        = [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]]
| undraftedyear  = 1984
| pastteams      =
* [[San Antonio Gunslingers (USFL team)|San Antonio Gunslingers]] ({{USFL Year|1984}}-{{USFL Year|1985}})
* [[San Diego Chargers]] ({{NFL Year|1987}})
* [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] (1987)
| pastcoaching   =
* [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]] (1986)<br />[[Graduate assistant]]
* UCLA (1988–1989)<br />Quarterbacks coach
* UCLA (1990–1993)<br />Wide receivers coach
* [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]] (1994)<br />[[Offensive coordinator]]
* Colorado (1995–1998)<br />Head coach
* [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]] (1999–2002)<br />Head coach
* [[Rainier Beach High School (Seattle, Washington)|Rainier Beach HS (WA)]] (2003–2004)<br />[[Volunteering|Volunteer]]
* [[Baltimore Ravens]] ({{NFL Year|2005|2006}})<br />Quarterbacks coach
* Baltimore Ravens ({{NFL Year|2007}})<br />Offensive coordinator
* UCLA (2008–2011)<br />Head coach
* [[Arizona Hotshots]] ({{AAF Year|2019}})<br />Head coach
| highlights     =
* 1 [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-10]] (2000)
* 1 [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12 South Division]] (2011)
| statlabel1     = Passing attempts
| statvalue1     = 59
| statlabel2     = [[Completion (American football)|Passing completions]]
| statvalue2     = 40
| statlabel3     = Completion percentage
| statvalue3     = 67.8
| statlabel4     = [[Touchdown|TD]]–[[Interception|INT]]
| statvalue4     = 1–1
| statlabel5     = [[Passing yards]]
| statvalue5     = 367
| statlabel6     = [[Passer rating]]
| statvalue6     = 83.1
| overall_record = 87–59 (college)<br />5–3 (AAF)
| pfrcoach       = NeuhRi0
| pfr            = NeuhRi20 
}}

'''Richard Gerald Neuheisel Jr.''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|n|uː|h|aɪ|z|əl}}; born February 7, 1961) is an [[American football]] analyst, coach, and former player.  He served as the head football coach at the [[University of Colorado Boulder]] from 1995 to 1999, at the [[University of Washington]] from 1999 to 2002, and at his alma mater, the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (UCLA), from 2008 to 2011, compiling a career [[college football]] coaching record of 87–59.  From 2005 to 2007, Neuheisel was an assistant coach with the [[Baltimore Ravens]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL), as quarterbacks coach for two seasons and [[offensive coordinator]] for one. He formerly served as [[head coach]] for the [[Arizona Hotshots]] of the [[Alliance of American Football]] (AAF) before the collapse of the league. Before coaching, Neuheisel played [[quarterback]] for the [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA Bruins]] from 1980 to 1983, then spent two seasons with the [[San Antonio Gunslingers (USFL team)|San Antonio Gunslingers]] of the [[United States Football League]] (USFL) before splitting the [[1987 NFL season]] between the [[San Diego Chargers]] and the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]].

==Early life==
Neuheisel was born in [[Madison, Wisconsin]], one of four children and the only son of Dick and Jane (Jackson) Neuheisel, with sisters Nancy, Katie, and Deborah. Dick is an attorney and Rick grew up in [[Tempe, Arizona]], and graduated from [[McClintock High School]] in 1979. He lettered in three sports (football, basketball, baseball) and was named its outstanding athlete during his senior year.

==Playing career==

===Collegiate===
Neuheisel played his [[college football]] at [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]], beginning his career as a [[Walk-on (sports)|walk-on]] and holding placekicks for [[John Lee (placekicker)|John Lee]].  He was the starting quarterback in his senior year in the [[1983 NCAA Division I-A football season|1983 season]]. UCLA opened with a loss at [[1983 Georgia Bulldogs football team|Georgia]], a tie with [[Arizona State Sun Devils football|Arizona State]] and then a 42–10 loss at #1-ranked [[1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team|Nebraska]]. Neuheisel was benched after the Nebraska loss in favor of [[Steve Bono]]. On October 1, the Bruins lost to [[BYU Cougars football|BYU]] to start the season 0–3–1. Bono was injured during the [[Stanford Cardinal football|Stanford]] game, and Neuheisel came back to finish the season.<ref>Dilbeck, Steve – [http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RETURN+OF+THE+RICK+CONTROVERSIAL+NEUHEISEL+BACK+FOR+REUNION+OF+'80S...-a0109045135 RETURN OF THE RICK CONTROVERSIAL] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304043800/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/RETURN+OF+THE+RICK+CONTROVERSIAL+NEUHEISEL+BACK+FOR+REUNION+OF+%2780S...-a0109045135 |date=March 4, 2016 }} NEUHEISEL BACK FOR REUNION OF '80S BRUINS. Los Angeles Daily News, October 18, 2003 (hosted at thefreelibrary.com) Quote:''Neuheisel was a senior quarterback at UCLA in 1983 and was benched after an 0-2-1 start. "(Terry) Donahue told me when things like that happen to a football team, one of two things usually happens", he said. "Either the head coach gets fired or the quarterback gets fired. He said he was sorry to tell me, but he wasn't getting fired."''</ref>  Neuheisel led the Bruins to an eventual 6–4–1 record, culminating with a win over arch-rival [[USC Trojans football|USC]] that, combined with [[Washington State Cougars football|Washington State]]'s upset of Washington, gave UCLA the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-10]] championship in 1983 and sent them to the [[1984 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]] on January 2, 1984.

Neuheisel led the Bruins to a 45–9 victory over 4th-ranked and heavily favored [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|Illinois]] in the [[1984 Rose Bowl]], in which he was named the [[most valuable player|MVP]]; two of his four touchdown passes were caught by a sophomore wide receiver from San Diego named [[Karl Dorrell]], a future Neuheisel assistant coach and later his predecessor as the UCLA head coach.<ref name=LAT112707>Jerry Crowe, [https://www.latimes.com/sports/college/football/la-sp-crowe27nov27,1,7454156.story Text messages from press row…], ''Los Angeles Times'', November 27, 2007.</ref>  The victory vaulted the Bruins, unranked through most of the season, into the top 25 in wire service polls.  Much like his rise to stardom at UCLA, the road to the victory was a bumpy one. Neuheisel and two other players on the defensive side of the ball suffered from [[food poisoning]] hours before the Rose Bowl and it was unsure that Neuheisel would start. Neuheisel would end up starting the game.  He also set an NCAA record that year for single game pass completion percentage (since broken) by completing 25 of 27 passes (92.6%) in a Pac-10 win over [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]]. In 1998, Neuheisel was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.

Neuheisel was named to the [[Pacific-10 Conference|Pac-10]] All-Academic team and graduated from UCLA in May 1984 with a B.A. in [[political science]] and a 3.4 GPA. Neuheisel still holds the UCLA single season record for completion percentage, completing 185 of 267 passes (69.3%) for 2,245 yards in the 1983 season. He was also a member of [[Sigma Nu]] [[fraternity]] while a student.

===Professional===
Neuheisel bypassed the [[1984 NFL draft]] and joined the [[San Antonio Gunslingers (USFL team)|San Antonio Gunslingers]] of the [[United States Football League|USFL]], where he played the [[1984 USFL season|1984]] and [[1985 USFL season|1985]] seasons as the Gunslingers' starter. Never considered a major NFL prospect, he went undrafted in the NFL's [[1984 NFL supplemental draft of USFL and CFL players|supplemental draft of USFL players]] and his career in that league was extremely brief, lasting only five weeks. In the [[1987 NFL season|1987 season]], Neuheisel signed with the [[San Diego Chargers]] as a [[replacement player]] during the three-game long players' strike.  He spent the last two weeks of that season as a backup with the [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]], not playing in either game.

==Coaching career==

===Early years as assistant===
While attending [[University of Southern California Law School|USC Law School]] on an NCAA postgraduate scholarship, Neuheisel served as a graduate assistant with UCLA, where he tutored [[Troy Aikman]].  He graduated with a [[Juris Doctor]] [[(J.D.)]] from USC in 1990 <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-nov-14-sp-51567-story.html|title = Archives|website = [[Los Angeles Times]]| date=November 14, 2000 }}</ref> and passed the Arizona State Bar in May 1991 and the Washington, D.C. Bar in March 1993.

He later became a full-time assistant coach in 1988, and stayed at UCLA through the 1993 season as the quarterback coach. Hard feelings emerged with UCLA coach [[Terry Donahue]] in 1994, when Donahue picked Texas A&M assistant [[Bob Toledo]] to be the Bruins' offensive coordinator over Neuheisel.<ref name="times99">HOWARD-COOPER, SCOTT - [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-nov-10-sp-31920-story.html Friendship is Resumed]. Los Angeles Times, November 10, 1999</ref> In 1994, Neuheisel moved to [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado]] as an assistant to [[Bill McCartney]]. Neuheisel and Donahue had a chance meeting at the airport in Dallas in 1999, and resolved their differences.<ref name="times99"/>

===Colorado (1995–1998)===
McCartney retired following the 1994 season and Neuheisel, age 34, was named the head coach. He stayed for four seasons (1995–1998) in [[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]] as the [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Buffs]] coach.  His best season was his first, in which the Buffs tied for second in the final season of [[Big Eight Conference]] play and won the [[1996 Cotton Bowl|Cotton Bowl]].  His only losing season at Colorado was [[1997 Colorado Buffaloes football team|1997]]; the Buffs were expected to be national title contenders, but never recovered from a blowout loss to [[1997 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan]] on national television.  After the season, the Buffs were forced to forfeit their five wins due to an ineligible player, though Neuheisel was subsequently ruled to not be affected.

===Washington (1999–2002)===
Neuheisel was welcomed into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame before the [[1999 Rose Bowl]].<ref>[http://www.tournamentofroses.com/history/halloffame.asp Rose Bowl Hall of Fame] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050316005926/http://www.tournamentofroses.com/history/halloffame.asp |date=March 16, 2005 }}</ref> University of Washington athletic director [[Barbara Hedges]] took the opportunity to meet with him.  She fired coach [[Jim Lambright]] and named Neuheisel as his replacement.<ref name="NEUSUDDENIMPACT">Tom Griffin – [http://www.washington.edu/alumni/columns/march99/impact.html Sudden Impact. Husky Football Sees Surprise Coaching Turnover as Colorado Coach Rick Neuheisel Replaces Jim Lambright.] Columns – The University of Washington Alumni Magazine, March 1999</ref> Neuheisel left for [[Seattle]] in January 1999 to coach at the [[Washington Huskies football|University of Washington]] for four seasons (1999–2002). His starting salary was $1,000,000 annually, at the time one of the five highest in the nation.<ref name="NEUSUDDENIMPACT" /> One of Neuheisel's first acts was to restore the Huskies' traditional gold helmets; they had worn purple helmets for the previous four seasons.

In the [[2000 Washington Huskies football team|2000]] season, the Huskies won the [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-10]] title and the [[2001 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]] over [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] champ [[2000 Purdue Boilermakers football team|Purdue]], led by quarterback [[Drew Brees]]. Their only loss was to the rival [[2000 Oregon Ducks football team|Oregon Ducks]]. Washington, led by senior quarterback [[Marques Tuiasosopo]], the Rose Bowl MVP, finished the season at 11–1 and was ranked third in the final national polls. Neuheisel became the first (and as of 2016 only) former Rose Bowl MVP to coach a winning Rose Bowl team.

In 2008, ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' ran a series of articles which accused Neuheisel and athletic director Barbara Hedges of overlooking numerous discipline problems—including outright criminal behavior—during the 2000 season.<ref name="STNEU2008">Armstrong, Ken and Nick Perry – [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004147443_rboverview27m0.html The disturbing story behind the last great UW team – and how its legacy still casts a shadow on the Huskies.] Seattle Times, January 27, 2008. Quote:''At least a dozen members of the Rose Bowl team were arrested that year or charged with a crime that carried possible jail time. At least a dozen others on that team got in trouble with the law in other seasons.''</ref>  During that year, UW safety Curtis Williams was allowed to play despite being issued an outstanding arrest warrant for assaulting his wife, Michelle.<ref name="STNEU2008" />  Linebacker [[Jeremiah Pharms]] was under investigation for robbing and shooting a drug dealer after police found his fingerprints at the scene, but was not charged until the season was over.<ref name="STNEU2008" /> [[Jerramy Stevens]], the Huskies star tight end, was under investigation of raping a UW freshman on sorority row.<ref name="STNEU2008" /> When Stevens later crashed his truck into a retirement home, Neuheisel suspended him for half a game.<ref name="STNEU2008" />

In August [[2002 Washington Huskies football team|2002]], Neuheisel signed a six-year contract extension, through the 2008 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mWVWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jfIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6980%2C3196841 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=UW coach receives extension |date=September 4, 2002 |page=C3}}</ref> In February 2003, he secretly interviewed for the [[1993 San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]] coaching job without telling anyone at UW about it.  The 49ers' [[General manager (sports)|general manager]] was [[Terry Donahue]], who had been Neuheisel's head coach as a player and assistant coach at UCLA.  A day after his interview, he issued a statement through UW's athletic department saying he wasn't interested in the job.  However, a few days later, a Seattle newspaper reporter wrote that he'd eavesdropped on a private conversation of Neuheisel discussing the 49ers job on his cell phone while the two were waiting for a flight at [[San Francisco International Airport]].  When Hedges found out about it, she and school president [[Lee Huntsman]] warned him that further lies would not be tolerated.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2005-02-02 |title=Ex-AD Hedges: Tough to fire 'friend' Neuheisel |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/news/story?id=1982599 |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

====NCAA infractions at Washington====
Before Neuheisel coached his first game for the Huskies, he had already violated NCAA recruiting rules by visiting high school players before the NCAA approved date to do so.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.seattlepi.com/huskies/90356_husk09.shtml | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | first1=Ted | last1=Miller | title=NCAA slaps Neuheisel | date=October 8, 2002}}</ref> In the summer of 2003, Neuheisel came under fire for taking part in a neighborhood pool for the [[2003 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]] and lies he told about his actions.  He first denied the accusation to investigators before admitting to it after consultation with school officials.  The [[gambling]] case became a local sensation when it was revealed that he had received an internal UW memo which authorized gambling in off-campus tournament basketball pools.   UW athletic director Barbara Hedges learned that the NCAA was considering giving Neuheisel a two-year [[show-cause penalty (NCAA)|show-cause order]], which would have effectively blacklisted him from the coaching ranks for two years.  She then gave Neuheisel an ultimatum—resign or be fired for cause.  He refused, and was fired on June 11.<ref>Baker, Mike. [https://archive.today/20120708141522/http://dailyuw.com/2005/2/15/neuheisel-describes-devastating-termination Neuheisel describes 'devastating' termination]. ''[[The Daily of the University of Washington]]'', February 15, 2005. dead link</ref>

That fall, the NCAA infractions committee found Neuheisel violated NCAA rules against gambling but didn't sanction him, citing the memo by Washington's then compliance officer, Dana Richardson, that mistakenly identified this type of action as a permissible exception to NCAA gambling sanctions.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.seattlepi.com/huskies/148937_uw19.html | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | first1=Ted | last1=Miller | title=UW slaps 12 in betting scandal | date=November 18, 2003}}</ref> It also became apparent that the NCAA violated its own rules when questioning Neuheisel about the gambling. UW had its probation extended for failing to monitor its football program.<ref>[http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/7812728 NCAA clears Neuheisel, extends Washington's probation.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211111953/http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/7812728 |date=December 11, 2008 }} CBS SportsLine.com, October 20, 2004 dead link</ref><ref>Dennis Dodd – [http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/7812785 Slick Rick walks] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211111958/http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/7812785 |date=December 11, 2008 }}. CBS SportsLine.com, October 20, 2004.dead link</ref>

Neuheisel sued both the NCAA and the University of Washington concerning the termination of his employment contract. Toward the end of trial, it was revealed that the NCAA had failed to turn over certain crucial evidence to Neuheisel's attorneys. The new evidence (updated NCAA bylaws pertaining to rules investigations) bolstered Neuheisel's claim that the NCAA acted improperly during its investigation that eventually led to his firing. With the new evidence revealed, the NCAA and University of Washington requested to settle before the case went to the jury. The settlement awarded Neuheisel $4.5 million, consisting of cash payments and some loan forgiveness. He served as a volunteer coach for [[Rainier Beach High School]] in Seattle for two seasons (2003–2004).

===Baltimore Ravens assistant (2005–2007)===
Neuheisel became an assistant coach ([[quarterback]]s) with the NFL's [[Baltimore Ravens]] in January 2005. In 2006, the Ravens acquired quarterback [[Steve McNair]] and won the [[AFC North]] division with a 13–3 record. After the season, Neuheisel was promoted to [[offensive coordinator]].

===UCLA (2008–2011)===
Neuheisel was invited to two interviews regarding the head coaching position at his [[alma mater]] UCLA, following the firing of his former UCLA teammate, [[Karl Dorrell]].<ref name=LAT121907>Chris Foster, [https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ucla19dec19,1,3293920.story Neuheisel to get second interview], ''Los Angeles Times'', December 19, 2007.</ref>  Ravens head coach [[Brian Billick]] assured that he would allow Neuheisel to leave the team before the completion of the [[2007 NFL season]].<ref>David Ginsburg – [https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/2007-11-26-1116697965_x.htm With nothing to lose but another game, Ravens focus on Patriots]. ''USA Today'', November 26, 2007</ref> Other candidates in which UCLA showed interest and interviewed included: [[Oregon Ducks]] Coach [[Mike Bellotti]], [[Temple Owls]] Coach [[Al Golden]], Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator [[Norm Chow]], UCLA's defensive coordinator and interim coach [[DeWayne Walker]], and then-[[Philadelphia Eagles]] assistant [[John Harbaugh]].<ref>Foster, Chris –  [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-21-sp-uclarep21-story.html Chow no longer interested in head coach job]. ''Los Angeles Times'', December 21, 2007</ref>

On December 29, 2007, Neuheisel was introduced as the [[head coach]] of the UCLA Bruins in a five-year contract that paid him $1.25 million per season and included incentives that could add $500,000 a year.<ref name=LAT123007b>Chris Foster, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-30-sp-neuheisel30-story.html Neuheisel goes back to school], ''Los Angeles Times'', December 30, 2008, Accessed July 26, 2008.</ref>  He immediately began to consolidate his coaching staff by retaining [[DeWayne Walker]], Karl Dorrell's defensive coordinator and interim coach for the Bruins 2007 bowl game.<ref name=LAT123007a>Chris Foster, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-dec-30-sp-walker30-story.html Neuheisel's first recruiting effort is for Walker], ''Los Angeles Times'', December 30, 2008, Accessed July 26, 2008.</ref>  He made a major move by hiring [[Norm Chow]], offensive coordinator of the [[Tennessee Titans]] and previously the offensive coordinator of [[UCLA–USC rivalry|crosstown rival USC's]] [[2003 USC Trojans football team|2003]] and [[2004 USC Trojans football team|2004]] national championship seasons.<ref name=LAT012108>Chris Foster, [https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-21-sp-chow21-story.html UCLA hires Norm Chow as offensive coordinator], ''Los Angeles Times'', January 21, 2008, Accessed July 26, 2008.</ref>  He also began to make himself highly visible to the media, including appearing at the [[2008 Rose Bowl]]<ref name="c842">{{cite web | last=Simers | first=T.J. | title=Neuheisel sees what he's up against | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2008-01-02 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jan-02-sp-simers2-story.html | access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref> and coining the phrase "Passion Bucket" during an interview on ''[[The Dan Patrick Show]]'' by saying, "When you're at UCLA, you have to have your passion bucket full when you play the Trojans." He also appeared in an ad created by the UCLA athletics marketing department that declared, "The Football Monopoly in L.A. Is Officially Over"<ref name="s033">{{cite web | last=Simers | first=T.J. | title=Politics as usual for UCLA's Rick Neuheisel | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2009-12-29 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-29-la-sp-simers29-2009dec29-story.html | access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref> and engineered an agreement with [[Pete Carroll]] that allows both UCLA and USC to wear their home jerseys during the annual game.<ref>Tom Hoffarth –  [http://www.dailynews.com/sportscolumnists/ci_8003680 MEDIA: The special effects of snow - 'Passion bucket' list grows] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080121183313/http://www.dailynews.com/sportscolumnists/ci_8003680 |date=January 21, 2008 }}. Los Angeles Daily News, January 18, 2008. Quote:''First used by incoming UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel on Patrick's show a couple of weeks ago, "passion bucket" has already been dropped into an HBO "Inside the NFL" show last week by [[Bob Costas]] and used on the NFL Network by "Total Access" host Rich Eisen – both by Patrick's prodding.''</ref> This home jersey arrangement begat a rule change for the [[2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2009 football season]].<ref name="NCAA2009RULES">Rogers Redding, Secretary-Rules Editor, NCAA Football Rules
Committee – [http://www.ncaapublications.com/ProductsDetailView.aspx?sku=FR09 NCAA Football 2009-10 Rules and Interpretations]. THE NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION May 2009</ref>

Neuheisel had his first win on September 1 with the Bruins as they defeated #18 [[2008 Tennessee Volunteers football team|Tennessee]], 27–24. The win came in overtime as Tennessee's field goal try sailed wide left.<ref>Foster, Chris – [https://www.latimes.com/sports/college/ucla/la-sp-ucla2-2008sep02,0,7581599.story UCLA 27, NO. 18 TENNESSEE 24 (OT) Kevin Craft rallies UCLA past Tennessee]. ''Los Angeles Times'', September 2, 2008</ref>  However, the team's momentum came to a halt in successive weeks.  A brutal 59–0 defeat on the road at the hands of #15 [[2008 BYU Cougars football team|BYU]] was followed by a disappointing 31–10 loss at home to unranked [[2008 Arizona Wildcats football team|Arizona]] in the Bruins' Pac-10 opener.  The UCLA offense failed to score a touchdown in either contest. The team finished the season 4–8 overall and 3–6 in conference.

Despite this record, Neuheisel was still able secure the fifth-best recruiting class in the nation in 2009 as rated by [[Scout.com]]. The class was headlined by two former [[USC Trojans football|USC commits]], Morrell Presley and Randall Carroll, offensive linemen Xavier Sua-Filo and Stan Hasiak, and running back Damien Thigpen.   Nevertheless, the Bruins fell to 4–8 in 2010, losing six of their last seven games and failing to receive a bowl berth.  Player injuries and other attrition depleted UCLA of its roster depth, while true freshmen were forced into action and seniors who were previously reserves became starters; a quarterback who had attempted only 17 passes in his career became the starter.<ref name="z988">{{cite web | last=Yoon | first=Peter | title=Yoon: Neuheisel's tenure tougher than expected | website=ESPN.com | date=2011-07-27 | url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/ncf/columns/story?id=6806935 | access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref> At the end of the season Neuheisel fired two assistant coaches, including Chow, and said he would "be crushed ... if we're not going to a bowl game a year from now."  <ref name="b708">{{cite web | last=Foster | first=Chris | title=UCLA football: Neuheisel juggles recruiting, staff decisions | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2010-12-06 | url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/sports-now/story/2010-12-06/ucla-football-neuheisel-juggles-recruiting-staff-decisions | access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref>

The [[2011 UCLA Bruins football team|2011 season]] record improved to 6–6 in regular season play. The Bruins won the first Pac-12 South Division title, as crosstown rival USC was ineligible due to NCAA sanctions. A shocking 50–0 shutout loss to USC to end the regular season—UCLA's fifth consecutive loss to the Trojans—prompted speculation that Neuheisel would be fired.

Neuheisel was fired as head coach of UCLA on November 28, 2011. He was allowed to coach his final game at the December 2, [[2011 Pac-12 Football Championship Game|Pac-12 Conference football Championship]] game, where the team lost by a score of 49–31 to the Oregon Ducks.<ref>{{cite web | title = Rick Neuheisel out at UCLA | url = https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/ncf/story/_/id/7290938/rick-neuheisel-ucla-bruins-coach-coach-pac-12-title-game | work = [[ESPN.com]] | date = November 28, 2011 | access-date = November 28, 2011}}</ref>

===Alliance of American Football (2019)===
In May 2018, Neuheisel was announced as head coach for the [[Arizona Hotshots]], a [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]-based team for the planned [[Alliance of American Football]]. The team played at [[Sun Devil Stadium]] in Neuheisel's home state of Arizona.<ref>{{cite news |title=Rick Neuheisel takes Phoenix AAF coaching gig |url=http://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/23540044/rick-neuheisel-joins-alliance-american-football-coaching-ranks |access-date=September 5, 2018 |work=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Broadcasting career==
In December 2011, Neuheisel joined the [[CBS Sports Network]] as a guest analyst for their "Inside College Football" show.<ref name="w270">{{cite web | last=Yoon | first=Peter | title=Rick Neuheisel to be guest analyst on CBS Sports Network | website=ESPN.com | date=2011-12-13 | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/los-angeles/ucla/post/_/id/9190/rick-neuheisel-to-be-guest-analyst-on-cbs-sports-network | access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref>

In May 2012, the [[Pac-12 Network]] announced that he would be joining their networks as a studio analyst and a football game analyst starting with the 2012 football season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-05-09 |title=Neuheisel, Lott, Sanders join network |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/38431/neuheisel-lott-sanders-join-pac-12-network |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

In March 2015, Neuheisel was hired by [[CBS Sports]] to be an analyst on ''[[SEC on CBS|College Football Today]]'', the pre-game show for the [[SEC on CBS]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/story/cbs-hires-rick-neuheisel-away-from-pac-12-network-030315|title = College Football News, Videos, Scores, Teams, Standings, Stats}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Neuheisel and his wife, Susan ([[née]] Wilkinson), have three sons: Jerry (b. April 1992), Jack (b. August 1994), and Joe (b. January 1997).  Jerry was a quarterback at UCLA<ref name=uclajer>{{cite web|url=http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=207914125&DB_OEM_ID=30500|publisher=UCLA Athletics|title=Football: Jerry Neuheisel|access-date=December 13, 2013}}</ref> and is now an assistant coach at UCLA,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uclabruins.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/jerry-neuheisel/3680 |title = Jerry Neuheisel - Football Coach - UCLA}}</ref> and Jack was a wide receiver at [[Southern Methodist University]].<ref name=smurs>{{cite web|url=http://www.smumustangs.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/jack_neuheisel_864584.html|publisher=SMU Athletics |title=Football: Jack Neuheisel |access-date=December 13, 2012}}</ref> Both Jerry and Jack graduated from [[Loyola High School (Los Angeles)|Loyola High School]] in Los Angeles, Joe attended UCLA. Rick's father, Richard "Dick" Gerald Neuheisel Sr., is an attorney and past president of [[Sister Cities International]].<ref>http://dailypilot.com/articles/2009/09/17/sports/newport/dpt-spnewportgamer091809.txt {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref><ref>[http://gohuskies.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mtt-neuheisel.html Rick Neuheisel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106200719/http://gohuskies.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/mtt-neuheisel.html |date=January 6, 2008 }} Coach bio University of Washington, dated 1999 before the start of his first season coaching the Huskies</ref>  During Neuheisel's years as a quarterback for UCLA, his sister, Nancy, was a cheerleader for conference rival [[University of Arizona|Arizona]].

==Head coaching record ==

===NCAA===
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = both}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado Buffaloes]]
 | conf      = [[Big Eight Conference]]
 | startyear = 1995
 | endyear   = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1995 NCAA Division I-A football season|1995]]
 | name         = [[1995 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 5–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1996 Cotton Bowl Classic|Cotton]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 4
 | ranking2     = 5
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Colorado Buffaloes football|Colorado Buffaloes]]
 | conf      = [[Big 12 Conference]]
 | startyear = 1996
 | endyear   = 1998
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1996 NCAA Division I-A football season|1996]]
 | name         = [[1996 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]]
 | overall      = 10–2
 | conference   = 7–1
 | confstanding = 2nd <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1996 Holiday Bowl|Holiday]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 8
 | ranking2     = 8
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1997 NCAA Division I-A football season|1997]]
 | name         = [[1997 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]]
 | overall      = 5–6{{#tag:ref|Colorado forfeited all wins of the 1997 season due to an ineligible player, but Neuheisel was ruled not to be affected.|group="n"|name=1997season}}
 | conference   = 3–5
 | confstanding = T–4th <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1998 NCAA Division I-A football season|1998]]
 | name         = [[1998 Colorado Buffaloes football team|Colorado]]
 | overall      = 8–4
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = 4th <small>(North)</small>
 | bowlname     = [[1998 Aloha Bowl|Aloha]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name         = Colorado
 | overall      = 33–14
 | confrecord   = 19–12
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Washington Huskies football|Washington Huskies]]
 | conf      = [[Pac-12 Conference|Pacific-10 Conference]]
 | startyear = 1999
 | endyear   = 2002
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[1999 NCAA Division I-A football season|1999]]
 | name         = [[1999 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 7–5
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = 2nd
 | bowlname     = [[1999 Holiday Bowl|Holiday]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = conference
 | year         = [[2000 NCAA Division I-A football season|2000]]
 | name         = [[2000 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 11–1
 | conference   = 7–1
 | confstanding = T–1st
 | bowlname     = [[2001 Rose Bowl|Rose]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      = yes
 | ranking      = 3
 | ranking2     = 3
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | year         = [[2001 NCAA Division I-A football season|2001]]
 | name         = [[2001 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 8–4
 | conference   = 6–2
 | confstanding = T–2nd
 | bowlname     = [[2001 Holiday Bowl|Holiday]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      = 19
 | ranking2     = 19
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[2002 NCAA Division I-A football season|2002]]
 | name         = [[2002 Washington Huskies football team|Washington]]
 | overall      = 7–6
 | conference   = 4–4
 | confstanding = T–4th
 | bowlname     = [[2002 Sun Bowl|Sun]]
 | bowloutcome  = L
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     =
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = Washington
 | overall    = 33–16
 | confrecord = 23–9
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA Bruins]]
 | conf      = [[Pac-12 Conference|Pacific-10/Pac-12 Conference]]
 | startyear = 2008
 | endyear   = 2011
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2008]]
 | name         = [[2008 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]]
 | overall      = 4–8
 | conference   = 3–6
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2009]]
 | name         = [[2009 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]]
 | overall      = 7–6
 | conference   = 3–6
 | confstanding = 8th
 | bowlname     = [[2009 EagleBank Bowl|EagleBank]]
 | bowloutcome  = W
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship =
 | year         = [[2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2010]]
 | name         = [[2010 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]]
 | overall      = 4–8
 | conference   = 2–7
 | confstanding = 9th
 | bowlname     =
 | bowloutcome  =
 | bcsbowl      =
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = division
 | year         = [[2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season|2011]]
 | name         = [[2011 UCLA Bruins football team|UCLA]]
 | overall      = 6–7{{#tag:ref|Neuheisel was fired after the [[2011 Pac-12 Football Championship Game|Pac-12 Championship Game]].  Offensive coordinator [[Mike Johnson (American football coach)|Mike Johnson]] was appointed as interim head coach and coached the team in the [[2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (December)|Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl]].|group="n"|name=2011season}}
 | conference   = 5–4
 | confstanding = 1st <small>(South)</small><ref name="e575">{{cite web | last=Dufresne | first=Chris | title=A freakish Friday lifts UCLA into Pac-12 title game | website=Los Angeles Times | date=2011-11-25 | url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-nov-25-la-sp-1126-dufresne-college-football-20111126-story.html | access-date=2025-01-12}}</ref><small>{{#tag:ref|UCLA represented the South Division in the [[2011 Pac-12 Football Championship Game]].  [[2011 USC Trojans football team|USC]] finished first place in the South Division, but was ineligible to participate in the Championship Game due to NCAA sanctions.|group="n"}}</small>
 | bowlname     = [[2011 Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (December)|Fight Hunger]]<ref name=2011season group=n/>
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | ranking      =
 | ranking2     = 
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = UCLA
 | overall    = 21–29
 | confrecord = 13–23
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall   = 87–59
 | yearstart = 2000
 | yearend   = 2000
 | poll      = two
 | polltype  =
}}

===AAF===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular Season !! colspan="4"|Postseason
|-
!Won !!Lost!!Ties!!Win %!!Finish!!Won!!Lost!!Win %!!Result
|-
![[2019 Arizona Hotshots season|ARI]]||[[2019 AAF season|2019]]
| 5 || 3 || 0 || {{Winning percentage|5|3|0}} || ||  ||  ||  || 
|}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="n"}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
*Baker, Chris – Neuheisel Proves to Be Poison to Illinois. Four Scoring Passes Are a Tough Act for Illini to Stomach. ''Los Angeles Times'', January 3, 1984. Quote:"''UCLA quarterback Rick Neuheisel had trouble sleeping before Monday's Rose Bowl game, but it wasn't because he was having nightmares about facing Illinois' defense.''"
*Barnhart, Jim – [https://web.archive.org/web/20081211154548/http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/01/05/illini/doc4763ae61ad972909058101.txt 1984: Illini no match for Neuheisel, UCLA], Bloomington-Normal, ''Illinois Pantagraph'' (Pantagraph.com), December 15, 2007
*Dodds, Tracy – Ailing Quarterback Leads UCLA to 45-9 Win in Rose Bowl. ''Los Angeles Times'', January 3, 1984
*Hurst, Matt – [http://www.pe.com/sports/special/2007/rosebowl/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_rose_illinois_26.303db81.html Illinois' 1984 Rose Bowl loss is one the team would like to forget] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211162332/http://www.pe.com/sports/special/2007/rosebowl/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_rose_illinois_26.303db81.html |date=December 11, 2008 }}. ''The (Riverside) Press-Enterprise'', December 26, 2007
*''Los Angeles Times'' Staff – Caltech at It Again. Credit Beavers for Sabotaging Rose Bowl Scoreboard. ''Los Angeles Times'', January 3, 1984. Quote:"''In the fourth quarter, UCLA was leading Illinois, 38-9, but the scoreboard read: Caltech 38, MIT 9.''"
*''Los Angeles Times'' Staff – Favorites Bowled Over. Neuheisel Leads Bruins to Glory; Nebraska Loses. ''Los Angeles Times'', January 3, 1984. Quote:"''In a day of bowl game upsets, UCLA swamped Illinois, 45-9, No. 2-ranked Texas was defeated, 10-9, by Georgia and previously unbeaten Nebraska, rated No. 1 in all polls, was surprised by Miami, 31-30.''"
*Timmerman, Bob – [http://griddle.baseballtoaster.com/archives/574640.html The Rose Bowl and me: Part two]: January 2, 1984 – UCLA vs. Illinois. Baseball Toaster (Griddle), December 27, 2006
*UCLA Bruins Football Media Guide (PDF copy available at [http://www.uclabruins.com www.uclabruins.com])
{{refend}}

==External links==
* {{Footballstats |nfl=rick-neuheisel |pfr=N/NeuhRi20 }}

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