LOS ANGELES -- It was believed that once his father -- Rick Neuheisel -- was shown the door by UCLA that redshirt freshman quarterback Jerry Neuheisel would follow.
That assumption was wrong. Incredibly wrong.
"It never was an idea in my mind," said Jerry. "As much as people don't believe, I came here to be the UCLA quarterback, not to play for my dad.
"Playing for my dad was the added bonus."
The younger Neuheisel knows all too well about being the starting quarterback at his dad's alma mater. He knows how dad went from walk-on to campus hero. He knows how dad led his school to the 1984 Rose Bowl win over Illinois.
And if he ever forgets, he can think about grandpa's reinforcements.
"I've been growing up with this and I've seen, I think, his Rose Bowl tape about 15 times thanks to my grandfather. It's never really been an option for me to be anything else but a Bruin," Jerry said.
He's one of six quarterbacks who began this spring competing for a job. Not blessed with the greatest physical gifts that some of the other UCLA quarterbacks possess, Neuheisel has shown enough moxie and enough pizzazz on the field to turn a few heads this spring, despite conditions which aren't the most ideal.
He's competing and trying to impress the man who replaced his father as the UCLA head coach.
"I have great respect for him to be able to come out here every day and do what he does. It's not easy," new coach Jim Mora said. "When your dad gets fired from something, there's a bitterness inside of you that you just can't get rid of immediately, and yet he's been able to bury that -- if not expunge it completely -- and have a great attitude. And I'll tell you what, he's a special kid. He's a tribute to his parents."
Jerry has been able to relate to his new coach on a different level. There's a bond they share in being the sons of coaches.
"There's some similarities in our circumstances. I'm very sensitive and understanding to what he's going through and what he's gone through with respect to what his dad went through," Mora said. "That's not easy. I've got a unique perspective on it. I've been it. I've done it. I've been the kid. I've been the dad, the whole thing."
"We're cut from the same gene pool," added Jerry. "He understands the standpoint where I come from. You never want it to happen to your dad. You'd rather it happen to you. I know he understands and is very sympathetic to that, and I'm just glad he's giving me the chance."
These days, the elder Neuheisel, who's rumored to be heading to the Pac-12 Network this fall, sneaks around the campus to catch glimpses of Bruins practice when he can.
"I sneak over every now and then," Rick said. "I don't usually tell people when I'm going. I just kind of hide out."
He sees his son, and he's proud.
Jerry's competing, a trait Rick jokes his son gets from his mother.
And Jerry's not letting issues of the past effect his future goals.
"I'd be lying to you if I said it was easy coming out here and not seeing (my dad), but things happen for a reason," Jerry said. "It is a business and I know that he's proud of me that I'm sticking it out, and I'm more than happy to play for coach Mora."
He's set on being the starting quarterback at UCLA.
"Jerry isn't there to be Rick Neuheisel's kid," dad said. "He's there to be the starting quarterback and he's there to try to help UCLA win, which is exactly what I thought when I walked-on there back in 1979."
Clearly, father and son think alike.
