The UCLA Bruins’ football program comes into the 2011 season with only one certainty, and that is that head coach Rick Neuheisel is evidently in the hot seat. One more unsuccessful season with the Bruins could very easily terminate his coaching duties in Westwood, where he graduated in 1984. A Tempe, Ariz. native, Neuheisel held coaching stints from 1988 to 1989 as a quarterbacks coach at UCLA before serving as the wide receivers coach during 1990 to 1994.

Neuheisel enters his fourth full season after taking the reins as head coach in 2008 at his alma mater. This year’s new Pac-12 transition figures to be the most challenging time for him because of the conference’s expansion, improved competition in opponents and the reality that his coaching career at UCLA can come to an end when this season is completed.

“I guess you’re excited to be invited to any of these things,” Neuheisel says during Pac-12 media day. “I am looking forward to the upcoming season. I know I say that every year, but never more so than this year.”

The fact of the matter is that coaches tend to utter what is supposed to be said. In this case, Neuheisel is saying the obvious and what is expected. He is just hoping for the best to happen in 2011 in order to at least see 2012 on the horizon.

Neuheisel and his Bruins are scheduled to have an arduous campaign of 12 games, six on the road and six at home. Their season opener is on Saturday, Sept. 3, against Houston in Texas with a 12:30 p.m. kick-off time.

UCLA’s schedule only includes two ranked opponents (Stanford, USC), but that could be misleading since the Bruins have affairs against an always-solid Texas, conference games at Oregon State, Arizona and Utah, and other conference games at home versus California, Arizona State and Colorado. The Bruins’ home games will not be a cool breeze at all, but when they host Texas on Sept. 17 it could point to the direction they’re headed in for the remainder of the season.

Nevertheless, the two most important meetings come at the No. 7 ranked Stanford Cardinal on Oct. 1 and the season finale on Nov. 26 at USC. For UCLA, winning those specified matches are vital to the program’s future in recruiting for the coming years.

“At the end of the day, it’s about us. If we go out and play like we’re capable of playing and put ourselves in postseason play and have a great showing in that capacity, people will come to UCLA because they’ll be intrigued about the momentum of the program,” Neuheisel shares.

A lot of the weight and success for the Bruins, at least offensively, will root and grow from junior running back Johnathan Franklin. A native of Los Angeles who attended Dorsey High School, Franklin led the Bruins in rushing yards with 1,127 in 12 games last season. His 214 rushes also resulted in eight scoring touchdowns, with 93.9 rushing yards per game.

The quarterback competition between juniors Richard Brehaut and Kevin Prince at practices thus far has been quite the battle. “I think Brehaut is doing well. I want him to play with the ones. Just like I want Kevin Prince to play with the ones,” Neuheisel says of both QBs. “I’m going to continue to evaluate and continue to see. I think the fact that they are pushing for this opportunity to be the starting quarterback is making them both better. There is no reason to call off the jam yet. Let’s keep going.”

UCLA is very deep at the wide receiver position, which includes Jerry Rice Jr.

“I think we are as deep as we have ever been here at receiver. Remember that Jerry Johnson and Taylor Embree haven’t participated in camp, and both made some plays for us last year,” Neuheisel says. “The addition of Shaquelle Evans and Devin Lucien, who both have played well in camp, along with proven guys like Nelson Rosario have given us a chance, and Ricky Marvray is playing well. Josh Smith and Randall Carroll are playing well. It’s a fun crew and to mention Jerry Rice Jr., is a jack of all trades.”

The Bruins’ offense can be expected to produce solidly, but the question could very well lie with their defense. Regardless of the formula that is used, however, the Bruins must reach a significant bowl game at season’s end in order for Neuheisel to stay longer as head coach.