Crissman commits to Bruins

Edison High junior quarterback Nick Crissman received a phone call Friday that would change the course of his football future.

Crissman talked with a few UCLA football coaches, including head coach Karl Dorrell, and when all was said and done, he committed to the Bruins.

Crissman took the phone call while watching a baseball game at Edison.

With his recruiting phase behind him, Crissman can now concentrate solely on his senior season, which begins in the fall. He had been recruited by most every school in the Pacific-10 Conference, but when the Bruins made their offer, Crissman knew the answer.

“They were the one school that I decided that if they made an offer, I’d accept right then and there, and that’s what I did,” Crissman said.

“I’ve been a life-long UCLA fan, and I’m excited to play football for them,” he added.

The 6-3, 200-pound Crissman topped all Orange County quarterbacks in passing yardage during the 2006 season, one in which Edison reached the CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 championship game. He threw for 3,105 yards and 27 touchdowns, completed 67% of his passes and had 11 interceptions.

“I think it’s a perfect fit for him,” Edison Coach Dave White said of Crissman selecting to play for UCLA. “They have two guys (Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan) who will be juniors in the fall and a freshman kid (Chris Forcier), and with a red-shirt year there, Nick can step in and make an impact.

“Two keys for Nick are his arm strength and accuracy. Many quarterbacks have one or the other, but he has both. He’s also a very hard worker and has been in the weight room, getting stronger. I’m real excited for him,” White said.

Crissman becomes the 14th athlete to commit to the Bruins’ football program.