Welcome to my second coaching candidate post. I assume you have read my previous post and know how I judge this if not, I will post a link right below.
The UCLA job might be one of the most complicated jobs to figure out. While you can watch the first three games and say "oh, that's a bad team with a bad coach." Which is true, but the roots are deeper than what comes up to the surface. The story starts back in November 25th, 2017. UCLA just hired Chip Kelly, it was well known that Kelly will have to rebuild this entire team. This is before NIL and the transfer portal was slowly becoming a way to fix weak spots immediately instead developing your redshirt freshman CB and throwing him against a Michael Pittman or JJ Arcega Whiteside right off the bat.
The first two seasons was rough and COVID messed everyone up in his third season. His fourth season came around, and he brought in Zach Charbonnet from Michigan and made an instant impact to this offense along DTR as the QB. Everything looked up, but the NIL has became a major factor that their rivals USC started to buy players to play for the Trojans while UCLA is having a hard time adapting to this new era of college football and the program obviously lacks resources. Kelly tries to talk the AD into helping fund or find donors to fund for NIL resources and to update the athletic facilities. They declined and Chip Kelly decided to be an assistant coach after the 2023 season. UCLA had to scramble to find a new coach and called on their RB coach who is an alum and household name for Bruins fans who is just left to become a NFL assistant himself. They threw him in the fire thinking this would keep the team back afloating. Turns out, the hire became a huge mistake and he only lasted 15 games.
If I have to be honest, I believe the AD, board, and the donors have no clue what direction they are going with this program. They very much believe that they are a top tier program capable of picking up a current P5 coach and then compete for the CFP, they will likely not consider many (if any) G5 coaches with zero P5 HC experience, and they will likely look at NFL coaches as well thinking they can translate their game into college football. I feel like that is the best way to screw yourself as many P5 coaches will not take the job unless they can get promises ahead of massive resources and upgrades to the program, which the school has declined in the past. That will drive P5 coaches and coaches with P5 HC coaching hopes, which leaves them with a small group of coaches just looking for job at that point.
Top Targets
Spencer Danielson, Boise State (2023-?)
I don't think he needs much of an introduction, y'all pretty much know who he is. Took over a the interim mid way through the season, won the Mountain West Championship game, named head coach permanently, coached Ashton Jeanty, nearly went undefeated and made it to the CFP, coached a Heisman runner up, and the rest is history... kinda. Though, they had that tough loss to USF, they haven't really fell off after. They have been constantly winning games, and they have found ways to get the offense rolling without Jeanty. He makes tons of sense to take this job, but does he really want to leave a place where he has everything going the way he wants it and could be in the CFP every year due to their rules? Your guess is as good as mine.
Jonathan Smith, Michigan State (2024-?)
Out of all the P5 head coaches, Jonathan Smith may be the only one who would leave his current school that he has going in the right direction. He is a California native who is a west coast guy, if money talks will he walk? He may not even ask for resources and kinda expect things to come to him if he wins games which could be a risky move in the Big Ten.
Tony White, Florida State (Defensive Coordinator; 2025-?)
I expect nobody to know this name. Tony White is a long time defensive coach who worked for Rocky Long, Herm Edwards, Dino Babers, Matt Rhule, and now Mike Norvell. He recently left Nebraska after rescuing their abysmal defense and turned them to a top Big Ten defensive team last year. In his first game as DC at FSU, he allowed Alabama to socre only 17 points, and so far that is the most anyone scored on this team. He is also a UCLA alum. There were also reports this week that he called the AD soon after he found out that DeShaun Foster was fired and pitched himself as the next HC. Most of the time, it never works, but in this case, I feel like he might be the front runner for this job in November.
Head Coaches They Could Pursue
Jon Sumrall, Tulane (2024-?)
Will he get the job? Probably not. Does he want to move to California? I highly doubt that. The reason he is on this list: Attraction. He takes an interview, he considers the job, he ultimately declines so he can either get a bigger job (likely the big blue school in the southeast) or he can get a massive contract extension at Tulane.
Jason Eck, New Mexico (2025-?)
The coach killer himself. I like UCLA hiring Eck because he is a win now culture changing coach who doesn't ask for much and can win more with less. Before he took the New Mexico job, he was at Idaho. The Vandals had an old fashioned offense with a questionable defense. You may think in your head, that this may be a team having a hard time to crack the .500. You are wrong. Idaho consistently had a top 10 team year after year and brought most of the players with him to New Mexico and just beat UCLA.
Dan Mullen, UNLV (2025-?)
I don't think anyone will disagree on this take that Mullen is not a west coast guy. He has all the makings to be a fantastic ACC coach or a 8-4 SEC coach, which he once was, but coaching west seems weird to even think of him going there. UCLA will probably consider it heavily, and Mullen is desperate to get back to the top, so this hire could happen.
Other Candidates To Consider
Tosh Lupoi, Oregon (Defensive Coordinator; 2022-?)
This is a former Saban assistant who had any Pac 12 job he wanted but instead chose to leave Alabama and coach in the NFL. It didn't work out and former Saban assistant Dan Lanning knew that he was a talented DC, called him and offered him a job as the DC. He has since coached dozens of NFL talent in his almost four year stint with the Ducks.
Jason Beck, Utah (Offensive Coordinator; 2025-?)
Bronco Mendenhall's protege who decided not to follow him to Utah State and instead coach Utah. He brought his QB from New Mexico with him in what is likely Kyle Whittingham's last season. Utah has already chosen his successor years ago and it is likely Beck plans to stay through the next season with the new HC. If they keep winning games and Dampier continues shine after the missteps at Texas Tech, Beck may be a sought after commodity.
Anthony Lynn, Washington Commanders (Run Game Coordinator; 2024-?)
The former Los Angeles Chargers head coach could return to LA. He was once rumored to have interviewed for the USC job years ago, and after his failed Lions OC gig, signs pointed towards him giving college a shot. He has never coached in college which is a huge red flag, but he could get a collective of former HC's and talented college coaches at Big Sky and Mountain West schools to basically coach the team while he is just the face of the program and will be able to do behind the scenes work to get the program back on their toes.
Michael Pitre, Atlanta Falcons (Running Backs coach; 2022-?)
Does this sound familiar Bruins fans? Former UCLA running back turned coach could be a top candidate with his NFL experience while also having a deep college and recruiting background. He is also currently coaching Bijan Robinson which could obviously become a recruiting tool for RB prospects promising to mold the next Bijan in UCLA.
Hope you enjoyed this list. I will probably make my Stanford coaching candidates list sometime this week, just not right away. If you read all of this, leave a comment!