UCLA enters its first year in the Big Ten with almost a complete makeover in the coaching staff. Chip Kelly left the Bruins head coaching job to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has gone to rival USC. Former UCLA running back DeShaun Foster takes over as the head coach for his former team. Foster has been the RB coach in Westwood since 2017.
Will the Bruins offense change with Chip Kelly gone?
UCLA’s offense will be run by two former running backs. Foster and new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy both favor a run-first approach. That should take pressure off of incumbent quarterback Ethan Garbers.
Will the UCLA defense take a step back?
As tough as the loss of Kelly was to the program, losing Lynn to the cross-town Trojans might be even worse. Lynn totally turned the Bruins defense around, becoming one of the best squads on the West Coast in 2023. Ikaika Malloe has been promoted to coordinator and will keep Lynn’s system in place. But the UCLA defense also lost several key players.
What does UCLA’s first Big Ten schedule look like?
The Bruins will face a tough road in the new league. UCLA faces LSU, Oregon and Penn State in consecutive weeks. The Bruins schedule also includes Iowa, Nebraska, Washington and rival USC.