By: Mike Huesmann
Chip Kelly has left for Ohio State and the offensive coordinator role. We knew this was on the table as both Chip and the school had been inching towards a change. Chip has won 17 games over the past two years at a school who has been the little brother in LA for decades and hasn’t had a coach as consistent as him in years. If you’re going to be so unappreciative to a guy who’s done as well as Chip you either are delusional about how good your situation is for a coach or you genuinely have a better candidate picked out. For UCLA’s sake, let’s hope it is the latter. This is not an easy place to win, but in many ways it should be. Here are five options for the Bruins. In this update we remove P.J. Fleck who is staying at Minnesota and Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell while adding Baltimore Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton and Florida Atlantic head coach Tom Herman.
Tony White
Nebraska, Defensive Coordinator
After stints at San Diego St. and Arizona St., White led one of the best defensive backfields in the country in 2022 for Syracuse before bolting for Lincoln with Matt Rhule. Matt Rhule made a great hire to get the UCLA alumni on his staff at Nebraska for this season. White has a history in many parts of the country, is young, energetic, and everything recruits want to see. White did a heck of a job as DC at Syracuse, I wouldn’t be shocked if he goes back to Westwood as head coach. The Nebraska fans won’t want to lose him but that program isn’t what it once was and the itch to lead his own program might be too great.
The case for Tony White from UCLA writer: pic.twitter.com/R2zHMQmoXS
— Jim in MN (@HuskersMN) February 9, 2024
Chris Horton
Special Teams Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens
A former UCLA player under Karl Dorrell. Horton is one of the candidates that we believe UCLA administration has already met with regarding the job. After playing in the NFL he started his coaching career with UCLA and has been with the Ravens since 2014, including the last 4 in his current role. He would bring excitement, NFL experience, understands the school, and appears to have the backing of some boosters.
“He’s always ready for the moment.”
STC Chris Horton on @jtuck9: pic.twitter.com/7js1KlBtIJ
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 25, 2024
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Barry Odom
Head Coach, UNLV
Odom is leading a resurgence in Las Vegas, a place where few have been able to win games. The Rebels played for the MWC title and made a bowl game. He had an average stint at Missouri, which was surrounded by much turmoil that was not his doing. The job he is doing this year will dispel all notions about his ability, though. Odom spent time before UNLV at Arkansas as the DC. His Rebel team this year played stout defense and was deadly in the run game, using all kinds of guys to carry the ball. He could be a solid hire.
#TransferToTheStrip 👀😎🎰 https://t.co/4lgDSZ69jE
— Barry Odom (@Coach_Odom) February 8, 2024
Bryan Harsin
Former Head Coach, Boise State and Auburn
Harsin was always a bad fit for the SEC and the Auburn boosters tried to run him out of town almost immediately. He was doomed to fail, partly because of himself and partly because of the culture. He was a resounding success in his previous seven seasons at Boise, going 69-19 with a bowl game every year except the covid shortened 2020 season. His success there has been quickly forgotten in the wake of Auburn, it shouldn’t be. He’ll coach again somewhere in the Pacific or Mountain time zone and probably do a good job. I don’t know if this is the one for him but he checks a lot of boxes. Sometimes the best ability is availability.
Tom Herman
Head Coach, Florida Atlantic
A name who has popped up for this search in multiple accounts. Tom Herman was a massive success at Houston as head coach and before that had been an assistant at Ohio State, Iowa State, Rice, and multiple FCS teams. He’d be a good hire for the Bruins if they could persuade him to leave Boca Raton. He has probably been Texas’ best head coach since Mack Brown (not counting Sark’s current tenure), but the 32-18 wasn’t enough to keep him there. He recently finished his first year at FAU, making us wonder if he’d leave after a single season?
