LOS ANGELES, California – The coaching carousel has finally come to a halt at UCLA, with the Bruins making a quick move to replace former head coach Chip Kelly, who left to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. DeShaun Foster, a former star player and assistant coach for the Bruins, has been named as Kelly’s replacement, ending weeks of speculation and uncertainty.
The hiring of Foster marks the end of a tumultuous few weeks in college football, with several head coaching vacancies opening up at various programs. UCLA Athletic Director Martin Jarmond was reportedly in search of a candidate with head coaching experience, with initial targets including Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck. However, Foster emerged as a strong contender due to his previous connections with the program and the support of both players and staff.
The move to hire Foster is seen as a strategic one for the Bruins, as it allows the program to redirect resources to other areas while bringing in a head coach who is well-regarded within the UCLA community. The key questions now are who Foster will hire as his offensive coordinator and whether he can rally support for UCLA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) operation, which lags behind other schools in the Pac-12.
Foster’s hiring also brings attention to the trend of alumni-led programs in college football. He joins a select group of active Power 4 head coaches who are leading their alma maters, raising questions about the impact of loyalty and alumni connections on a program’s success. While the success of alumni-led programs has been mixed, recent trends point to a potential resurgence in the success of coaches leading their alma maters, with the last three national championships won by coaches from their own alma maters.
As the college football coaching landscape continues to evolve, the hiring of alumni as head coaches remains a topic of debate. The long-term impact of such hires and their potential for success is a subject of ongoing research and discussion within the college football community.