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Tino Sunseri and UCLA Football Part Ways After Just Four Games Amidst Program Instability Los Angeles, California—In a dramatic demonstration of instability within a major collegiate sports programme, offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri has departed the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) football team, the school announced late Tuesday. The move, officially termed a "mutual parting of ways," comes just four games into the 2025 season, making Sunseri the third senior coach to exit the winless programme in as many weeks. Mr Sunseri’s departure follows a deeply challenging start for the UCLA Bruins, who currently hold an 0-4 record and have struggled significantly on the offensive side of the ball. The team's scoring offense has ranked among the worst in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), placing significant pressure on the coaching staff and athletic department. The 36-year-old’s exit comes swiftly after the firing of Head Coach DeShaun Foster and the subsequent mutual separation with Defensive Coordinator Ikaika Malloe. The rapid succession of coaching changes is highly unusual in American college sports, particularly so early in the season, and underscores the severity of the performance issues facing the storied California institution. The Bruins have failed to hold a lead at any point during their first four contests, with the offense managing an average of approximately 14 points per game. Addressing the media following practice, interim head coach Tim Skipper acknowledged the tumultuous environment. "It's hectic times, you know, but you have to deal with it," Skipper stated.
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"Nobody's going to feel sorry for us. As things happen, good or bad, you have to deal with it, and you have to move forward in order for the performance to be good on Saturday. " The immediate impact of the void left by Mr Sunseri will be absorbed by tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel, who has been promoted to offensive playcaller and quarterbacks coach. Mr Neuheisel, a former UCLA quarterback himself, will take over play-calling duties just days before the Bruins face a formidable challenge in the top-10 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions. Coach Skipper’s advice to the newly promoted Neuheisel focused on streamlining the operation in the short term. "A lot of advice of, 'look, don't do too much,'" Skipper explained. "You have to do what the guys need to know for this game, and then we'll move forward with the next game. So the main thing was just, 'hey, be yourself, but don't think you need to install a whole new playbook and all that stuff. '" The abrupt end to Mr Sunseri’s tenure in Los Angeles provides a stark contrast to his recent, successful trajectory through the college coaching ranks.
A former quarterback for the Pittsburgh Panthers and a Grey Cup champion in the Canadian Football League (CFL), Sunseri transitioned into coaching in 2016 and quickly established a reputation as a gifted developer of signal-callers. His ascent included influential periods at several high-profile programmes. As a graduate assistant at the University of Alabama, he worked closely with future Heisman Trophy finalists and NFL first-round draft picks, including Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones, contributing to a College Football Playoff National Championship in the 2020 season. This experience positioned him for further success. From 2021 to 2023, he served as the quarterbacks coach at James Madison University (JMU) under Curt Cignetti, where he mentored three consecutive conference player-of-the-year award winners. His work was integral to elevating the JMU offense, which ranked highly in national passing efficiency and scoring. In 2024, he followed Coach Cignetti to Indiana University, serving as the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. At Indiana, the team's offensive production soared, ranking second nationally in scoring offense and leading the FBS in team passing efficiency, ultimately helping the Hoosiers secure their first-ever College Football Playoff selection. This rapid success led UCLA to hire him as a full offensive coordinator in December 2024.
“Tino Sunseri is a natural leader of young men and rising star in coaching,” DeShaun Foster had said upon Sunseri’s hiring, highlighting the high expectations surrounding his move to the highly competitive Big Ten Conference. However, the change in quarterback personnel, offensive philosophy adjustments, and the overall team turmoil at UCLA appeared to prevent any momentum from taking hold. The experiment of pairing the young, dynamic coordinator with the new head coach did not yield immediate results, leading to a break that analysts describe as exceptionally swift, even for the high-stakes world of collegiate football. While the Bruins focus on stabilising the programme under interim leadership, the market will closely watch Mr Sunseri's next move. His track record in player development and his role in building successful offenses at Alabama, James Madison, and Indiana suggest that he is unlikely to be out of the coaching cycle for long. “He’s still one of the hottest names in the coaching pool and will get another chance to redeem himself as a coordinator next season,” noted one industry commentator, pointing to Sunseri’s youth and proven ability to develop talent under challenging circumstances. The focus now shifts to whether the remainder of the 2025 season in Los Angeles can avoid further derailment following an unprecedented amount of mid-season staff turnover.
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