DeShaun Foster explains importance of hiring Eric Bieniemy as OC in Year 1 at UCLA

The UCLA Bruins hired DeShaun Foster to take over the program in the wake of Chip Kelly leaving the program. He’s a first-time head coach, and because of that, it’s become a major transition for him into leading the team.

One of the first major moves that DeShaun Foster made was hiring Eric Bieniemy as the team’s offensive coordinator. It was an important move, particularly due to his experience, as Foster explained during Big Ten Media Days.

“That was huge,” DeShaun Foster said. “Being a first-year head coach, I needed to make sure that I had somebody that I didn’t need to micromanage.”

Certainly, Bieniemy fits the role of an experienced coordinator who can handle their business. In fact, at one point, he was seen as one of the best offensive coordinators in the NFL and appeared to be primed for a head coaching job, though that job never came.

Like DeShaun Foster, Eric Bieniemy was a running back in his playing days. He then transitioned into coaching, initially at the college level. That included time at UCLA as the running backs coach. That was under Karl Dorrell. He later transitioned to coaching in the NFL, becoming the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator in 2018. There, he helped develop Patrick Mahomes into the NFL’s best quarterback. In 2023, he left to become the Washington Commanders offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

“Having Eric Bieniemy, that was perfect for me because he’s an established offensive coordinator,” Foster said. “And just the type of experiences and all of the knowledge that he has, I can lean on him and really use that.”

DeShaun Foster took over UCLA in a difficult position. Former head coach Chip Kelly and the program split when he left to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. That came in February, months after most teams have hired their head coaches for the next season. As such, Foster made for a good candidate since he was already on the staff as a running backs coach, creating stability.

That time for Foster as the running backs coach was his second stint as an assistant coach at UCLA. It’s also where he got his start before spending a season at Texas Tech. On top of that, Foster was also a standout running back during his time as a player at UCLA.

After playing for the Bruins, Foster went to the NFL for a solid career that he spent mostly with the Carolina Panthers.