Opposing coach believes Eric Bieniemy back in college will be 'interesting to watch'

UCLA is going through a transitional phase on multiple different levels. Not only are they moving from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, a new head coach will be leading to Bruins as well. Chip Kelly left Westwood in favor of the Ohio State OC job and DeShaun Foster took over the program.

Foster comes from an offensive background but has never called plays. He was previously the UCLA running backs coach and elevated all the way to head coach. An offensive coordinator hire was always going to be needed and Foster turned to longtime NFL assistant Eric Bieniemy.

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Colorado was the last college to employ Bieniemy, all the way back in 2012. An opposing head coach is interested to see how Foster and Bieniemy work together, as the latter moves back into college football after over a decade in the NFL.

“[DeShaun] Foster wants to be there and want to lean into the energy of the city, for sure,” the opposing coach said via Athlon. “[Eric] Bieniemy back in college will be interesting to watch.”

There is some history between Bieniemy and UCLA. For three seasons, Bieniemy was a part of the program as the running backs coach, and in 2005, he also served as the recruiting coordinator. Just under two decades later, the two sides are back together.

Bieniemy worked with the Washington Commanders this past season under Ron Rivera. Being the Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator under Patrick Mahomes is where Bieniemy has most recently made a name for himself.

Foster has to be hoping Bieniemy’s offense can jolt a spark in the program, even if that’s where Kelly excelled as a head coach. The same opposing coach points out UCLA has not had much juice in the recruiting world in quite some time, needing to embrace the modern times of college football.

“It’s too early to tell what that roster will do this season but they’re trying to fire up the brand and get the alumni and boosters into NIL and get the energy up,” the coach said. “It’s been a really quiet and forgettable program for a long time in recruiting.”

UCLA might have the most question marks surrounding them for the new Big Ten teams. Plenty will be watching to see how the Bruins perform in 2024 and if there is going to be success, Bieniemy will likely have to play a major role.