This post was updated Oct. 1 at 12:03 a.m.
Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri mutually parted ways with UCLA, effective immediately, the university announced Tuesday.
Sunseri – a byproduct of the Nick Saban coaching tree – joined the Bruins in December 2024, a year removed from leading Indiana’s offense to its first-ever College Football Playoff performance, achieving a program record 11 wins and raising the offense’s total yards by 100 from 2023 to 2024.
UCLA also confirmed that assistant head coach and tight end coach Jerry Neuheisel will move to offensive play caller and that plans are underway to finalize additional support for overseeing and operating the Bruins’ offense.
Sunseri’s departure marks the third UCLA coach to leave this month, following the exits of defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and head coach DeShaun Foster. After starting the season 0-3, the team’s worst start since 2019, the Bruins are now without their three most important coaches and down four games.
The hiring of the offensive coordinator garnered a wealth of media attention and anticipation as many thought Sunseri could harness the untapped potential and production held by redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
Iamaleava – a former five-star prospect and one of the highest-ranked recruits to join the Bruins – ranks 13th in the Big Ten in passing yards per game and has yet to garner over 260 passing yards or two passing touchdowns in a game this season. Iamaleava also boasts just one more passing touchdown than interception.
UCLA’s offense ranks 15th in passing yards, rushing yards and passing touchdowns through four games of the 2025 season. The Bruins also rank last in rushing touchdowns in the Big Ten, with a lone score coming from Iamaleava against UNLV.
Neuheisel – a former UCLA quarterback himself – has been a member of the Bruin coaching staff for seven years and is in his second year as tight end coach and first year as assistant head coach. He was also the wide receivers coach for three seasons from 2021 to 2023.
The new offensive coordinator will immediately take over for UCLA’s next matchup, where the squad will take on No. 7 Penn State, which has scored at least 30 points in three of its four contests this season.
As the Bruins stare at their 0-4 record with a Big Ten gauntlet on the horizon, the eyes of many Bruins’ supporters have turned to the offseason, which, with the exit of Sunseri, may very well be the most exciting and imperative part of the 2025 football season.
The Bruins will most likely need to replace both their coordinators and their head coach, but those replacements will not be announced until the new head honcho is hired, which will likely come after the squad’s final whistle this season.
