The move is now official as Eric Bieniemy has joined the staff of the UCLA Bruins as the team's associate head coach and offensive coordinator. He is the first significant hire on head coach DeShaun Foster's staff since he was hired in mid-February to replace Chip Kelly.
“It’s time.” – Coach Bieniemy pic.twitter.com/NjH1uOyMwJ
— UCLA Football (@UCLAFootball) March 2, 2024
The former UCLA head coach abruptly left the program to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Bieniemy had been a long time assistant coach with the Kansas City Chiefs before moving on to the Washington Commanders last season.
Bieniemy has gained a reputation as a demanding but effective offensive leader who pushes his players hard to run plays precisely and avoid repeated mistakes. He emerged as an NFL head coaching candidate during his time with the Chiefs under Andy Reid, but that opportunity never came. After moving on to the Commanders, several reports indicated that the Washington players were not always happy with Bieniemy's old-school demeanor.
Foster is very happy to have Eric Bieniemy on his staff. “Having one of the most innovative offensive minds in football join our staff speaks volumes to the type of program we are building here at UCLA,” Foster said. “Coach Bieniemy’s belief in our pillars shined throughout our conversations and confirmed he was the right man to not only help us develop an explosive approach on the field, but leaders off of it.”
Upon completion of the hiring process, Bieniemy had a succinct reaction that is likely to demonstrate his determination to help the UCLA program establish itself in its first year in the Big Ten. “It's time,” Eric Bieniemy said.
UCLA and long-time rival USC have left the Pac-12 in a much-publicized move to join the Big Ten. The move represents a major challenge for both schools.
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