Former Arkansas State assistant Andy Kwon and ex-Colorado assistant Gabe Lynn were hired Thursday as UCLA’s next offensive line and safeties coach, respectively, Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster announced.
Kwon, who takes over the position vacated by the departure of Juan Castillo after one season, spent the last three years guiding the Arkansas State offensive line.
Lynn, who replaces Brian Norwood in the role after five seasons, was a defensive analyst and assistant director of player personnel the past two years at Colorado.
“Coach Kwon is an up-and-coming young coach who has already shown an ability to effectively teach while relating to his players,” Foster said in a release announcing the move. “As a former center, he knows the ins and outs of the line and I know he can’t wait to put in work with our guys.
“Gabe Lynn has already grown tremendously as a coach. He shows an enthusiasm to make young people better and a willingness to adapt with the different responsibilities he’s taken on in his career. We look forward to seeing him get to work with the safeties room.”
Kwon helped Red Wolves center Jacob Bayer earn first-team All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2023 and a second-team selection this past season. Bayer was a top-10 graded center by PFF in the FBS both seasons.
Kwon will look to help upgrade UCLA’s rushing production, which ranked last in the Big Ten and was the fourth-worst nationally at 86.6 yards per game in the regular season.
Arkansas State averaged more than 150 yards rushing per game each of the past two seasons.
Kwon, who started as the Red Wolves’ tight ends coach in 2021, was previously a graduate offensive line assistant at Alabama (2018-20) and a graduate offensive assistant at Akron (2017).
As a player, Kwon was a two-time All-Sun Belt offensive lineman at Georgia Southern before graduating in 2017.
The Bruins will replace three starters on the offensive line with the transfer of left tackle Niki Prongos and graduation of guards Josh Carlin and Spencer Holstege. Center Sam Yoon and right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio are currently still with the program.
Reserve Tavake Tuikolovatu also entered the portal earlier this week, but UCLA has gained transfer commitments from offensive linemen Julian Armella (Florida State), Courtland Ford (Kentucky) and Eugene Brooks (Oklahoma).
Lynn primarily helped coach the Colorado safeties this past season. The Buffaloes allowed 204.7 yards passing per game and snagged 12 interceptions, with both marks ranking among the top 50.
UCLA’s pass defense ranked 108th at 244.7 yards allowed per game.
Lynn was previously a graduate assistant at Central Oklahoma (2017), cornerbacks coach at Oklahoma Baptist (2018) and a quality control and defensive backs coach at Houston Christian (2019-22).
As a player, Lynn started three of four seasons at Oklahoma from 2010 to 2013.
UCLA’s secondary, led by newly hired and returning coach Demetrice Martin, will replace every starter after losing cornerbacks Jaylin Davies, Devin Kirkwood, and Kaylin Moore and safeties Bryan Addison, Ramon Henderson and K.J. Wallace.
Davies entered the transfer portal earlier this week and the other five exhausted their eligibility.
In the portal, UCLA has gained commitments from defensive backs Benjamin Perry (Louisville), Andre Jordan Jr. (Oregon State), Bryon Threats (Central Florida), Key Lawrence (Mississippi) and Aaron Williams (Louisville).
