From the moment new UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster was hired 12 days ago, some of the bigger questions centered around his potential coaching staff hires. None bigger than an offensive coordinator, as Foster does not have previous experience calling plays nor serving as a coordinator.

Foster appears to be on the verge of making his first big splash.

According to ESPN, UCLA is finalizing two-year deal to bring Eric Bieniemy back to Westwood as an offensive coordinator and associate head coach.

The program has yet to make an official announcement as of late Saturday afternoon.

Bieniemy, 54, spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons coaching the running backs in Westwood before adding the title of recruiting coordinator in 2005.

After bouncing between additional stints at Colorado and the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings, he then became a hot name for head coaching jobs that never materialized while with the Kansas City Chiefs as a running backs coach (2013-17) and offensive coordinator (2018-22). He won two Super Bowls while helping mold star quarterback and two-time league MVP Patrick Mahomes.

Under his direction, the Chiefs led the NFL in total offense (413.6), passing (5,062), scrimmage touchdowns (59) and points per game (29.2) in 2022.

Bieniemy spent last year as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator for the Washington Commanders, who finished just 24th out of 32 teams in total offense (312.8 yards per game) in his lone year.

During his introductory press conference last Tuesday, Foster said his hire would be someone “that has my type of DNA, what I’m looking for,” as it relates to scheme and philosophy.

Bieniemy will be tasked with improving a Bruins offense led by former head coach and play-caller Chip Kelly that finished 32nd nationally in total offense (427.1 yards per game) but was second-worst in the red zone with a 63.3% conversion rate last season.

Bieniemy is a Southern California native who attended Bishop Amat High School in La Puente before attending Colorado (1987-90).