UCLA Hires Tim Drevno OL Coach
UCLA Football Hires Tim Drevno to Lead Offensive LineCoaching veteran has guided four offensive linemen to first-round NFL draft selections.
LOS ANGELES -- UCLA head football coach Chip Kelly announced Friday the hiring of Tim Drevno as offensive line coach. Drevno worked last season as an analyst for the Bruins after serving recent stints on the staff of USC, Michigan, and the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. During his career, he has guided four offensive linemen to first-round NFL draft selections, including three in the last two years, and coached in a Super Bowl.
Drevno was the run game, pass protection coordinator, and offensive line coach at USC in 2019 and 2020 after being run game, pass protection coordinator, and running backs coach for the Trojans in the 2018 season. He coached 2021 first-round NFL selection Alijah Vera-Tucker and 2020 first-round pick Austin Jackson during his tenure with USC.
Vera-Tucker also was voted the Pac-12’s 2020 Morris Trophy winner as the league’s top offensive lineman. From 2015-17, Drevno served as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Michigan, where he worked with 2020 NFL first-rounder Cesar Ruiz.
From 2011-13, Drevno was the offensive line coach during a three-year term at San Francisco, which produced a pair of NFC Championship Game appearances and a trip to Super Bowl XLVII.
In 2021, Drevno assisted with UCLA’s offensive line, which paved the way for rushers to collect at least 200 yards in each of the team’s eight wins. The Bruins averaged 215.1 rushing yards per game to place second in the Pac-12 and rank 12th nationally.
Zach Charbonnet paced all Pac-12 running backs with seven 100-yard games during the season. Brittain Brown topped conference rushers with 6.03 yards per carry. UCLA led the Pac-12 in scoring and was 12th nationally (36.5 points per game). The Bruins were also second in the conference and 31st overall in total offense (441.2 yards per game). Charbonnet rated third in the league in rushing yards (1,137) and was second in rushing yards per game (94.8).
In 2020, USC’s passing offense rated 11th in the nation (319.3 yards per game) and had the 13th-best pass completion percentage (.672) in the country. The 2019 Trojans ranked sixth nationally in passing offense (335.8 yards per game), fourth in completion percentage (.710), and 20th in total offense (455.4 yards per game). Offensive tackle Jackson was a first-round All-Pac-12 selection. In 2018, Aca’Cedric Ware ranked 16th in the nation and led the Pac-12 in rushing yards per carry (6.6). Collectively, USC’s running backs rushed for 1,743 yards and 16 touchdowns that season.
While serving as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Michigan from 2015-17, the Wolverines rushed for more than 2,000 yards in each season. In 2017, three players rushed for at least 500 yards, a program first since 1991. Karan Higdon was 22nd nationally in rushing yards per carry that season at 6.06 yards per attempt.
The 2016 Wolverines ranked third in the nation in red-zone scoring percentage (.912) and rated 33rd nationally and second in the Big Ten in rushing offense (212.9 yards per game).
Michigan also ranked 11th nationally in scoring offense (tops in the Big Ten for the second consecutive year) and tallied at least 40 points in seven games. UM’s total offense average of 424.9 was fourth in the Big Ten.
In 2015, Michigan was seventh nationally in red zone scoring percentage (.929), 27th in sacks allowed (1.38 per game) and led the Big Ten with a .640 completion percentage.
While serving as USC’s offensive line coach in 2014, the Trojans ranked fourth in the country in pass efficiency (165.4), 15th in pass offense (296.6 yards per game) and 29th in total offense (457.5 yards per game).
Javorius Allen led the Pac-12 and was 12th in the nation in all-purpose yards per game (149.8). The Trojans eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards as a team, while center Max Tuerk made the All-Pac-12 first team and offensive guard-tackle Toa Lobendahn and offensive guard Viane Talamaivao each earned Freshman All-America first-team acclaim.
The previous three seasons, Drevno worked as offensive line coach in the NFL for San Francisco. Tackle Joe Staley and guard Mike Iupati made the Pro Bowl in 2013. In 2012, all five of the 49ers’ offensive line starters were selected for the Pro Bowl and Iupati was an All-Pro first-team selection.
The 2011 line led the way for running back Frank Gore to become the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. The 49ers advanced to the playoffs in each of Drevno’s seasons, including winning the NFC West title his first two years and capturing the NFC championship in 2012.
Gore finished in the top 15 in the NFL in rushing yards all three seasons, including top-10 finishes in 2011 and 2012. In addition, the 49ers finished in the top 10 in the NFL in rushing offense during each season.
Prior to joining the 49ers, Drevno was an assistant at Stanford for four seasons (2007-2010), the first two years handling the tight ends and the last two coaching the offensive line. Drevno’s offensive linemen Jonathan Martin, David DeCastro, Chase Beeler, and Chris Marinelli each earned All-Pac-10 honors during that time.
In addition, DeCastro, a 2011 All-America selection, was the first-round choice of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2012 NFL Draft. Marinelli and running back Toby Gerhart earned All-America honors in 2009. Martin and Beeler were All-America selections in 2010.
The Stanford line allowed just 13 sacks during those two years, ranking second nationally both seasons while opening holes for a ground attack that set a school rushing yardage record in 2009 while ranking 11th nationally (218.2 yards per game).
In addition, Stanford ranked second nationally in sacks allowed (0.54 per game), 11th in scoring offense (35.5 points per game), and 19th in total offense (427.6 yards per game) in 2009.
Gerhart was second in the nation in rushing with a 143.9 yards per game average and placed second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy.
The 2010 Cardinal team finished with a 12-1 record and won the Orange Bowl over Virginia Tech after ranking second in the nation in sacks allowed (0.46 per game), ninth in scoring (40.3 points per game), 14th in total offense (472.5 yards per game) and 17th in rushing offense (213.8 yards per game). Quarterback Andrew Luck finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Drevno was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at the University of San Diego for the four previous seasons (2003-06). The Toreros were named back-to-back NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major national champions and captured Pioneer League titles in 2005 and 2006.
Under his direction, USD led the nation in total offense twice and also finished third and ninth in that category. San Diego topped the nation in 2003 in total yards (483.3 per game) while averaging 39.9 points.
In 2004, the Torero offense was ninth nationally in total offense (432.4 yards per game), 11th in scoring offense (36.1 points per game), and 12th in passing offense (275.4 yards per game).
USD set numerous offensive school records in 2005, including average points (42.6) and total offense (485.2 yards per game). The 2006 San Diego squad led NCAA Division I-AA in passing offense (293.3 yards per game), total offense (494.3 per game), and scoring offense (42.8 points per game).
Quarterback Josh Johnson was one of four offensive All-Americans on the team and led all NCAA Division I-AA quarterbacks in passing yards (3,320), passing efficiency (169.0), touchdown passes (34), and total offense (336.7 yards per game). He was a fifth-round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
From 2000-02, Drevno was the offensive line coach at the University of Idaho for Vandal teams which featured some of the most productive offenses in the nation. Idaho ranked sixth in the nation in total offense (464.8 yards per game) for the 2001 season and was eighth in 2000 (453.2).
In 2000, running back Willie Alderson rated 12th nationally in all-purpose yards (165.0 per game) and 19th in rushing yards per game (108.6). Drevno coached three offensive tackles during his term at Idaho who went on to play in the NFL in Jake Scott, Rick DeMulling, and Patrick Venzke.
Prior to his tenure at Idaho, Drevno’s coaching stops included San Jose State (offensive line, 1999), UNLV (running backs, 1998), and Montana State (tight ends, 1993-95, and running backs, 1996, 1997). He embarked on his coaching journey as a student assistant at Cal State Fullerton, his alma mater, in 1991 and 1992.
Drevno started his collegiate playing career as an offensive lineman for two years (1987, 1988) at El Camino Junior College in Torrance, Calif., where he helped lead the Warriors to a national title in 1987 and then earned All-Mission League recognition the following year. He went on to play three seasons at Cal State Fullerton and started on the Titan offensive line for two seasons (1990, 1991).
Drevno earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Cal State Fullerton in 1992 after being an all-league player at South Torrance (Calif.) HS. He and his wife, Shannon, have two daughters, McKenna and Baylee, and a son, Zachary.