UCLA officially announced the hire of new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri in a release Thursday.
Sunseri will join the UCLA staff upon completion of Indiana’s season, which will continue Dec. 20 as part of the 12-team College Football Playoff.
“Tino Sunseri is a natural leader of young men and rising star in coaching,” Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster said in the release. “He puts his quarterbacks in positions to succeed and it shows when you look at their production. Players will feed off his passion for development and I can't wait to have him in our building.”
Sunseri will look to improve a UCLA offense that finished the regular season ranked 47th in passing (242.2 yards), 117th in total offense (328.8 yards), 126th in scoring (18.4 points) and 130th in rushing (86.6 yards) in one season under offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
Among the nation’s 133 FBS teams, Indiana is ranked second in scoring (43.3 points per game), 24th in total offense (438.8 yards), 30th in passing (265.2 yards) and 53rd in rushing (173.6 yards).
Sunseri’s addition also marks the end of Ted White’s tenure as UCLA’s quarterbacks coach after one season.
The move was in the works dating back to last Wednesday’s start to the early signing period.
Hughson (Calif.) four-star quarterback Robert McDaniel, the newest addition to the Bruins’ 2025 signing class, said Sunseri’s move to Westwood played a pivotal role in his decision to back off a commitment to Arizona after a conversation that day.
“I knew I had a lot of trust in (Sunseri), especially with my family,” McDaniel told Bruin Blitz this past weekend. “We were able to get on the phone with him and instill that trust even more.”
UCLA has yet to officially announce the return of defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin, who was with Michigan State last season. Martin, like Sunseri, has already started recruiting on behalf of the program.
Bruins safeties coach Brian Norwood announced last Friday he was not retained.
The Bruins also are expected to hire Fresno State defensive line coach Jethro Franklin, according to a report Tuesday by ESPN.
Meanwhile, Football Scoop reported Wednesday that Arkansas State assistant Andy Kwon is expected to be the next UCLA offensive line coach.
Last season, the Bruins had Tony Washington Jr. and Juan Castillo leading the defensive and offensive lines, respectively, in their first seasons in Westwood.
