Eric Bieniemy’s time at UCLA lasted just one season. The Bruins decided to part ways with Bieniemy on Thursday after struggling with one of the worst offenses in the country this year.
Head coach DeShaun Foster quickly found a replacement. Tino Sunseri, who was the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator at Indiana, will become the new offensive coordinator for UCLA, according to a source familiar with the decision. The person spoke anonymously since the announcement had not yet been made.
Sunseri spent only one season at Indiana after following Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison. Cignetti and Sunseri worked together for four years, including three years at James Madison, where the Dukes made a successful transition from FCS to FBS.
Bieniemy was hired as UCLA’s associate head coach and offensive coordinator in February after Foster became head coach. Bieniemy had also worked at UCLA as a running backs coach from 2003-2005.
Bieniemy’s agent, Jason Fletcher, said in a statement that Bieniemy had planned to stay just one season at UCLA and described the parting as “mutual.” Despite signing a two-year contract, Bieniemy had a retention bonus if he stayed through the 2025 season.
Fletcher explained, “After interviewing for head coaching jobs last year, he wanted to stay active and busy, so he decided to go help out Deshaun Foster, who is like his little brother, at UCLA instead of sitting out a year.”
This season, UCLA ranked 117th in total offense (328.8 yards per game), 126th in scoring (18.4 points per game), and had the fifth-worst rushing attack in the country (86.6 yards per game). The Bruins finished 5-7 in their first year in the Big Ten, failing to qualify for a bowl game after three straight appearances. The team also became the sixth Power Five school since 2000 to fail to score 20 points in their first six games.
Players mentioned early in the season that Bieniemy’s playbook was difficult to understand and that his play calls were often too long.
Bieniemy was a two-time Super Bowl champion offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs, but his recent coaching positions have not gone well. He served as the offensive coordinator for Washington in 2023 but was not kept after Ron Rivera’s firing.
Bieniemy stated in an email to ESPN that he wasn’t fired by Washington and received offers from the NFL to coach running backs or be a passing game coordinator. However, when asked about those offers during UCLA’s spring practice, he declined to give more details.
Bieniemy wasn’t kept by new Commanders coach Dan Quinn, who replaced Rivera.
Despite his success in Kansas City, Bieniemy has not landed a head coaching position, despite interviewing with more than half of the NFL teams. Fletcher said, “The plan was always to return to the NFL in 2025, and he’s looking forward to the opportunities ahead.”
Sunseri’s immediate task will be to limit further transfers out of the program. Quarterback Justyn Martin and running back T.J. Harden have already entered the transfer portal.
At Indiana, Sunseri worked closely with Kurtis Rourke, a transfer from Ohio, who had a standout season. Rourke helped Indiana break single-season records for wins and conference victories. Indiana, ranked No. 9, is on track to make its first College Football Playoff appearance.
Sunseri, like Cignetti, has coaching experience at Alabama. He worked as a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide in 2019 and 2020 after coaching at Florida State and Tennessee. The 35-year-old also spent three seasons with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning a Grey Cup title as a rookie in 2013 after playing college football at Pittsburgh.
