UCLA offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri is leaving the team
After a disappointing start to the season in which UCLA’s offense ranked among the worst in the nation, the Bruins and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri mutually parted ways Tuesday evening, a university official told The Times.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the move has not been publicly announced.
Sunseri becomes the second coordinator to depart in the wake of coach DeShaun Foster’s dismissal, after defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe left earlier this month in another mutual parting of ways.
Tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel will be the offensive playcaller when the Bruins (0-4 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) face No. 7 Penn State (3-1, 0-1) on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. Plans are underway to finalize additional staff and it is anticipated that former UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone will assume analyst responsibilities, pending completion of the appropriate university processes.
Neuheisel and Mazzone have a long history together, starting when Mazzone was UCLA’s offensive coordinator and Neuheisel a backup quarterback from 2012-15. After a stint playing professionally in Japan, Neuheisel joined Texas A&M’s staff as a quality control assistant before the 2017 season at the urging of Mazzone, then the Aggies’ offensive coordinator.
“He said, ‘You’re coming with me, I don’t care what you say,’ ” Neuheisel recalled. “And I said, ‘You’re right, I’m coming.’ I got on the next plane to Texas A&M.”
Sunseri’s hiring was hailed as a coup for the Bruins given that he was co-offensive coordinator last season at Indiana, which averaged 47.8 points on the way to reaching the College Football Playoff. But the Bruins’ offense has struggled mightily in Sunseri’s first season as a playcaller, averaging 14.2 points to rank No. 132 out of 134 major college teams. UCLA also averaged 321.2 yards per game, ranking No. 117 nationally.
The lack of offensive production has been a big reason why UCLA has fallen behind in every game, trailing 20-0 against Utah, 23-0 against Nevada Las Vegas, 14-0 against New Mexico and 17-0 against Northwestern.
Sunseri also couldn’t replicate the success he had as quarterbacks coach at Indiana and James Madison. While UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava has completed a career-high 65.3% of his passes, he’s averaging only 197 passing yards per game and has logged nearly as many interceptions (three) as touchdowns (four), leading to a career-low quarterback rating.
Mazzone helped generate dynamic, high-scoring offenses in four seasons under then-UCLA coach Jim Mora. Mazzone later served as offensive coordinator at Texas A&M and Arizona before going on to serve in that same capacity for three teams in the United States Football League and United Football League.
Mazzone, 68, favors no-huddle offenses light on plays and heavy on simplicity. He’s also known for tailoring offenses to his personnel, particularly the quarterbacks.
“I try to create space for playmakers,” Mazzone told The Times in 2012. “I’m going to get you the ball where all you’ve got to do is beat one guy man-to-man. I do that, then it’s up to you.”
Neuheisel is a lifelong Bruin, having been born at UCLA Medical Center before going on to play quarterback for the team his father once coached, coming off the bench to lead the Bruins to a come-from-behind victory over Texas in 2014. He returned to his alma mater in 2018 as a graduate assistant before subsequent promotions to wide receivers coach and tight ends coach.
One of Neuheisel’s most visible roles is leading postgame locker-room celebrations after victories, yelling, “It’s a great day to be a Bruin!” before players repeat the phrase.
Neuheisel’s latest promotion to playcaller represents another step toward what he’s long said was his dream job: UCLA head coach.
“I didn’t get to put roses on my shoulder as a player,” Neuheisel told The Times in 2016, referring to a Rose Bowl game tradition, “but I’m going to come back and put the roses on the players as a coach.”
