Thirty days ago, the UCLA Bruins fired head coach DeShaun Foster after a 0–4 start that included losses to Utah, UNLV, and a home collapse against New Mexico. The team looked disjointed on both sides of the ball, the offense lacked rhythm, and the defense could not get off the field. Since then, under interim coach Tim Skipper, the Bruins have ripped off three straight wins and looked like a completely different team.
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UCLA Bruins Instant Turnaround Under Tim Skipper
Is it a great day to be alive and to be a Bruin?
The most impressive part? It’s the same roster, but with a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator in Jerry Neuheisel, and a new defensive playcaller; the entire identity has shifted. Skipper’s presence has energized a group that looked lifeless in September. No players transferred out after Foster’s firing, signaling that he’s got a good grip on the locker room. The Bruins are tougher, more balanced, and playing with real belief. With a board in the athletic department currently looking for a new Head Coach, should he be in the running?
They shocked No. 7 Penn State 42–37, then dominated Michigan State 38–13 in East Lansing. Saturday’s 20–17 win over Maryland showed that they could grind out a tough win. The turnaround has been fast and real, and UCLA is looking like it could head to a bowl game at the end of the year. One game is an upset, two is lucky, three is just good coaching. If Coach Skipper leads the team to a win over Indiana, the board has to consider extending an offer to him. He’s got some head coach experience in 2023 when he took over Fresno State and went 1-0, and 2024 with a 6-7 record, and 3-1 this year so far.
Offensively, Nico Iamaleava has taken a step forward. He leads the team in rushing and has been the offensive engine that UCLA has been running on, as was expected from him when he transferred. The run game has come alive behind a dismal offensive line, and Neuheisel’s simplified system has let UCLA stay ahead of the chains. After averaging just 14.25 points per game through the first four weeks, the Bruins have put up 42, 38, and 20 in wins. Defensively, the run fits are tighter, and the tackling has improved. The effort and communication overall have noticeably improved.
Also, not a single player entered the portal after Foster’s firing. Skipper’s leadership has locked the roster in, and the staff shakeup has worked. It’s not often that an entire staff change happens midseason and the team vastly improves like this, so it has to be attributed somewhere.
UCLA is already tied for fourth in the Big Ten, and its only conference loss so far is to Northwestern. Those first few games feel like a different season. Skipper has turned a lost year into a revival, and if the Bruins keep this up, he should be in serious consideration to keep the job long-term.
