Offensive coordinator Sunseri out at UCLA

UCLA and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri have mutually agreed to part ways, the team announced Tuesday.

Sunseri, in his first season as offensive coordinator after coming over from Indiana, oversaw a unit that is averaging just 14.3 points per game. Tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel, a former Bruins quarterback and son of former UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, will take over offensive playcalling duties. UCLA hosts No. 7 Penn State on Saturday.

Sunseri is the second Bruins coordinator to exit since the team fired coach DeShaun Foster following an 0-3 start. Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and the team decided to part ways shortly after Foster’s dismissal. Interim head coach Tim Skipper brought in Kevin Coyle to call defensive plays, which will continue for the remainder of the season.

Sunseri, the son of longtime college and NFL coach Sal Sunseri, was in his first primary coordinator role after sharing duties with Mike Shanahan last year at Indiana. He was the only on-field assistant to leave Indiana’s staff following the team’s run to the College Football Playoff in 2024.

Sunseri spent most of spring practice working with transfer quarterback Joey Aguilar, but then pivoted as UCLA added Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava, who has started the team’s first four games. Iamaleava has 788 passing yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions and leads the team with 204 rushing yards.

Jerry Neuheisel has been on the UCLA staff since 2018 and coached wide receivers under Chip Kelly from 2021 to 2023 before shifting to tight ends this past season.