A great deal has happened since DeShaun Foster was fired almost two months ago. Several names have emerged as favorites to be the next UCLA head coach. Here are five to watch:
Tommy Rees – Cleveland Browns (Offensive Coordinator)
The skinny: Rees has been on a steady coaching rise since his career began back in 2015 at Northwestern as a graduate assistant. Before that he was more known as Notre Dame quarterback from 2010 to 2013. However, once his playing days concluded, he quickly and successfully pivoted to the sidelines. He found his way back to South Bend in 2017 and then Alabama in 2023 as the Tide’s offensive coordinator. His last two seasons have been spent in the NFL with the Cleveland Browns, where he is currently the offensive coordinator.
So, what are his ties to the Bruins? Rees was born in Los Angeles and his father, Bill Rees, was an assistant at UCLA from 1979 to 1994. And at 33, he has already proven himself as one of top young minds in the game. Rees was seriously considered by North Carolina before they hired Bill Belichick, so unless the Bruins have their own Hall of Fame Coach under wraps, this one makes sense.
Jedd Fisch – Washington (Head Coach)
The skinny: While Fisch did not play high school or college football, he graduated from Florida back in 1998. And he began his coaching career immediately after. He spent most of the first half of his coaching career in the NFL but has been at the college level seven of the last ten seasons. Most notably he was the offensive coordinator at UCLA in 2017 and the head coach at Arizona from 2021-2023 before making the move to Washington prior to the 2024 season.
Aside from the one season he spent at UCLA, he was also with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018 and 2019. Fisch is also a candidate for the Florida job, which he has obvious ties to as an alum. But would the move back to Los Angeles make sense? I’m not sure it would be for either side. Financially, it is difficult to see a way that the Bruins would be able to give Fisch everything he would be looking for. And for UCLA, while Fisch did lead an impressive turnaround at Arizona, his overall head coaching record is now 29-32. Is that worth the financial creativity that would be needed to hire him?
Oct 4, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch leads his team on to the field before a game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium.Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images
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Tony White – Florida State (Defensive Coordinator)
The skinny: White was a three-year starter at linebacker at UCLA before a brief playing career in the NFL and CFL. He began his coaching career at the high school level in California, before becoming a grad assistant with the Bruins in 2007. Since then, he has done the rounds, including stops at Arizona State, Nebraska, Syracuse and now Florida State. He has been a defensive coordinator since the 2019 season at Arizona State but has yet to be a head coach.
With his ties to the Bruins, White’s name was immediately mentioned as a possibility for the opening. And it still is. But his lack of head coaching experience is a negative. Also, would the Bruins hire another former player with no head coaching experience so soon after the failed DeShaun Foster experiment?
Spencer Danielson – Boise State (Head Coach)
The skinny: Danielson was born in SoCal and played college football at San Diego and Azusa Pacific, which is 30 miles east of Los Angeles. He also began his coaching career at Azusa Pacific, where he was from 2013 through 2016. That’s when he made the move to Boise State as a grad assistant, where he eventually became head coach in 2023. In his first opportunity as a head coach, Danielson has led the Broncos to a 21-6 record and a trip to the playoffs in 2024.
When asked in October, Danielson admitted to being contacted by other schools, which isn’t surprising. And while he didn’t mention specifics, it is a safe assumption that UCLA was one of the them. Danielson was also quick to shoot down any rumors, but what other response should be expected from a head coach in October? He does seem sincerely happy at Boise State, but things tend to change quickly this time of year.
Sep 28, 2024; Boise, Idaho, USA; Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson gestures to the referee during the second half against the Washington State Cougars at Albertsons Stadium. Boise State defeats Washington State 45-24. Credit: Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-Imagn Images
Pat Fitzgerald – FREE AGENT
The skinny: Fitzgerald’s situation is a bit odd, but he deserves to be back on the sidelines after his tumultuous exit from Northwestern. Now, three years later, and with his wrongful termination lawsuit against the Wildcats settled, that time may be now. Fitzgerald is a very good coach, as proven by his 110-101 record at Northwestern, which isn’t the easiest place to win. He led the Wildcats to two Big Ten West Division titles and was the national coach of the year twice (2018, 2020).
Fitzgerald would be a homerun hire for the Bruins. He is extremely motivated to return to the sidelines to prove to everyone that he still belongs. And if it were to happen in the Big Ten, that would be an extra cherry on top of the sundae for him.
Others to monitor: Alex Golesh – USF (Head Coach), Brent Brennan – Arizona (Head Coach), Dan Mullen – UNLV (Head Coach), Justin Wilcox – Cal (Head Coach)
