Are the Bruins Grooming Jerry Neuheisel to Replace Tino Sunseri as OC?

If UCLA loses offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri to another program, are the Bruins ready to elevate their native son to the position?

Sep 17, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins wide receiver coach Jerry Neuheisel directs players on the field prior to the game against the South Alabama Jaguars at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Before anyone gets this confused, this piece is not suggesting UCLA offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri is on any type of hot seat or has done anything to warrant a removal from his position. Sunseri has been an excellent hire so far and has helped the Bruins expand their recruiting base in his limited time in Westwood.

Sunseri is a talented coach with a lot of connections within college football. Considering his rapidly rising popularity and proven scheme, many programs are keeping an eye on him. If he is successful with the Bruins, Sunseri could be on the move again. It's not like it would be an unprecedented move for the new UCLA offensive play caller as he has had his fair bit of stops throughout his young career.

Since he entered coaching back in 2016, Sunseri has had jobs with six different programs, none of those jobs lasting more than two seasons. There is a reason for that and that is Sunseri is very good at what he does.

Considering his track record, resume and linage, Sunseri may get an offer he can't refuse. His father Sal is a long-time assistant who won four national titles with Nick Saban at Alabama while his brother Vinnie just became the Florida Gators co-defensive coordinator. Thus, Sunseri has even more eyes on him than one might expect.

If he does leave, could former Bruin quarterback Jerry Neuheisel inherit the role? Neuheisel played for the Bruins and after spending his first year of coaching with Texas A&M as a graduate assistant in 2017. He would then return to UCLA and has been with the program ever since.

The son of former UCLA player, assistant coach and eventual head coach, Rick Neuheisel, Jerry has been around the program forever and considering his rapid rise within the Bruins coaching ranks, it's not daring to say he's getting groomed for the offensive coordinator job.

Neuheisel was just named assistant head coach in December, adding to his responsibilities as tight ends coach and considering the work he's done with Kyle Ford, J. Michael Sturdivant, Logan Loya and Moliki Matavao, it seems Neuheisel is destined for a bigger role in the near future.

DeShaun Foster's hiring came about as the program and the athletic department wanted the people coaching Bruins to be Bruins and for a man who himself and his family are tied to Westwood, it seems the OC job is secretly his in-waiting.

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