Eric Bieniemy fired: Why did UCLA dismiss its OC?

UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy's return to college football did not last long as it was announced Thursday he had been fired. His position as the offensive coordinator of the Bruins was his first in college football since he was the offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes in 2012.

Since then, he had been a fixture as a non-play-calling offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs from 2018 to 2022. He then left Kansas City to join the Washington Commanders in 2023 but was fired after one season. Now, Bieniemy finds himself without a job again.

Why was Bieniemy fired?

When Eric Bieniemy was brought in as the offensive coordinator at UCLA, he was expected to help revive the offense. Although he did not have success with the Commanders, he had previously helped the Chiefs emerge as one of the best offensive teams in the NFL of the past decade.

However, he was not able to find success with UCLA. With Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator, the Bruins finished 94th nationally in yards per play and 126th in scoring. These poor offensive results led to UCLA finishing near the bottom of the Big Ten in its first season in the conference.

Who is UCLA targeting to replace Bieniemy?

With Bieniemy fired, the team has begun its search for a new offensive coordinator. CBS Sports reported the Bruins are targeting Indiana co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri. Sunseri is the son of longtime assistant coach and current Colorado defensive tackles coach Sal Sunseri.

Sunseri previously played quarterback in college for Pittsburgh and played in the CFL before retiring and becoming a coach. Sunseri working alongside head coach Curt Cignetti is a big reason why the No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers (11-1) have had one of the most surprising seasons in college football.