Who should UCLA hire as its next football coach?
ChatGPT said:
With UCLA now needing a new head coach (after firing DeShaun Foster early in 2025) there are several qualities the Bruins should prioritize, plus a few strong candidates and ideas. I’ll lay out what UCLA should look for, then who might be a good fit, and some trade‑offs. Happy to dig deeper if you like a shortlist.
What UCLA needs in its next coach
Since UCLA is transitioning fully into the Big Ten, there are specific pressures:
Strong recruiting in California / West Coast
Bruin tradition, local talent access, and competing with USC, Stanford, etc., plus Big Ten exposure, means you need someone who can recruit well in the talent‑rich California area.
Big Ten readiness / schedule toughness
The coach must be prepared for travel, momentum, recruiting footprint expansion, conference powerhouses, and physicality.
NIL savvy + transfer portal navigation
Modern college football demands a coach who understands Name‑Image‑Likeness dynamics, can leverage the portal, and build relationships with prospects fast.
Defensive stability / strong coordinator support
Offense often gets headlines, but Big Ten games (especially away) often turn on defense. Having a coach who can hire or be backed by strong defensive leadership is key.
Culture / energy / consistency
After recent coaching instability, UCLA needs someone who can build a culture, retain players, avoid mass transfer exodus, and deliver steady improvement rather than all‑or‑nothing seasons.
Financial & branding expectations
The athletic department, donors, alumni will expect competitiveness in terms of wins, bowl games, maybe even playoff contention down the line. The coach must be able to sell the vision externally.
Potential candidates / fits
Here are some coaches who might be good fits or whose profiles suggest they could succeed at UCLA. Some are already in major roles; others are rising. I don’t know that all would be available or interested, but they illustrate what UCLA could aim for:
Name What makes them a strong candidate Potential concerns / trade‑offs
Curt Cignetti (Indiana head coach, Big Ten) Already head coach in the Big Ten. Has recently shown strong success (Indiana doing well). Familiar with Big Ten recruiting, vs. travel demands. Could hit ground running.
Leaving Indiana for UCLA might require big buyout; schedule strength; also if Indiana improves, might be reluctant to leave. Also, he may or may not have deep California recruiting ties.
Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State head coach) Young, energetic, has built up at ASU; understands West, good recruiting background. He played at UCLA (alum).
That “home connection” could help with buy‑in. Arizona State is also under pressure; moving to UCLA would be a step up, but expectations will be bigger. Also, he’ll have to show ability to win at the Big Ten level. Might need stronger defensive/Big Ten exposure in certain areas.
Jon Sumrall (Tulane) Has done well with a smaller program; maybe hungry for a Power 5 opportunity; success in recruiting and building culture might translate well.
Jumping from Tulane to a major program means more pressure, NIL, more media scrutiny. Must show ability to scale up.
Ryan Grubb (OC at Alabama / Washington) As a coordinator who designs winning offenses, could be an offensive hire that brings dynamic offense. If the offense is consistently strong, that attracts recruits, fans.
If he hasn’t been a head coach before, there’s always a risk in leadership transition. Also defensive side hiring must be strong. Also, balancing offense‑first with toughness against Big Ten defenses.
My recommendation
If I were advising UCLA, here’s who I’d push for, in order of preference, with justifications:
Kenny Dillingham – because of the UCLA connection, youth, likely strong recruiting impact, potential high upside. He seems like someone who will want a big program and would bring energy.
Curt Cignetti – solid fallback if you want someone with Big Ten provenness and more coaching head‑experience at that level.
If UCLA can land a high‑profile coordinator with offensive or defensive prestige in the Power 5, that could work too — especially if the hire is coupled with strong assistant/coordination hires to shore up weaker areas.