UCLA made a head-turning decision on offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. The former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator jumped ship to the UCLA board earlier this year, right after Deshaun Foster started his tenure as a head coach. Bieniemy had an illustrious career path of coaching. Despite not being hired as an NFL coach ever in his life, he was pretty close to that before signing a UCLA deal. The move, however, turned out short-lived as an underwhelming Bruins season got the better of his job. But in case you wonder what his paycheck looked like to have an idea of the Bruins’ buyout cost, we are in your safe.

UCLA went 5-7 overall and was 3-6 in the Big Ten. The Bruins averaged 5.4 yards a play and could rack up just 18.4 points per game. A more humiliating stat? Only eight teams among the top college football teams averaged lower points than the Bruins. They could go above the 20-point ceiling just twice all season. While the team overall improved their performance over the past seasons, the offensive woes spoiled the milk. Consequently, the higher-ups took no time to move on from Bieniemy. According to the source, the former NFL great’s buyout is worth more than $1.2 million. He used to pocket a massive $550,000 per year as part of his two-year contract.

Now, it’s a new beginning for the Bruins. After a short tenure with the Washington Commanders, Bieniemy again found himself without a job in hand. Although he failed to leave a mark with the Bruins, his legacy remains steadfast. He led the Kansas City Chiefs offense to be one of the best in the NFL of the past decade. But for whatever reason, UCLA finished at No. 94 in yards per play and 126th in scoring under his stewardship. He can arguably make the case of being the most unsuccessful OC in the program’s history.

But the question it begs, if not Bieniemy, then who? Did the Bruins already have a name as a replacement for the former Kansas City Chiefs’s offense head?

Who will step into Eric Bieniemy’s shoes as the new OC of the Bruins?

As multiple sources confirmed, the popped-up name is none other than the fellow college football coaching mogul Tino Sunseri, who is presently leading Indiana as the co-offensive coordinator. The son of longtime college assistant Sal Sunseri, had the sport engraved in his blood. Before taking up the mentoring job, he played at the quarterback position at Pitt and in the CFL and had a remarkable time. He had a significant off-field tenure with Florida State, Tennessee, and Alabama before moving to James Madison’s quarterbacks coach in 2021.

We all have seen what Kurt Kignetti, the Google guy, has done to the Indiana Hoosiers, taking them to the first-ever 10-0 season in history. And it’s beyond debate that a congealed offense has been the backbone behind that epic rise. And Tino Sunseri remains the key architect of the offense. Sunseri’s work with Kurtis Rourke has caught everyone off guard in the 2024 college football season. Another Power 4 staff member told Football Scoop that the assistant OC was extremely nonchalant and impressive throughout the interview process, marking his excellence outside the field as well.

However, as Pete Thamel spilled, he will remain with the Hoosiers through college football. While the salary pool for the new OC hasn’t been made public yet, it’s seemingly more than the money that attracted Sunseri to the Bruins, as he will get the opportunity to be a playcaller in the Big Ten.

Now, all we can see is a better UCLA brewing up for the next season.