Ex Indiana Football Assistant Coach Parts Ways with UCLA After 4 Games

UCLA and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, formerly with Indiana, have parted ways.

Then-Indiana quarterback coach Tino Sunseri on the sidelines Nov. 9, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Indiana beat Michigan 20-15. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Only four games into life post-Curt Cignetti and Indiana football, Tino Sunseri and UCLA have mutually agreed to part ways, the program announced Tuesday night.

Sunseri served as the Bruins' offensive coordinator for the season's first four games, during which UCLA trudged to an 0-4 record and had the Big Ten's worst offense, averaging 14.3 points and 321.3 yards per game.

UCLA fired head coach DeShaun Foster after it fell to 0-3, handing over the reins to interim coach Tim Skipper. Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe parted ways with UCLA following Foster's firing, making Sunseri the second coordinator to leave the program.

Tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel will take over play-calling duties for UCLA, which hosts No. 7 Penn State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Sunseri's departure brings an abrupt end to his first season as a full-time play-caller. He spent 2024 at Indiana as the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator with Mike Shanahan, who primarily held responsibility for calling plays.

Before arriving in Bloomington, Sunseri worked under Cignetti for three years at James Madison University. In 2024, Cignetti said Sunseri "does a great job of developing the quarterbacks," and he helped elevate the performance level under center in Cignetti's offense.

UCLA hired Sunseri to be its offensive coordinator Dec. 12, 2024, though he remained with the Hoosiers for their 27-17 loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. The morning Indiana's season ended, it announced it hired Chandler Whitmer to replace Sunseri as quarterbacks coach.

When Cignetti addressed Sunseri's departure during spring National Signing Day, he spoke highly of the move and Sunseri's time on his staff.

"Really happy for Tino to get the opportunity to coordinate an offense," Cignetti said Feb. 5. "Did a great job for us."

Sunseri was poised to return to Bloomington and coach against his former team this season, as Indiana hosts UCLA on Oct. 25. But any such plans came to an end Tuesday, subsequently putting the next step of Sunseri's career in question.