'Keep The Faith': Tim Skipper's Message to UCLA Fans

The Bruins' interim head coach is providing a positive outlook for fans.

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins fan watches game action during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

UCLA football fans are enduring some of the darkest times in program history.

Attendance numbers at the Rose Bowl are down, the team is producing a poor product by historical standards, and the Bruins faithful now have to endure one of the most important coaching searches in recent history.

No need to fear, though, because interim head coach Tim Skipper is making it clear that this season is not lost. During his first media availability as interim head coach, Skipper had a message to the fans.

Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; An UCLA Bruins fan looks on during the second half against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

"Keep the faith, keep the faith," Skippe said. "We are working. We are working. We will give you a product to be proud of. That's my number one job, and I'm working at it every day. The players are working at it every day... We're out here working, ready to go. Keep the faith. We'll give you something to cheer about. That's our job."

The Bruins are 0-3 on the season, each loss more devastating than the last. Down two integral coaches -- DeShaun Foster and Ikaika Malloe -- it appears the season is lost, but Skipper is making it a point to stay afloat in Westwood.

His background certainly gives hope.

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Skipper's Background

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Tim Skipper during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Skipper was brought on in mid-July after serving as Fresno State's interim head coach for the 2024 season. With that being said, let's get to know Skipper.

Skipper was named Fresno State's interim head coach just over a year ago after then-head coach Jeff Tedford announced he would be stepping down. He joined the staff back in 2021 as a linebackers coach and was moved up to assistant coach for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

In 2024, despite taking over at the helm just a few weeks before the start of camp, he led the Bulldogs to a respectable 6-7 record and led the program to its fourth bowl game in four years. He also coached them to a 37-10 Isleta New Mexico Bowl win against the New Mexico State Aggies in 2023, giving him a 7-7 record with Fresno State.

NMSU quarterback Diego Pavia is tackled by Fresno State defense playerJacob Holmes during the Isleta New Mexico Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at the University Stadium in Albuquerque. | Meg Potter/Sun-News / USA TODAY NETWORK

Prior to his latest stint with Fresno State, he was the assistant head coach and linebackers coach for Central Michigan in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the defensive coordinator for UNLV in the 2018-19 season, linebackers and running backs coach for Florida from 2015-18, assistant head coach and linebackers coach for Colorado State from 2012-14, linebackers/defensive run game coordinator and running backs coach for Fresno State from 2006-08 and 2009-11, defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator for Sacramento State from 2003-05, and the defensive backs coach and coordinator for Western New Mexico from 2001-02.

Skipper was also a linebacker for the Bulldogs from 1997-2000.

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