UCLA Football: Eric Bieniemy Reacts To His Return To College Football
The UCLA Bruins will look to make massive changes on the field this upcoming season. They certainly did their best to shore up some impressive sideline personnel this offseason. While they've lost several key players with eligibility to the transfer portal, they made some significant changes on the coaching front. Arguably, their biggest and most prominent hire was a new coach under DeShaun Foster, Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy will be the new associate head coach and offensive coordinator for the Bruins.
This hire by the Bruins is significant for the program and its trajectory. However, for Bieniemy, this may seem like a downgrade to some, as he spent the last number of years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Andy Reid, and Patrick Mahomes, where he won two Super Bowls. Last season, he worked with the Washington Commanders.
Nonetheless, Bieniemy doesn't view it that way. He's happy to be back where his early years of coaching got started. The 54-year-old spoke to the media on Thursday following a team practice and detailed why he chose to return to college football.
"It was a very unique situation," Bieniemy revealed. "I was still weighing through a number of decisions, and when DeShaun [Foster] had reached out, I thought it was pretty neat. First of all, it's UCLA; second of all, I remember watching DeShaun play. Not only as a player here but coming out of high school out there in Tustin. We've always had a relationship, and I thought it was unique for him to give me a call and for him to get hired. I told him congratulations and I told him when he got hired, just be patient. I have to wait through a few things, but we don't have this opportunity to work together like this and help each other, so I thought it was huge that he wanted me to help out. I just wanted to jump on the opportunity and come and help Deshaun build this program up to what he wants his vision to be."
Bieniemy has a ton of experience in the college game. He got his first opportunity in college as the running backs coach in Colorado in 2001. Following the 2002 season, he went to Westwood as the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator from 2003 to 2005. In 2011, he returned to college and became the Buffaloes' offensive coordinator until 2012.
The Louisiana native has been a part of some historic teams and fantastic talent. He can build the UCLA offense the best way he knows how. They just need the right personnel to reach those heights.
