After entering the 2025 college football season with high expectations fueled by a star transfer quarterback, the UCLA Bruins fired head coach DeShaun Foster following a disastrous 0-3 start. His tenure — just 15 games — is the shortest for a full-time coach in the school’s history.
The breaking point came after ugly losses to the Utah Utes and UNLV Rebels and a stunning 35-10 defeat at home against the New Mexico Lobos, a game in which the Bruins were heavy favorites. With Foster gone, who could the Bruins target to replace him?
Tony White, Florida State
A UCLA alum who played linebacker for the Bruins from 2000 to 2002, Tony White was reportedly a candidate for the job before Foster was hired. His stock is high, especially after his now-No. 7 Seminoles’ defense had a strong performance against a ranked Alabama Crimson Tide in Week 1 of the college football season.
MORE: Latest PFSN 3-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
While his selection might seem obvious, he will likely be a hot candidate for other head coaching positions around the country, so UCLA might have to strike quickly to secure his services.
Alex Golesh, USF
Alex Golesh is one of college football’s most innovative offensive coaches and has already showcased his ability to transform a struggling program into a conference contender. Since arriving in South Florida in 2023, he has led the team to two bowl games and successive winning seasons. Prior to his arrival, the program hadn’t finished a campaign over .500 since 2018.
While his offensive influence will prove alluring in this hiring cycle, the USF defense is also ranked significantly higher than the Bruins so far this season, per PFSN’s College DEFi metric. The Bulls have a season score of 70.3 compared to UCLA’s 129th-ranked 63.2 score. The timing might not be right for Golesh, but it would be foolish for the Bruins not to target him aggressively.
Spencer Danielson, Boise State
Spencer Danielson is a desirable candidate, but he may be difficult to pry away from his current role. He just led the Boise State Broncos to the College Football Playoff and recently signed a new five-year contract.
Upon signing, he stated, “I truly believe it’s my calling to be the head coach at Boise State.”
That shouldn’t stop UCLA from at least discussing attempting to lure him to Los Angeles. Danielson is a renowned defensive mind whose throttling units have helped power Boise’s success. This is the sort of direction that would help the Bruins compete in the Big Ten.
