CFB insider name drops 3 coaches from Big Ten, Big 12 to fill UCLA coaching job after DeShaun Foster's firing

The UCLA coaching job search couldn't be more interesting, as DeShaun Foster's unprecedented firing has led to multiple candidates from Power Four conferences finding their names in the Bruins' hunt for the next head coach. After the team's third loss of the season to New Mexico on Saturday, Foster was fired immediately and his career at UCLA ended in his second season as head coach at the university.

He has been adorning multiple assistant roles in the past for UCLA but after Chip Kelly's abrupt exit, Foster was viewed as a wild card candidate to lead the football program. It was a disaster. The first season was wrapped up with a poor 5-7 record. But this year too, a similar trajectory from the beginning triggered UCLA AD Martin Jarmond to take a hard call.

UCLA coaching candidates: Pete Thamel reveals potential coaches to replace DeShaun Foster

The veteran analyst who was speaking to Rece Davis and panelists on the College GameDay podcast mentioned that Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck, Washington’s Jedd Fisch and Baylor’s Dave Aranda could be in the mix.

This will be a great opportunity for them considering the growth trajectory at UCLA following three opening losses and a star QB Nico Iamaleava, to lead the offense.

“So what I know about UCLA is they’re going to hire an opposite, and they’re going to hire a proven coach. Now, obviously, they’re going to have to financially do that.

"The name that came up last time in the search, and went some distance, but they didn’t have the finances to pull it off, was P.J. Fleck. He’s an intriguing energy bolt because he would go in there and make them relevant,” Thamel said on the podcast on Monday.

He also mentioned the scenarios for Fisch and Aranda to make the move since it suits them best to stay close to home.

"Jedd Fisch’s name will come up. He was the interim coach there when Jim Mora got fired. Dave Aranda may have interest in going home, because he sees the gap opening. UCLA would be a pretty good cultural fit for him. He’s done fairly well, but he’s not crushing it. So it might just be like a slide back west, go-home type move,” he added.

After Foster’s firing, there have been rumors of Nico Iamaleava leaving the program. He could enter the transfer portal since the window is open for the next 30 days.

Already his UCLA move was filled with controversy and it was viewed as a demotion rather than an upgrade. The coming weeks will be quite decisive for the Bruins' 2025 season.