UCLA Football: Marques Tuiasosopo Leaves Westwood for UW

This picture has nothing to do with Marques Tuiasosopo but that’s how his name would look like if he were a Seattle Mariner. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA football has suffered its first loss of the 2012-13 offseason.

The Bruins’ tight ends coach since 2011, Marques Tuiasosopo, is headed to the University of Washington to take over as the Husky’s quarterbacks coach:

Of course, Tuiasosopo is best known for his tenure as quarterback at Washington under ex-UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel, and manned the quarterback position for the Huskies the last time they made it to a Rose Bowl, back in the year 2000.

Tuiasosopo then played in the NFL for seven years with the Oakland Raiders and New York Jets. After his final stint in Oakland in 2008, Tui joined the UW coaching staff from 2009 to 2010 as an assistant strength coach. He then left for a bigger opportunity at UCLA, where he was offered the job by Rick Neuheisel (his former coach) as the tight ends coach.

Jim Mora retained Tuiasosopo for 2012, and in addition to Tui coaching Joe Fauria into an all-world tight end, his presence paid dividends on the recruiting front.

Of course, recruiting will be an issue at UCLA with Tui’s departure, most notably, Bellevue, WA, linebacker Myles Jack was recruited by Tui and Tuiasosopo’s move up north may cause Jack to follow him.

Tui, a quarterback at UW, likely left for a chance at working with quarterback as well as returning to his home.