It has been nearly two weeks since former defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich left the Bruins for a spot as the linebackers coach with the Atlanta Falcons. Since then, Jim Mora and the UCLA football program has been on the hunt for a new DC and have been very tight-lipped about it, though names like Clancy Pendergast and Dave Aranda had been thrown around.
BRO has learned leading candidate for UCLA DC job is former PSU DC Tom Bradley. Close to done. http://t.co/ouO4RPG92I pic.twitter.com/fSWTiUSHy1
— Bruin Report Online (@BruinReport) February 19, 2015
Just a little while ago, the UCLA Scout.com site, Bruin Report Online, released a piece by BRO Publisher Tracy Pierson that claims former long-time Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley is not only the front-runner, but that it is “looking very likely Bradley will be UCLA’s next defensive coordinator.” Boom.
UCLA Bruins
Though it is not set in stone, Pierson goes on to write that Mora has submitted Bradley’s name for approval to UCLA. This past season, the Bruins had a decent defense under Ulbrich in his first year as they were the third best in the conference, but they had many glaring deficiencies. Having a veteran like Bradley will not only fix those deficiencies but will vastly improve the Bruin’s stock heading into 2015.
Bradley had spent 36 years with the Penn State Nittany Lions program as coach of the running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, special teams and defensive backs. Yet he was best known for his time from 2000-2011 as defensive coordinator, where he was the “architect of one of the best defenses in college football”. Bradley was promoted to Interim Head Coach after Penn State fired Joe Paterno in November of 2011. The next year, he was not able to land the head coaching job and resigned from Penn State football.
Currently, Bradley is an assistant coach at West Virginia. He was hired a year ago after a two-year stint as an analyst with CBS Sports.
Stay with Go Joe Bruin as we bring you more on this situation as it develops.