UCLA Football: The Go Joe Bruin 2017 season preview

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PASADENA, CA – OCTOBER 22: Head coach Jim Mora of the UCLA Bruins looks on while his team warms up prior to playing the California Golden Bears at Rose Bowl on October 22, 2015 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /

1. The UCLA Football Coaching Staff

A lot has occurred since the last time UCLA took the field. An offensive coordinator was fired. A quarterback coach awkwardly left. An offensive line coach was let go. And a wide receivers coach left for the NFL. There is change in the Hills of Westwood.

Almost 50 percent of the coaching staff is new as Head Coach Jim Mora cleaned house on the offensive side in the off-season. With former Offensive Coordinator Kennedy Polamalu in way over his head in his first OC job in 2016, the offense could not move the ball to save their lives.

2017 UCLA Football Coaching Staff

Head Coach – Jim Mora
Defensive Coordinator – Tom Bradley
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach – Jedd Fisch
Offensive Line Coach – Hank Fraley
Defensive Backs Coach – Demetrice Martin
Defensive Line – Angus McClure
Tight Ends – Rip Scherer
Linebackers/Special Teams Coach – Scott White
Receivers Coach – Jimmie Dougherty
Running Backs Coach – DeShaun Foster
Strength and Conditioning Coach – Sal Alosi

The day after UCLA’s embarrassing 36-10 loss to Cal in the final game of the season, Polamalu took the fall for the Bruins finishing 4-8 and was terminated.

Jedd Fisch was then brought in from Michigan to take over for Polamalu after he had the Wolverines become the third highest scoring team in the Big Ten Conference. As Fisch started to get comfortable in his new position, the offensive coaching staff started to evolve. Former OL coach, WR coach and QB coach were replaced with guys that fit into Fisch’s scheme. So far, the change in philosophy and leadership seems to have improved the offense, but we will not know to what extent until September 3.

As far as the defensive coaches, they have been running on all cylinders since Tom Bradley took over two years ago. The defense was the strength of the team the last two years and will continue to be into 2017. What Bradley has done is not surprising as found success at Penn State before heading to West Virginia and then UCLA. With 2017 being his third year in the program, he has his Bruins challenging to be the best defense in the Pac-12.