This coach may be looking to take a Power Four coaching position and if he is, UCLA should take a look at naming him the next coach of the Bruins.
UCLA should think about hiring Brian Newberry, the head football coach at Navy, for a number of reasons, especially if they're truly and honestly searching for a program builder with a solid defensive history and a reputation for getting the most out of his players.
Reason 1: Quick program-building achievement and accomplishment by the end of his second season.
Following a 5-7 record in his debut season in 2023, Newberry guided Navy to a 10-3 record in his second season, where they defeated both the Army and the Air Force to earn the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy and secure a bowl victory against Oklahoma. This achievement in a short period of time as a head coach illustrates the capacity to establish a successful culture and produce outcomes quickly. Additionally, he guided Navy to its first AP Top 25 ranking since 2019, last season.
Reason 2: His expertise in developing and guiding a defense.
Newberry's primary experience is as a defensive coordinator, a role he held at Navy from 2019 to 2022, when the defense experienced significant gains and achieved high national rankings in a number of important measures, such as turnover margin, total defense, and rushing defense.
His defenses, which have shown several looks from the 4-2-5 schemes and formats and 3-4 principles to confuse offenses throughout the seasons. They are frequently characterized as aggressive, unpredictable, and chaotic, which many fans want from their team's defense. A program trying to set itself apart would find a strong, unique defensive identity appealing, especially how UCLA's defense has looked this season.
Reason 3: His focus and attention on "Non-Biased" coaching and discipline.
Discipline and the elimination of self-inflicted punishments are important qualities for long-term success, and he has placed a high priority on them as the head coach of the Navy football program.
According to the players, he is a "real honest coach" who provides a "non-biased view" and is very meticulous. This emphasis on responsibility and transparent communication may work effectively for any program, but especially for a program like UCLA that needs leadership as its next head coach.
Reason 4: Flexibility and staff building, and experience in a setting with high academic expectations.
By hiring offensive coordinator Drew Cronic, who successfully adopted a more updated, high-scoring offense while maintaining the program's run-heavy identity, Newberry showed flexibility. This implies that he can develop a solid, complementary staff and recognizes the need to change.
A coach at the Naval Academy must be exceptionally skilled in assessing talent, providing motivational leadership, and operating within institutional constraints due to the academy's distinctive academic and service responsibilities. This experience demonstrates the capacity to thrive in a rigorous, high-pressure setting, similar to that of a program such as UCLA that has high academic standards.
Here is the explanation of the 10-point criteria system for each potential coaching candidate who may become the next head coach at UCLA.
UCLA Football Candidates 10 point criteria scale breakdown
Criteria No. 1: Yes
Criteria No. 2: No, but the service academies like the Navy have limitations on how they recruit student athletes that other football programs don't have.
Criteria No. 3: Yes
Criteria No. 4: No
Criteria No. 5: Yes
Criteria No. 6: Yes
Criteria No. 7: No, but as a service academy, Navy football players are unable to participate in Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals because they are technically classified as federal employees under military service.
Criteria No. 8: No
Criteria No. 9: No
Criteria No. 10: Yes, only because he does not have a "bad" relationship with UCLA.