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UCLA to hire Indiana's Tino Sunseri, replacing offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy

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UCLA to hire Indiana's Tino Sunseri, replacing offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy

Eric Bieniemy received a hero’s welcome upon his arrival in March, co-workers lining the hallway inside UCLA’s practice facility to serenade him with applause.

The new offensive coordinator removed one of his Super Bowl rings so that DeShaun Foster, his new boss, could inspect it.

“It’s time,” Bienemy said that day, referring to his plans to do big things. “It’s time.”

Nine months later, after a season in which the Bruins’ offense ranked as one of the worst in the nation and several top players regressed from their previous form, Bieniemy’s boss decided it was time to move on.

UCLA has parted ways with associate head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

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(Joseph Reedy / Associated Press)

In a development that showed both an admission of making the wrong hire and a willingness to quickly pivot, Foster severed ties with Bieniemy on Thursday after their one season together produced across-the-board struggles on offense.

Foster secured an intriguing replacement, agreeing to hire Indiana quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri after the end of the Hoosiers’ season, according to one person close to the situation not authorized to publicly divulge the information because the move has not been made official.

Sunseri, who will turn 36 later this month, was one of the architects of an Indiana offense that’s been among the best in the country, averaging 43.3 points per game while vaulting the Hoosiers toward an expected appearance in the College Football Playoff.

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UCLA averaged less than half that figure under Bieniemy. The Bruins ranked No. 117 in the country in total offense (328.8 yards per game), No. 126 in scoring offense (18.4 points per game) and No. 130 in rushing offense (86.6 yards per game). The Bruins’ inability to run the ball was especially maddening given that both Foster and Bieniemy had success as running backs in the NFL.

Several top players entered the transfer portal after the team’s final game last weekend, including quarterback Justyn Martin, running back TJ Harden and slot receiver Logan Loya. The Bruins also lost high school recruits Madden Iamaleava and Jace Brown on Wednesday when they signed with Arkansas amid rumors of Bieniemy’s dismissal.

Bieniemy’s agent, Jason Fletcher, labeled Bieniemy’s departure as a mutual parting of the ways in a statement, saying the former offensive coordinator with the Washington Commanders was still being paid by the NFL team and was assisting Foster for one season before making a planned return to the NFL in 2025.

But that statement doesn’t jibe with the terms of a two-year contract that included a $550,000 in retention bonuses if Bieniemy remained on the job through the end of July. It also doesn’t hold up given that Bieniemy recruited for the Bruins and did not have a new job to announce at the time of his departure Bieniemy was set to receive a $180,000 hiring bonus on Saturday.

After flaming out in his one season with the Commanders, Bieniemy, 55, was bombastic in his return to UCLA after having previously served as the running backs coach under Karl Dorrell. He routinely unleashed a flurry of expletives and biting one-liners that carried across the practice field. Players said Bieniemy’s plays were wordy and hard to learn, and the results reflected those struggles.

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Veteran quarterback Ethan Garbers and Harden both failed to replicate their production from the previous year under coach Chip Kelly, who also ran the team’s offense.

Bieniemy was also pivotal in the hiring of offensive line coach Juan Castillo after they had worked together with the Commanders. UCLA’s offensive line was one of the team’s most underperforming position groups last season, allowing 34 sacks and failing to open enough holes for the running backs.

Bieniemy’s UCLA offense never remotely resembled the ones he helped construct with the Kansas City Chiefs while winning Super Bowls in 2020 and 2023.

Foster is expected to make other changes to his staff, including the addition of Demetrice Martin to help coach the secondary. His biggest move may be bidding farewell to the offensive coordinator who didn’t live up to the hype.

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Ole Miss staffer references Aaron Hernandez while discussing ‘chaotic’ coaching complications with LSU

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Ole Miss staffer references Aaron Hernandez while discussing ‘chaotic’ coaching complications with LSU

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The chaos between LSU coaches who left Ole Miss alongside Lane Kiffin but are still coaching the Rebels in the College Football Playoff is certainly a whirlwind.

Joe Judge, Ole Miss’ quarterbacks coach, has found himself in the thick of the drama — while he is not headed for Baton Rouge, he’s had to wonder who he will be working with on a weekly basis.

When asked this week about what it’s like to go through all the trials and tribulations, Judge turned heads with his answer that evoked his New England Patriots days.

 

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Aaron Hernandez sits in the courtroom of the Attleboro District Court during his hearing. Former New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of Odin Lloyd in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Aug. 22, 2013. (Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

“My next-door neighbor was Aaron Hernandez,” Judge said, according to CBS Sports. “I know this is still more chaotic.”

Hernandez was found guilty of the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd, which occurred just three years into his NFL career.

“If you watch those documentaries, my house is on the TV next door,” Judge added. “The detectives knocked on my door to find out where he was. I didn’t know. We just kind of talked to the organization. But it was obviously chaotic.”

Aaron Hernandez was convicted of the 2013 murder of semipro football player Odin Lloyd. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

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Judge, though, was able to compare the two situations to see how players can combat wild distractions.

“Those players that year handled that extremely well. Came out of that chaos, and we had some really good direction inside with some veterans and some different guys. You have something like that happen — how do you handle something like that? How do you deal with something like that? So you keep the focus on what you can handle, what you can control, which at that time was football for us, and we went through the stretch, and we were able to have success that year,” Judge said.

Judge also compared this scenario to the 2020 NFL season when he was head coach of the New York Giants, saying he would have “no idea” who would be available due to surprise positive COVID-19 tests.

Head coach Joe Judge of the New York Giants looks on during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium. The game took place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Dec. 19, 2021. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

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The Rebels face Miami in the Fiesta Bowl, the College Football Playoff Semifinal, on Thursday night.

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Prep talk: Calabasas basketball team is surging with 11 wins in last 12 games

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Prep talk: Calabasas basketball team is surging with 11 wins in last 12 games

Calabasas pulled off a huge win in high school basketball on Tuesday night, handing Thousand Oaks its first defeat after 16 victories in a Marmonte League opener.

The Coyotes (13-5) have quietly turned around their season after a 2-4 start, winning 11 of their last 12 games.

One of the major contributors has been 6-foot-3 junior guard Johnny Thyfault, who’s averaging 16 points and has become a fan favorite because of his dunking skills. He also leads the team in taking charging fouls.

He transferred to Calabasas after his freshman year at Viewpoint.

As for beating Thousand Oaks, coach Jon Palarz said, “We got to play them at home and had great effort.”

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This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports

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Hawks trade 4-time All-Star Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal: reports

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The Atlanta Hawks have parted ways with four-time NBA All-Star point guard Trae Young, trading him to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster move, according to ESPN.

The Hawks will reportedly be receiving veteran shooting guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert in the deal. 

Washington was Young’s preferred destination, and the two sides were working on a deal to get the 27-year-old point guard to the nation’s capital.

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Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round 1 Game 6 of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 27, 2023 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.   ( Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Young’s agents were having conversations with the Hawks, who sit at 17-21 so far this season, about trading their client out of Atlanta.

There is a mutual connection in Washington, too, as executive Travis Schlenk drafted Young fifth overall in 2018 out of Oklahoma.

It marks the end of an era for the Hawks. Young has been the focal point of their offense since he was taken in that draft. He is the team’s career leader in three-pointers and assists, having led the team to the postseason in three of his eight seasons. The Hawks went the furthest in 2021, where they made the Eastern Conference Finals.

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However, the new era was brewing already in Atlanta, with forward Jalen Johnson taking the next step in his career, averaging 23.7 points per game this season. The pickup of Nickeil Alexander-Walker also helps, as he’s averaged 20.5 points per game in 36 appearances.

Meanwhile, Young has played just 10 games this season, as he’s been dealing with leg injuries, most notably a right MCL sprain.

Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on after the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Five of the 2023 NBA Playoffs on April 25, 2023 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Hawks also get some flexibility on their books, as they could make some more moves. Anthony Davis is reportedly available from the Dallas Mavericks, making him a good target for Atlanta.

Young has $95 million remaining on his deal that runs through the 2026-27 season, which includes a player option this offseason.

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Atlanta will be taking on McCollum’s contract, though the veteran guard has a $30.6 million expiring deal.

Through his 10 games this season, Young is averaging 19.2 points, 8.9 assists and 1.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field.

Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks drives down the court during the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers at State Farm Arena on April 7, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

Over his career, Young has dropped 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game, while leading the league in the latter category last season with 11.6 per contest.

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