Tag: eric bieniemy

What did Jahan Dotson say about Commanders and Dan Quinn?

What did former Washington first-round pick Jahan Dotson say about his former team?

Jahan Dotson was the object of much criticism during Commanders’ training camp.

He was traded to the Eagles, and for the next three or four days, the main topic on DC Sports radio was body language and its importance in team building.

The biggest surprise was that GM Adam Peters traded Dotson to the NFC East divisional rival Philadelphia Eagles. Peters was heavily criticized for trading Dotson within the division.

However, Dotson has not (yet) had a productive season through nine Eagles games. He has eight receptions for 98 yards and no touchdowns in his nine Eagles games.

When Dotson was asked about Thursday’s opponent, the Commanders, how did he respond?

“You have a great coached team, a great leader of men,” Dotson said of Quinn. “If you can implement the right kind of mindset and the right kind of culture, you can do a lot of great things, and that’s a kudos to coach Dan Quinn. He’s doing a fantastic job. He knows how to grab the room and … he makes it very easy for people to listen to him and do what he asks.”

Being traded by Quinn before he had even completed a single training camp, one might expect much different comments. But apparently, after spending his first two seasons with Ron Rivera and his second one with Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, Dotson was apparently very impressed with Quinn’s coaching and leadership.

What did Dotson have to say about his former Washington teammates? “They have some fantastic players over there and they’re putting their players in some good positions to make plays.”

Credit to Dotson here. He could have taken a shot or two at the new coaching staff that kicked him out the door. However, he took the time to be honest and give credit where it was due.

After all, Dotson played on that 4-13, weak, noncompetitive team that finished next to last in the NFL, earning the No. 2 overall draft pick.

Dotson knows how much worse it was last year; he lived it.

What exactly is wrong with Eric Bieniemy’s offense?

What is going on with the offense?

The UCLA Bruins coaching staff went through a large overhaul following the departure of head coach Chip Kelly. In his wake, the Bruins elevated running backs coach DeShaun Foster to head coach and hired Eric Bieniemy to head the offense.

Thus far, both have struggled mightily in the Big Ten.

The Bruins offense ranks 126th in points per game and 125th in yards per game in the country. Which begs the question: What is wrong?

To start, Bieniemy did not inherit an overly talented offense group. From passable receiver play to below-average offensive line success, UCLA is hardly one of the Big Ten’s most talented offensive rosters.

Though not the fault of Bieniemy, even teams stripped of high-end talent can devise schemes to generate offense and points. For Bieniemy, he and the Bruins have lacked in both categories.

Moreover, rather than running a varied or unique offense, many of Bieniemy’s play calls look very “vanilla.” With simple schemes and little misdirection, UCLA’s already depleted roster is very predictable. The combination of low-end talent and poor schemes is likely the culprit for UCLA’s anemic offense.

If by the end of the year, UCLA’s offense continues to show little sign of improvement Bieniemy could be in the hot seat much like Foster.

Can UCLA’s offense play a full game against Minnesota?

The Bruins nasty habit of losing steam is something to watch for against Minnesota

The UCLA offense has been consistent in the 2024 college football season and for all the wrong reasons. Struggling to put points on the board in the third and fourth quarters, UCLA’s comeback bids have been cut short by a lack of offensive production.

This week, the Bruins take on the 3-3 Minnesota Golden Gophers at home with a chance to right some of their wrongs on offense.

Writing for 247Sports, Tracy McDonald detailed the Bruins second-half slumps on offense and shed light on their problems producing points.

“UCLA and Louisiana State were tied 17-17 in the first half before the Bruins were shut out the rest of the way. UCLA then fell into a 28-3 hole against Oregon after failing to take care of the ball before the defense allowed just six second-half points. Then, the Bruins trailed just 7-3 late in the second quarter against Penn State before giving up a touchdown with 20 seconds left in the first half,” McDonald writes.

The Bruins have a massive opportunity this weekend to steer the team in the right direction and build momentum with a win. If UCLA can keep the game close at halftime, all eyes will be on offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy to see if he and the offense can put points on the board at the Rose Bowl.

What the UCLA Bruins can do to jumpstart Ethan Garbers

The UCLA Bruins may not have won their game aginst LSU, but they did find some answers on offense.

UCLA Bruins quarterback Ethan Garbers has had a rough start to the 2024 college football season. After shaky performances through the first two weeks, Garbers turned things around against the LSU Tigers in the losing effort.

On the season, Garbers has 690 yards, three touchdowns, four interceptions, and is completing 56.7% of his passes. That said, against top-25 LSU, Gabers managed to complete just north of 60% of his passes. Moreover, the Bruins had success against LSU by spreading the ball to different receivers.

By throwing to halfbacks in the flat, Garbers and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy had success opening the middle of the field against the Tigers last Saturday.

Forcing cornerbacks and linebackers to cheat downfield, Garbers had receivers and tight ends streaking up the seam for easy completions.

Given UCLA’s inability to run the ball this season, managing a mere 60.3 yards per game on the ground, UCLA is still capable of forcing the defense into difficult spots by first throwing underneath and then exploiting the secondary later in unique ways.

Opposing defensive coordinators will eventually smarten up to the Bruins plan, but by giving Garbers easy completions early at the line of scrimmage, the Bruins can open up the field, keep the defense guessing, and help build UCLA’s quarterback some confidence going forward.

Wife of ex-Commanders OT roasts former OC

Wife of former Commanders OT roasts ex-offensive coordinator.

Former Washington offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is in his first year of working in the same role at UCLA. The Commanders moved on from Bieniemy after one season when Dan Quinn was named head coach earlier this year and appointed Kliff Kingsbury as his new offensive coordinator.

Bieniemy’s UCLA Bruins played their first game on Saturday night, and despite winning the game, Bieniemy’s offense had its share of issues.

During the game, a Los Angeles-area sportswriter commented about UCLA’s offense at halftime on X. As you might expect, the comment section, including Washington fans, had some fun.

Charles Leno started at left for the Commanders for the past three seasons, including last season. His wife, Jen, saw the original X post and offered the ultimate response.

That pretty much sums up Washington’s 2023 offense. So much of the Commanders’ lack of offensive success was unfairly blamed on quarterback Sam Howell or the offensive line. While the entire offense struggled, the structural issues, namely refusing to run the ball, fell at the feet of Bieniemy.

After the season, several veteran Washington players, including Leno, right guard Sam Cosmi and tight end Sam Cosmi, shared their frustrations.

In case you were wondering, the Bruins passed the ball 38 times, with quarterback Ethan Garbers completing just 50% of his passing attempts and ran the ball only 20 times — in the three-point win over Hawaii.

UCLA Wire dives deep into Eric Bieniemy’s offense

The new offense should be fun!

A lot changed over this offseason for the UCLA Bruins. After the departure of Chip Kelly, DeShaun Foster took over as the new head coach.
In the wake of Kelly’s exit, the position of offensive coordinator needed to be filled. Taking over the Bruins offense, seasoned NFL play-caller Eric Bieniemy prepares for his first season in Westwood.

UCLA Wire’s own Matt Madleigh took part in a Q&A, with Brock Vierra of NBS Media to talk about the potential changes to the Bruins offense under Bieniemy and what we know so far.

Of Bieniemy’s offensive changes, Wadleigh said, “We can expect UCLA’s offense to be much more exciting than in recent years. Foster loves to run the football (surprise), but Bieniemy will likely add in some new elements and try to open the game up in the air while also controlling the running game. To put it simple: Bieniemy has been pretty mum so far on the new scheme.”

Having an experienced Bieniemy calling the plays for the Bruins should be a good foil for Foster in his first season. Hopefully, the collaborative environment for the Bruins pays off with UCLA’s offense running smoothly and keeping them in games.

DeShaun Foster gushes on what Eric Bieniemy brings to the fold

Foster loves what EB brings.

The UCLA Bruins football program has a new head coach and offensive coordinator in a big offseason full of changes.

When DeShaun Foster was hired, he decided to bring in veteran OC Eric Bieneimy to run the offense at UCLA. After Bienieme’y success in the NFL, it’s a big addition to the program, and the UCLA head coach opened up on what that means in a recent interview.

“Being a first-time head coach, I shouldn’t have to micromanage my offensive coordinator. Hiring Eric Bieniemy I know I’m not going to have to do that. That’s somebody that’s going to command the room, the players going to play for him, they are going to respect him. He’s proven it in the NFL.”

Foster then added, “There’s nothing more than having a guy that’s played where you want to get to and also was coaching there just recently.”

Having Bieniemy on the sidelines should help Foster a lot in his first year as a head coach.

UCLA offers top-ranked 2026 offensive lineman

More offers coming from UCLA.

The Bruins took a big swing at the number-one-rated offensive lineman this week, looking to improve their future recruiting board and their team.

Jackson Cantwell, the top-ranked offensive tackle in the 2026 recruiting class, has offers from nearly every major college program. The 6′ 7″ tackle from Nixa High School in Missouri, has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, and several other heavy hitters.

According to Hayes Fawcett of On3, Cantwell narrowed his search to only fourteen teams. But the Bruins recruiting brass believes it was better late than never to extend an offer to the Cantwell. Could their’ bid at the eleventh hour be enough to make him reconsider his final fourteen teams?

Cantwell still has two seasons to play out before leaping to the NCAA level, which is welcome news to Bruins fans. A lot can change for Cantwell the teams pursuing him, and, importantly, the Bruins.

If, under Eric Bieniemy, the Bruins can cultivate a dynamic run-first offense, UCLA could become a markedly more attractive destination for Cantwell and make things interesting before his signing day.

UCLA Bruins offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy speaks on progress

EB speaks on what lies ahead.

It has been a fun and productive first few days for the UCLA Bruins football team. After practice on Friday, the media spoke to UCLA Bruins offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. He had plenty say about the progress of the offense.

“It’s been good. First three days. Guys are putting in some solid work. The biggest thing we want to accomplish first and foremost, we have to grow together as an offensive unit. On top of that, we are still in evaluation process to see who can bring what to the table.”

Bieniemy was with the UCLA Bruins as a running back coach from 2003-2005, before heading to the National Football League. He is mostly known as a running back coach and offensive coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs. He left the Chiefs after the 2022 season and was with the Washington Commanders in 2023.

Bienemy will look to improve on an offense that scored 26.4 points per game a season ago. The Bruins averaged 229 passing yards, and just shy of 200 rushing yards per game a season ago.

UCLA WR says Eric Bieniemy offense is like a ‘buffet’

Eric Bieniemy’s offense is likened to a buffet.

The UCLA Bruins football program looks much different ahead of the 2024 season. New head coach DeShaun Foster is one reason, but veteran offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is another.

Bieniemy has worked with plenty of NFL stars and now brings that playcalling ability to the college level.

UCLA slot receiver Logan Loya summed up Bieniemy’s offense in a perfect way, per Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times.

“You can call it like a buffet – everyone eats. … We’ve got everything in there. I mean, the playbook is huge. We’ve got every play you could think of.”

It’s not surprising to see players excited about Bieniemy, and quarterback Ethan Garbers recently spoke highly of the offensive coordinator.

After all, he had a ton of success with the Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs before going to the Washington Commanders. Now, he will try to revamp the UCLA offense as they begin their Big Ten journey.