Tag: UCLA Bruins

Blue Devils land projected 2025 lottery pick Khaman Maluach

Duke lands massive prospect as 2025 center Khaman Maluach has committed to Duke.

Ahead of their biggest game of the season against their rivals with a chance to take home a share of the ACC regular season title, the Duke Blue Devils just received a significant boost to their 2024-2025 season.

Projected lottery pick and soon-to-be five-star on every primary recruiting website Khaman Maluach announced his commitment to Duke Wednesday afternoon.

Maluach is a massive commitment, figuratively and literally. He stands 7-foot-2 and will slot into the center spot soon to be vacated by Kyle Filipowski at year’s end. He brings rim protection, which the Blue Devils have missed the most defensively this season after losing Dereck Lively to the NBA.

However, he’s a much more refined offensive product who can handle the ball, shoot and facilitate for others. Combine that with the athleticism and lateral quickness to guard on the perimeter, and you have something special.

In short, there’s a reason he’s projected as the third overall prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft behind his soon-to-be teammate Cooper Flagg.

Maluach has been on Duke’s radar for a year, and as they methodically built a relationship with him from Durham all the way to Africa, where he hails from. Duke has remained a constant despite visits to Kentucky, Kansas, UCLA, and advances from G League Ignite.

“Duke is home, that’s where I belong.” Maluach said in a conversation with ESPN. “This was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. I felt like I could succeed anywhere, but I was most comfortable going to Duke. All the schools recruiting me are big-time programs, but in terms of my development and the relationships I built with the coaches, they were the best.”

Maluach has an impressive basketball resume already. This summer, at 16 years old, he helped his native country of South Sudan qualify for the Paris Olympics as one of the youngest players in FIBA World Cup History.

He plays at the NBA Academy Africa and will headline the World team at the Nike Hoop Summit next month, where he will take on his future teammates Cooper Flagg, Isaiah Evans, and Patrick Ngongba II.

UCLA Bruins have a lot to prove in early Big Ten ranking

UCLA Bruins have a lot to prove in early Big Ten ranking

It’s never too early for a “way too early” Big Ten power ranking! Things will change. Players will hurt the portal, players will transfer in, and injuries will happen but for the most part, we have a pretty good understanding of rosters after National Signing Day and so much transfer portal movement.

In each part of this series, we will unveil where each of the 18 teams in the new look conference begins. We started at No. 1 with the revamped Ohio State Buckeyes. Then, the Oregon Ducks come in at the second spot. Coming in at No. 3 were the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines, who are in a bit of a transition period.

At No. 4, we unveiled the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are returning a lot of talent from their 2023 roster. Then we made way for the old reliable, the Iowa Hawkeyes. At No. 6, another new addition to the conference, the USC Trojans. Next up at No. 7, the Wisconsin Badgers came in, followed by the Washington Huskies at No. 8 in the ranking.

Coming in at No. 9, another pretty consistent program with the Minnesota Golden Gophers. They come into the 2024 season as a real wildcard. Speaking of wildcards, there may not be a bigger one than the Nebraska Cornhuskers. They come in at No. 10 on the ranking.

Following Nebraska is the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at No. 11, coming off a bit of a breakout season in 2023 under head coach Greg Schiano. A team in transition, but an exciting one, is the Indiana Hoosiers. At No. 13 is the Michigan State Spartans, who are another team in transition. Then you have the Purdue Boilermakers at No. 14 who enter the second year under former Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters.

Another new entrant into the new look Big Ten conference, the UCLA Bruins enter with a lot of uncertainty. New head coach DeShaun Foster brings a lot of optimism to the table, and is someone who loves the program and will do anything to help rebuild the proud Bruin tradition. 

The problem is that the previous regime left this roster in a really bad spot, which is especially troubling while making the jump to the Big Ten. Offensively, there are some playmakers to work with, including wide receivers J. Michael Sturdivant and Kyle Ford. They must find solid quarterback play and rebuild the offensive line quickly. 

On defense, the team is in even worse shape. Not only are they losing a ton of talent to the NFL but they also lost defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn to USC this offseason. That side of the football will need to find an identity quickly.

Full Big Ten Rankings

  1. Ohio State Buckeyes
  2. Oregon Ducks
  3. Michigan Wolverines
  4. Penn State Nittany Lions
  5. Iowa Hawkeyes 
  6. USC Trojans
  7. Wisconsin Badgers
  8. Washington Huskies
  9. Minnesota Golden Gophers
  10. Nebraska Cornhuskers
  11. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
  12. Indiana Hoosiers
  13. Michigan State Spartans
  14. Purdue Boilermakers
  15. UCLA Bruins
  16. TBD
  17. TBD
  18. TBD

Vikings 2024 NFL draft scouting report: UCLA EDGE Gabriel Murphy

After transferring from North Texas, UCLA EDGE Gabriel Murphy saw a lot of success and production. Where does he go in 2024 NFL Draft?

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2024 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at quarterback, running back, defensive line and edge rusher. We will also focus on wide receiver since it’s a loaded class and an increased chance to get a Stefon Diggs-type steal in the later rounds.

The Vikings are slated to have 9 picks going into the NFL draft and they need to make the most out of them.

UCLA makes splash hire with addition of two-time Super Bowl winning OC

The UCLA Bruins made a big hire on Saturday with the addition of two-time Super Bowl champion OC Eric Bienemy.

The UCLA Bruins were seemingly put in a tough position earlier this offseason when head coach Chip Kelly announced late in the coaching cycle that he was leaving Pasadena to take over as the new offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

The Bruins seem to be making the best of their situation, though.

To replace Kelly, UCLA hired former RB DeShaun Foster as the new head coach, which seems to be a move that has inspired the fanbase and gotten some new blood into the program. Over the weekend, UCLA made another splash hire, landing former Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy as their new OC.

Bieniemy has been one of the hottest names on the coaching market over the past several years, having won two Super Bowls with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the past decade. Though he was never able to rise to the level of head coach in the NFL, many have thought that Bieniemy was among the brightest offensive minds in the sport.

Now he is going to Pasadena, where Bieniemy will look to help the Bruins transition into the Big Ten with a roster that could use some help when it comes to recruiting and talent acquisition. There is a long way to go before UCLA can become a power in the new conference, but Bieniemy is certainly someone who can help.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Around the Big Ten: UCLA adding Eric Bienemy as offensive coordinator

It seems future Penn State football opponent UCLA has made a very noteworthy hire at offensive coordinator.

Penn State will play three of the Big Ten’s newest members during the 2024 college football season, including two of them at home. Penn State will welcome UCLA to Beaver Stadium for the first time since 1963 this fall, and the Bruins may have one of the most talked-about names as an offensive coordinator in recent years calling the shots.

Following a late coaching staff shakeup with the departure of head coach Chip Kelly to be Ohio State’s new offensive coordinator (replacing former Penn State head coach Bill O’Brien after he accepted a head coaching offer from Boston College), the Bruins named DeShaun Foster the next head coach of the program as they prepare for competing in the Big Ten. And now he has an offensive coordinator with the signing of Eric Bienemy.

Bienemy has been talked about as a potential head coaching candidate for various NFL and college jobs in recent years thanks to his success in the NFL as an offensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite receiving some interviews for head coaching positions, Bienemy has continued to hold offensive coordinator titles with the Chiefs and, last season, the Washington Commanders. Bienemy became available following coaching changes with the Commanders under new ownership. Now a return to UCLA has fallen into place.

Bienemy previously served on the UCLA coaching staff in his coaching career. He was the team’s running backs coach from 2003 to 2005. He then left for a job in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings before returning to his alma mater, Colorado, in 2011 to run the offense. His success at Colorado led to a job with the Chiefs in 2013, where he was a part of Andy Reid’s staff for 10 years as the Chiefs built a roster primed for a dynasty.

So Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen will get a chance to work against a Bienemy-coached offense this fall. The Nittany Lions would appear to have an advantage on the Bruins this far out, but it will be interesting to see if Bienemy can inject some life into the UCLA offense as they jump into the Big Ten for the first time.

Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Eric Bieniemy on departing the Commanders: ‘I was not fired’

Bieniemy said it was his choice not to return to Washington.

When Dan Quinn was introduced as the new head coach of the Washington Commanders earlier this month, he was asked about Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy had served as Washington’s offensive coordinator in 2023 and was under contract for 2024.

“I think he’s an excellent coach,” Quinn said on Feb. 5. “I had a chance to visit with him today. We’ll continue that dialogue, but we’re not going to work together here, but in this coaching brotherhood, I wanted him to know, man, I really respect the work that he’s done……I wish EB nothing but the best and he’ll do a great job.”

On Saturday, Bieniemy’s next destination was revealed. He was returning to the college game to be UCLA’s offensive coordinator/associate head coach for new coach DeShaun Foster.

To say Bieniemy’s one season in Washington didn’t go well would be an understatement. Bieniemy’s offense ranked first in passing attempts and last in rushing attempts, despite starting Sam Howell at quarterback, a 2021 fifth-round pick with only one NFL start on his resume entering 2023.

The Commanders were ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in most offensive metrics, including FTN’s offensive DVOA (26th).

After Quinn took over as head coach, he hired Kliff Kingsbury as his new offensive coordinator and put together an impressive offensive staff that included former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn and former Eagles OC Brian Johnson.

In an email to ESPN Saturday confirming his decision to join UCLA, Bieniemy mentioned he had other NFL opportunities and that he had been “applauded and lauded.”

He talked about why he was excited to join Foster and help UCLA.

And then he mentioned his former team:

“I have no regrets with the Commanders,” Bieniemy wrote. “Contrary to what some think and what has been put out in the media, I was not fired. I actually just chose not to stay. Learned a lot and that is always a good thing.

That conflicts with what Quinn said. Maybe the word “fired” was never used when Quinn and the Commanders discussed Bieniemy’s time in Washington, but there was no way Bieniemy was returning in 2024. It’s not personal from Washington’s end, either. The results speak for themselves.

Look, Bieniemy deserves a pass for some of the things he had to deal with in 2023, but he didn’t help things. There are the aforementioned lackluster results, the failure to run the ball to help a young quarterback, but it was his alleged issues with players that were a larger problem.

It began as early as training camp when former head coach Ron Rivera acknowledged some players had come to him to discuss Bieniemy’s coaching style. Rivera backed off those comments a day later, but there were clear issues.

Those issues were brought to the surface again in December. After the season, several players, veterans such as Charles Leno Jr., Logan Thomas, and Sam Cosmi, didn’t exactly give Bieniemy a ringing endorsement.

In short, Bieniemy wasn’t coming back to Washington. He can phrase it however he likes; that’s his choice. But Quinn and new GM Adam Peters were moving forward with a new offense and a new offensive coordinator.

It is interesting that Bieniemy would choose to mention his departure from Washington and what “has been put out in the media.” Nothing from the Commanders was “put out in the media.” It came straight from the new head coach.

Twitter reacts to UCLA hiring former Commanders/Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy

Social media reacts to Bieniemy heading back to the college game.

Former Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has landed a new job. On Saturday, the UCLA Bruins hired Bieniemy as their new offensive coordinator/associate head coach. It’s a similar title to what he held during his lone season in Washington in 2023.

The Bruins were looking for a new offensive coordinator after former head coach Chip Kelly departed to take over as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator. The Bruins promoted UCLA alum and former NFL running back DeShaun Foster to head coach.

Bieniemy’s gamble in Washington didn’t work out well for him or the team. After the season, the Commanders fired head coach Ron Rivera, leaving Bieniemy free to pursue his options.

Bieniemys’ one season in Washington was polarizing. Some fans believed he could do no wrong, blaming everything on Rivera, the offensive line, Sam Howell, Dan Snyder, and virtually everyone else — except Bieniemy. Others, though, were ready for a change by midseason.

How did the social media world react to Bieniemy’s new job? We look at some of the top reactions from X — formerly Twitter.

Former Commanders OC Eric Bieniemy to UCLA as OC/associate head coach

Bieniemy is back in the college game.

For the second consecutive year, Eric Bieniemy has a new job.

After 10 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs — the final five as offensive coordinator — Bieniemy left to become the offensive coordinator/assistant head coach of the Washington Commanders in 2023.

On Saturday, Bieniemy agreed to become the new offensive coordinator/assistant head coach for the UCLA Bruins and new head coach DeShaun Foster. UCLA’s former coach, Chip Kelly, left this offseason to become Ryan Day’s offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

Bieniemy, a Southern California native, returns to UCLA, where he spent three seasons (2003-05) as the running backs coach.

Bieniemy’s one season in Washington didn’t go well. The Commanders led the NFL in pass attempts and were last in rushing attempts. Washington finished 4-13, and Bieniemy reportedly had issues with multiple players regarding his coaching style. The Commanders had plenty of other problems, but Bieniemy didn’t help.

A two-time Super Bowl champion as Kansas City’s offensive coordinator, Bieniemy has been an OC at the college level before. In 2011, Bieniemy was offensive coordinator at his alma mater, Colorado, a role he held for two seasons before coming to the NFL with the Chiefs in 2013.

Softball goes 0-2 in its first day at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

The Nebraska softball team opened its first day at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a doubleheader against San Diego State and No. 19 UCLA.

The Nebraska softball team opened its first day at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a doubleheader against San Diego State and No. 19 UCLA. The Huskers fell in hard-fought games, losing to San Diego State 3-2 then 9-8 to UCLA.

In the loss to the Aztecs, Nebraska held a one-run lead twice but struggled to pull away, going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. Peyton Cody led the Huskers in the batter’s box, going 2-for-3 and hitting a home run.

Freshman Emmerson Cope also drove in a run for Nebraska, putting it on the board in the second inning. Cope also started in the circle and pitched for 3.1 innings, giving up one run. Sarah Harness pitched 1.1 innings and allowed one run.

In the loss to UCLA, the Huskers fumbled an 8-4 lead to the Bruins in the seventh, after holding UCLA went up 4-1 in the first. Billie Andrews powered Nebraska’s bats, hitting 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs, two RBIs and three runs scored. Freshman Samantha Bland doubled twice and drove in two runs, while Cody hit 1-for-2 with an RBI double.

Freshman Caitlin Olensky started in the circle for the Huskers and allowed four runs in 1.0 inning. Harness followed Olensky and pitched the next 2.0 innings allowing zero runs. Kaylin Kinney threw 3.1 innings of relief and was charged with five runs. She pitched 3.0 scoreless innings of relief heading into the seventh inning.

The Huskers fall to 6-5 with the loss and will play No. 23 Oregon Saturday for the second day of the tournament. The first pitch is at noon and can be viewed on FloSoftball.

Report: Oregon to hire Darren Uscher back from UCLA in personnel and recruiting role

The Oregon Ducks are reportedly hiring former UCLA general manager Darren Uscher, who left Eugene earlier this year to join the Bruins.

College sports are starting to look more and more like professional sports every year.

Just a month ago, Darren Uscher left Oregon to become the general manager of the UCLA football program.

He’s back.

According to 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz, Uscher is returning to Eugene as a member of the personnel and recruiting department after a lot of change for the Bruins over the last 30 days. Former head coach Chip Kelly recently announced that he was leaving to become the new offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes, leaving UCLA to hire DeShaun Foster as the new coach.

Uscher decided the grass was greener in Eugene.

Ever since Dan Lanning took over the Duck program, building a front office has been a priority and so far, no one can argue with the results on and off the field. With Marshall Malchow leading things as the Chief of Staff, the off-field produce is just as strong as the on-field produce for Oregon, and adding Uscher back to the mix doesn’t change that.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]