The UCLA Bruins’ coaching staff for the 2025 season is starting to take shape. This week, UCLA football added another piece. The Bruins hired Bailey McElwain, a former University of Washington special teams quality control coach, as their senior special teams analyst.
McElwain, only 26 years old, already boasts an impressive resume as a coach and as an assistant. While playing fullback for Vanderbilt in 2016, McElwain suffered a career-ending injury. He played only one season with the Commodores.
After graduating from the University of Alabama Birmingham, McElwain spent time as a position coach for UNLV, Northwestern, Northern Arizona, Washington, and, notably, UCLA as a special teams analyst in 2022.
Now, McElwain returns to Westwood as the senior special teams analyst and the recognition of 247Sports’ “30Under30” coaching list.
DeShaun Foster has a different coaching staff at UCLA football in 2025. Foster did well with what he had in 2024, but it is certainly true that not making a bowl game leaves much work to be done. The Bruins need to improve next season, and the coaching staff overhaul is well underway in Westwood.