Chucky's Return? UCLA's candidate list topped by marquee names

UCLA got a very early jump on the coaching cycle by parting ways with DeShaun Foster just three games into its season, and a pair of names fit for Hollywood have quickly emerged as the favorites to take over the Bruins program.

Jon Gruden, who has not coached since resigning from the Oakland Raiders amid controversy in the middle of the 2021 season, has been installed as the +400 favorite by one sportsbook. A Super Bowl winning coach who has spent 15 years as an NFL head coach, Gruden cut his teeth in the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant and positional coach in the late 1980s.

Still only 62 years old, Gruden most recently spent the 2023 season as a consultant with the New Orleans Saints.

What Gruden lacks is a familiarity of the current Name, Image and Likeness era of college football. That is an area in which Colorado coach Deion Sanders has significant experience, and he currently owns the second shortest odds to take over at UCLA at +500.

Sanders, 58, is in his third season with the Buffaloes. However, it has gotten off to a rocky start with Colorado 1-2 and their lone win to date coming against Delaware.

Sanders has often stated his commitment to the Buffaloes, but acknowledged discussing the Dallas Cowboys opening with owner Jerry Jones over the offseason. He also has dealt with health issues, most recently revealing that he had his bladder removed as part of his battle with bladder cancer.

Both high-profile names would provide an instant jolt of energy to a UCLA program that has been outscored 108-43 during its 0-3 start and has fallen well behind cross-town rival Southern Cal in the recruiting wars since joining the Big Ten.

If the Bruins decide to pursue one of the hottest young names in the college football ranks, Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham can expect to have his phone ring. The 35-year-old is coming off taking the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in just his second season.

Having spent a year under Dan Lanning at Oregon following two years at Florida State and one at Auburn, Dillingham has a vast amount of recruiting experience across the country despite his age. Dillingham has been installed with the third shortest odds at +600.

UCLA NEXT HEAD COACH ODDS*

Jon Gruden (+400)

Deion Sanders (+500)

Kenny Dillingham (+600)

Justin Wilcox (+800)

Tommy Rees (+1000)

Dave Aranda (+1200)

Jimbo Fisher (+1200)

Jon Sumrall (+1400)

Ryan Silverfield (+1600)

Alex Golesh (+1800)

Curt Cignetti (+1800)

Brent Key (+2000)

Tony White (+2000)

D'Anton Lynn (+2200)

Jeff Brohm (+2500)

Lane Kiffin (+2500)

Kalani Sitake (+2800)

Dave Doeren (+3300)

G.J. Kinne (+3300)

Matt Campbell (+3800)

Willie Fritz (+3800)

Brian Newberry (+4000)

Kyle Whittingham (+4000)

Dabo Swinney (+4500)

Dan Lanning (+4500)

Marcus Freeman (+5000)

Ryan Day (+5000)

Nick Saban (+6600)

Urban Meyer (+6600)

Pete Carroll (+7500)

Troy Aikman (+8000)

Rick Neuheisel (+10000)

*an online sportsbook is not a regulated sportsbook. Odds provided for entertainment purposes only.

FOSTERING IN A NEW ERA

Foster, 45, was named the 19th head coach in the program's history on Feb. 12, 2024. He replaced Chip Kelly, who departed to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

Signed to a five-year, $15 million deal with UCLA in February 2024, Foster guided the Bruins to a 5-7 record (3-6 in the Big Ten) last season. He was the team's running backs coach from 2017-23 and also played collegiately at UCLA.

Foster was set to leave the Bruins' program after the 2023 season and become the running backs coach for the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders but returned when he was offered the head coach position.

"Serving as the head coach at UCLA, my beloved alma mater, has been the honor of a lifetime," Foster said in a statement. "While I am deeply disappointed that we were unable to achieve the success that our players, fans, and university deserve, I am grateful for the opportunity to have led this program."

Bruins athletic director Martin Jarmond issued the following statement:

"I want to extend my sincere appreciation to DeShaun for his contributions to UCLA Football over the course of many years, first as a Hall of Fame student-athlete, then as an assistant coach and finally as head coach," Jarmond said. "He was named to this role at a challenging time of year, on the cusp of a move to a new conference, and he embraced it, putting his heart into moving the program forward. His legacy and love for this university are firmly established."

Foster played at UCLA from 1998-2001, rushing for 3,194 yards and 44 touchdowns and earning second-team All-American honors as a senior.

Drafted in the second round by Carolina in 2002, he rushed for 3,570 yards and 11 touchdowns in 79 games (42 starts) with the Panthers (2003-07) and San Francisco 49ers (2008).

--Field Level Media