Before UCLA took on Michigan State, Tim Skipper had a question for his team: ‘Are you a one-hit wonder?’ Funnily enough, that question can easily be redirected at him and his flashy new title. Skipper has saved a squad that was looking to go 0-12, per Andy Staples. The interim HC has soldiered on and produced a textbook example of a ‘turnaround.’ However, are the Bruins still interested in keeping Skipper on as HC, as Jerry Neuheisel impresses fans?

UCLA is one of the hottest targets in the job market right now. Skipper will be able to hold on the HC cap for the remainder of this schedule. He’s produced a lot of good for a team that was teetering towards absolute doom. There is no way fans can ignore the Bruins’ trampling of the Nittany Lions. Skipper might ne one of the reasons James Franklin lost his job! However, On3’s Ari Wasserman posed a question about the duties that are going to come in the future.

“You can get people to feel good about themselves in the midst of a terrible situation,” he said in an October 14 episode of Andy & Ari. “But are you gonna be able to build a program in the off season when you’re the guy, and you’re not doing this back-against-the-wall thing?” he added. Andy Staples chimed in with his take. “I don’t know that Tim Skipper’s gonna get this job. The UCLA search committee may say, you know what? ‘We’re gonna go after a big name.’”

James Franklin himself is a contender for the job. Others like Ed Orgeron are emerging as strong favorites for the position as well. Tim Skipper is doing good for now, but what about later? Skipper has been vocal about first uplifting the team’s spirits, and then working on the winning. But how well is he going to fare with recruiting, and helping sustain a program that is on the verge of collapsing onto itself? Skipper also has to compete with his own play caller, Jerry Neuheisel, for the job.

“I do think, now Jerry Neuheisel’s gonna get interest based on what’s happened in the last two weeks. But if you could keep Jerry Neuheisel… who is, you know, second generation alum, then I think you got something going there,” Staples added. Since Neuheisel put on those headsets, UCLA has brought in a whopping 80 points. The Bruins previous games only hauled in a total of 57 points. Neuheisel has pretty much been a UCLA guy since his childhood. Plus, the 33-year-old OC is a huge favorite in the media.

However, there’s more to what goes into becoming UCLA’s head coach. “You have to show that you can win games that you would need to win as the permanent coach,” Staples added in his criteria for an interim HC to bag the permanent role. UCLA will probably face 4 ranked teams ahead in the season. Skipper has revived the locker room, but his fate will be decided in the challenges lined up for him. He might still be in consideration for the job, but Jerry Neuheisel had his eyes set on it from a long time ago.

Jerry Neuheisel threw his hat in the ring 2 years ago

Neuheisel was promoted up the ranks to OC for the Penn State game. Tim Skipper began his interim stint with a loss to Northwestern, and could not afford to bring more damage. Neuheisel ended up stealing the show in his new role. That was enough for UCLA fans to go gaga over Neuheisel calling the offensive shots. However, the young OC had some high hopes for himself.

“I wanna be the head coach here. So if you guys are Bruin fans and you’re crazy enough one day to give me a hire, I would love to eventually be the head coach here,” Neuheisel said in an old clip doing the rounds on social media. It was from 2023, when he was still WR coach for the Bruins. He is one of the best people in the lineup to know UCLA inside out. He played as a backup QB to Brett Hundley and Josh Rosen. His parents are UCLA graduates as well. If high scoring games continue for the Bruins, Neuheisel has a serious shot at fulfilling his goal.

Tim Skipper also has an in, being one of UCLA’s own. But that alone is not going to help him make the cut. Thankfully, a good run at UCLA’s remainder of the season can help him become a strong candidate for other head coaching jobs. There are a lot of places opening up as the weeks roll by. It would take nothing short of a miracle for Skipper to move over to being the Bruins HC full time. Because he doesn’t just have to beat competitors outside of Westwood, he has to beat the starriest candidate on his own block.