UCLA entering a bye week meant that the Bruins got more time to fix the problems plaguing them. As part of that agenda, HC DeShaun Foster ended up being fired from his position. A decade-long journey at Westwood comes to an end for the former HC, after disappointing the school and fans with his performance so far. AD Martin Jarmond confirmed that Tim Skipper will take over as the new leader. He comes with a resume that spans 25 years in college football.

UCLA’s alarming 0-3 start has forced the top brass to let go of DeShaun Foster. After being named the HC following Chip Kelly’s departure, he helped turn around the program. However, it seems his efforts were not enough. “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. He is a Bruin for life, and we wish him, his wife, Charity, and their family the best,” Jarmond announced in a statement.

In comes Tim Skipper, who was the special assistant to the HC until now. He has only been with UCLA for one year, but he comes with a long history of holding defensive coaching roles. He saw a lot of success during his time at Fresno State, where he was also the HC for one season.

Tim Skipper’s Early Life and Playing Career

Tim Skipper was born on 15April 1978. He is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. Skipper comes with an NFL pedigree, as his father is veteran RB coach Jim Skipper. He played college football at Fresno State, where he still holds the second-highest total of career tackles (418). Skipper served as a defensive captain for two years and earned All-WAC honors three times during his college career.

What is Tim Skipper’s coaching background?

Skipper began his coaching career in 2001 as the DB coach for Western New Mexico. He then went on to be the DC of the Mustangs. Skipper spent 2003-2005 at Sacramento State, holding the same positions. Skipper then made a switch to the offense as RB coach at Fresno State in 2006. He moved back to the defense with the Bulldogs as LB coach and defensive run game coordinator, and ultimately acquired the DC position.

Tim Skipper then took on another brief tenure at Colorado State from 2012 to 2014. From here, he came to his first big-league program: the Florida Gators. He initially joined as the RB coach but moved to linebackers in 2017. Skipper was then at UNLV from 2018 to 2019. From here, he moved to Central Michigan, and then came back to Fresno State in 2022. It was here that he took on interim head coaching duties in 2023 and was named HC in the 2024 season as well. His record stands at 7-7.

Skipper has helped coach former Fresno State stars like RB Dwayne Wright, LB Ben Jacobs, and RB Ryan Matthews. He also had a hand in shaping Florida star Kelvin Taylor, who ran for a total of 2,108 yards on 486 carries and scored 23 TDs.

Why did UCLA choose Tim Skipper to replace DeShaun Foster?

DeShaun Foster has coached only 15 games so far in his career as head coach of the Bruins. However, the losses continued to grow in his career. Though Foster has spent a good amount of effort in turning around the recruiting side of things, game-wise, it just wasn’t working out. He started with a blowout 43-10 loss to Utah, put up a close fight against UNLV, finishing 23-30.

He followed them up with a third straight loss this season, against New Mexico, which is what marked the end for Foster. The last two games were seen as opportunities where UCLA could potentially win. The decision comes at a tough point in UCLA’s schedule, as they gear up to face Northwestern, Penn State, and Maryland next. The abrupt coaching change is bound to change the odds the Bruins have for these games.

Does Tim Skipper Come From a Football Family?

Tim Skipper’s father is a well-known figure in the NFL, where he was an RB coach. Jim has been with a multitude of franchises, including the Saints, Giants, and Titans. He also coached DeShaun Foster when he played for the Panthers, where he was an RB coach for 15 years. Additionally, Tim’s brother, Kelly Skipper, is also a football coach. He also coached Foster during his collegiate career and is now the RB coach for the Buffalo Bills. Kelly has held positions in Seattle and Washington before this.

Tim Skipper has proven experience in holding a ship steady in tough waters. But this is the first time he gets to do it on such a big stage. UCLA is already staring at a dark fate, going 0-3. How Skipper fares in this new role should be interesting to see.