In one of the biggest college football upsets in recent memory, unranked UCLA stunned No. 7 Penn State, 42-37, leaving much of the nation asking: Who is Jerry Neuheisel?
The Bruins’ offensive coordinator — with sun-bleached blond hair and bounding energy on the sideline — was carried off the field after helping the Bruins tame the Nittany Lions, becoming the first 0-4 team to beat a top-10 opponent in 40 years.
UCLA offensive coordinator Jerry Neuheisel calls a play late in the game against Penn State. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
“That’s a really, really good team, and we had to play our very best to have a chance to win,” Neuheisel said. “And today, we had our very best.”
Considering the Bruins hadn’t led in a game all season, describing Saturday’s effort as their “very best” might actually be an understatement.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava and the Bruins jumped out to a 27-7 halftime lead behind three touchdowns and two field goals on their first five drives. Penn State fought back in the second half, outscoring UCLA 30-15, but the deficit proved too much to overcome.
The improbable win stunned the college football world, and likely even Neuheisel, who admitted his belief in a possible upset didn’t fully set in until the night before.
“Last night, I knew we had a chance,” he told reporters, after praising the team’s meetings on Friday. “It was the most enthusiastic 0-4 team you’d ever seen in your life. And all of a sudden you get this delusional optimism like, ‘We might have a chance at this thing.'”
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With the buzz growing around UCLA’s offensive coordinator, here’s a look at a few takeaways on the unlikely hero behind Saturday’s win:
How did Neuheisel become OC/playcaller?
Neuheisel, the son of ex-UCLA coach and current CBS commentator Rick Neuheisel, endured many sleepless nights this week after learning he’d be taking over playcalling duties after UCLA and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri mutually parted ways amid the team’s 0-4 start.
Neuheisel, who previously served as the team’s tight ends coach, had just two days to implement and practice the game plan.
In fact, he admitted to reporters that his inexperience led to several moments where he forgot to keep his headset down or use the call button to reach his quarterback.
Of course, given the results, maybe that’s not a habit worth breaking?
What did Neuheisel have to say about his rapport with QB Nico Iamaleava?
After getting outscored 125-57 in their first four games, Iamaleava and the Bruins finally found a rhythm with Neuheisel calling the shots. And the OC made sure to highlight his quarterback’s poise and preparation.
“His understanding, his willingness to do the extra work, to learn the game plan, and then go coach the guys when he was not in practice the other day. He is special, special,” Neuheisel said.
He also explained how the game plan came together, and how crucial it was to keep Penn State’s premier defense on its toes.
“I think what we were trying to do was try to get a game plan together where the guys could feel confident,” he said. “We know with how special they are on defense and as a team, we were going to have to do different things to try to be able to throw them off. And I thought our guys went out and executed the game plan as well as we possibly could.
“It’s just one of those days, and hopefully we got more of these days coming.”
Did Neuheisel play college football?
While Neuheisel might be unfamiliar to many nationally, UCLA fans remember him well. The former Bruins quarterback delivered his own moment of glory 11 years ago.
In 2014, Neuheisel was famously carried off the field after a comeback win over Texas. He took over in the first quarter for an injured Brett Hundley, and finished with 178 yards and two touchdowns, including a 33-yard game-winning pass with three minutes remaining.
When asked to compare Saturday’s win to his last shining moment, Neuheisel said, “It’s up there,” but gave this one the edge for one reason.
“I [had] this big blue mouthguard in the entire time [after Texas win],” he joked. “This time, I did not have a mouthguard. So, I put this one just a little bit above the other one.”
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