MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Tom Bradley, after spending one season as a West Virginia defensive assistant, reportedly is finalizing a deal to become UCLA’s defensive coordinator, according to Fox Sports.
That would fill a big vacancy on Jim Mora’s staff after Jeff Ulbrich left to become linebackers coach with the Atlanta Falcons, and it returns balance the Mountaineers’ staff, which had six defensive assistants and only three on the offensive side.
Bradley, 57, became a surprising hire last February, reportedly at the behest of then-athletics director Oliver Luck, who liked the idea of pairing a veteran voice with first-time coordinator Tony Gibson. In turn, Gibson spent several weeks convincing Bradley to come out of retirement.
It became a strange arrangement at times. Bradley was assigned to coaching defensive line (when his primary focus was linebackers and the secondary at Penn State), and he joked about acclimating to uptempo practice sessions required to prepare for no-huddle offenses.
When Bruce Tall was hired from Charlotte last month and assigned to the defensive line, it became evident Bradley or Damon Cogdell would be shifting roles or leaving the staff.
On national signing day, head coach Dana Holgorsen—who has yet to replace offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson—said he would address staff changes in the near future.