Offensive line coach Jim Colletto has been hired by the Detroit
Lions to be their offensive line coach, it was announced
Monday.
Colletto, a UCLA graduate who came back to UCLA last season to
coach the offensive line, jumped to the NFL after just one year
with the Bruins. He is the second coach to leave UCLA this
offseason, accompanying offensive coordinator Jim Svoboda out of
Westwood. Svoboda was fired a week ago.
“I know this was a tough decision for Jim
(Colletto),” coach Karl Dorrell said in a press conference.
“He did a great job for us this past season. I know he
doesn’t like to leave after just one year, but the job with
the Lions is ideal for him at this point in his career.
“I want to thank him for his hard work this season. He
will always be a great Bruin.”
Colletto’s departure means the Bruins will have three
different offensive line coaches in the space of three years. The
Bruins will return almost their entire offensive line next year,
save graduating center Robert Chai.
The offensive line was expected to be much improved next season
with another year of experience under its belt, but this move
throws that assumption up in the air.
Colletto himself was divided on the decision.
“This was a hard decision for me to make,” he said
in a press conference. “Karl gave me a great opportunity this
year and I am thankful to him for that. I really enjoyed working
with the young men on the offensive line and being a part of
another historic win over USC. I just felt that the opportunity
with Detroit was one I could not turn down.”
Colletto had been coaching in the NFL for seven seasons before
coming to UCLA. His first six seasons were with the Baltimore
Ravens, and his seventh year in the NFL was with the Oakland
Raiders.
So it appears that this offseason will mark another year of
change for the UCLA coaching staff. It remains a mystery whether
the lack of offensive coaching continuity will have a negative
effect on the play on the field.