The Bruins lost another football coach yesterday when receivers coach D.J. McCarthy headed to the LSU Tigers after one season in Westwood, LSU coach Les Miles announced.
McCarthy pointed toward an increased salary and a shorter commute as major factors in his decision to leave.
He was paid $130,000 at UCLA and could make much more than that coaching for the Bayou Bengals.
“If and when we make it to a BCS bowl, I’ll have a chance to double my UCLA salary,” McCarthy told the Los Angeles Daily News. “That’s why coach (Karl) Dorrell has lost a lot of good coaches.”
McCarthy will replace the former LSU receivers coach Todd Monken who left for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“What was so attractive about D.J. is his ability to take young receivers and develop them into outstanding players,” Miles said. “He has coached a number of players who have gone on to continue their career in the NFL. D.J. is a quality person and he’ll be a good fit for our staff.”
With an early injury to quarterback Ben Olson and wide receiver Joe Cowan, the Bruins’ passing game struggled this past season. UCLA finished sixth in the Pac-10 in passing offense and seventh in total offense.
McCarthy is the latest coach to leave the Bruins, following offensive coordinator Jim Svoboda and offensive line coach Jim Colletto.
With reports from Bruin wire services.