FSU football fans have been on pins and needles since UCLA fired Deshaun Foster a few days ago. FSU defensive coordinator Tony White is an alum and showed interest in the job before, but Foster was chosen over him.
The thought was that UCLA might double back since White has become one of the top coordinators nationally over the past two years. White had back-to-back top 20 defenses in his two years in Nebraska, and has the 2025 defense looking lightyears better than last season.
We wrote about why FSU fans shouldn’t worry about whether Tony White leaves for that job or not. However, the most recent news is that UCLA may be looking in a different market altogether:
DeShaun Foster is out at UCLA. The Bruins want a candidate with head coaching experience.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) September 17, 2025
Dave Aranda, Jason Eck & Jedd Fisch have already been tied to it. What about Ed Orgeron, the former LSU coach with LA ties who wants back into coaching?
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UCLA is not a job where guys go to have instant success. Several coaches have failed there over the last 20 years. They have significant debt, and it’s a place that doesn’t attract elite talent historically.
Personally, I think the FSU coordinator job is on par with that job, considering what he makes now, and what the FSU job could springboard him to next.
The fact that UCLA wants a guy with head coaching experience tracks, since they hired Foster, although he had never been a coordinator, much less a head coach at the college level.
Things could change if some candidates who fit the mold they’re looking for don’t show interest. However, right now, it’s a good sign for FSU that UCLA isn’t keen on hiring another guy without head coaching experience.
We’ll see how it plays out, but as of now, it looks like Tony White may not be leaving FSU to go out west to UCLA unless things change.