LOS ANGELES – UCLA Head Football Coach DeShaun Foster finalized his coaching staff Wednesday with the additions of Juan Castillo, Erik Frazier, Marcus Thomas and Ted White.
Longtime NFL assistant Castillo has been hired as offensive line coach. Frazier steps into the role of wide receivers coach after most recently serving on the Tennessee Titans staff. Thomas returns to Westwood as running backs coach after two years at his alma mater, Navy. Veteran offensive coach and former standout quarterback White will lead the Bruin signal callers.
"We are building a staff of teachers," said Foster. "These coaches have picked up a diverse skillset from working on every level of football and they are hungry to share that knowledge with the players of our program. Their passion for the game and coaching reflects what we are actively instilling in our players – approaching everything they do with discipline, respect and enthusiasm – and I am excited to watch them work together."
Jerry Neuheisel, who coached UCLA's wide receivers from 2021-23, is set to take over the tight ends room. Added to the staff in January as quarterbacks coach following two seasons at Akron, Billy Fessler will remain with the Bruins as an offensive analyst.
Owner of more than 40 years of coaching experience – including nearly 30 in the NFL – Castillo has held roles on the staffs of current NFL head coaches Jim Harbaugh, John Harbaugh, Sean McDermott and Andy Reid after beginning his career on the collegiate level. His longest NFL tenure came in Philadelphia, where the Eagles captured six NFC East titles, made five trips to the NFC Championship Game and advanced to Super Bowl XXXIX during his 18 seasons (1995-2012) on staff.
Castillo most recently spent time on Ron Rivera's Washington Commanders staff as tight ends coach in 2021 and 2022. His NFL experience also includes stops with the Chicago Bears (2020, 2021), Buffalo Bills (2017, 2018) and Baltimore Ravens (2013-16). Castillo was an offensive analyst for the University of Michigan in 2019, aiding a group that ranked 15th nationally in yards per play (6.09) while rushing for over 200 yards (203.2) and scoring 35.2 points per game.
READ FULL CASTILLO BIO
Frazier's two-year (2021, 2022) tenure in Tennessee was highlighted by a standout 2021 campaign, as the Titans went 12-5 en route to a first-place finish in the AFC South. Tennessee ranked fifth in the NFL with an average of 141.4 rushing yards per game and receiver A.J. Brown had a solid season with 63 catches for 869 yards and five touchdowns. In 2022, the Titans placed second in the AFC South and had two offensive starters named to the Pro Bowl. In addition, five different players recorded 30 or more receptions.
Prior to making the jump to the NFL, Frazier made collegiate coaching stops at Montana State (2019, 2020), Western Illinois (2018), Northwestern (2017), Dayton (2016) and Delaware Valley (2014, 2015). Montana State went 11-4 with Frazier on staff as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. In 2019, MSU was ranked as high as No. 4 in the country and reached the semifinals of the FCS playoff.
READ FULL FRAZIER BIO
Thomas returns to UCLA, where he previously worked as an offensive analyst (2020, 2021) and the program's director of strategic intelligence (2019). Thomas assisted offensive coaches off the field in basic game planning, opponent breakdown, opponent personnel and opponent tendencies. He worked specifically with Foster and the running backs in 2020 and 2021, helping guide future NFL backs Brittain Brown, Demetric Felton Jr. and Zach Charbonnet as the Bruins logged top-20 scoring and rushing offenses both years.
Thomas left UCLA in 2022 to become director of player personnel at his alma mater, Navy. He was chosen in 2023 to coach the slot backs, a position in which he starred for the Midshipmen from 2010-13. He is Navy's all-time leader in kickoff return yardage with 2,338 yards. With Thomas on staff, Navy ball carriers ranked 17th nationally in rushing offense (194.6 yards per game). Thomas spent five years in the United States Marine Corps, serving in Okinawa, Japan, before taking his first coaching job at UCLA.
READ FULL THOMAS BIO
White has 16 years of coaching experience, most recently serving as offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach for the NFL's Houston Texans. He has made stops at Maryland (2021), Prairie View A&M (2018, 2019), Arkansas at Pine Bluff (2016, 2017), Howard (2011-15), Southern (2010) and Texas Southern (2006-08) on the collegiate level. His standout pupils have included Taulia Tagovailoa, Jalen Morton, Greg McGhee and Dray Joseph.
White spent parts of six years on the rosters of NFL, NFL Europe and CFL teams following a record-breaking run as Howard University's quarterback during his playing days. He was a first-team Division I-AA All-America selection in 1996 and 1998 and garnered MEAC Player of the Year and Black College Football Player of the Year accolades in 1996. White set career records for passing yards (9,808) and passing touchdowns (92) during his playing days with the Bison. He went on to guide his alma mater's offense and quarterbacks to back-to-back seasons leading the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in total offense.
READ FULL WHITE BIO
2024 UCLA FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF
DeShaun Foster – Head Coach
Eric Bieniemy – Associate Head Coach, Offensive Coordinator
Juan Castillo – Offensive Line
Erik Frazier – Wide Receivers
Ikaika Malloe – Defensive Coordinator, Inside Linebackers
Jerry Neuheisel – Tight Ends
Brian Norwood – Assistant Head Coach, Passing Game Coordinator, Safeties
Marcus Thomas – Running Backs
Tony Washington Jr. – Defensive Line, Outside Linebackers
Ted White – Quarterbacks
Kodi Whitfield – Special Teams Coordinator, Cornerbacks
