UCLA’s Ken Niumatalolo hired as San Jose State football coach

The veteran coach is most notable for being the Navy’s winningest head coach and spending 16 seasons at the helm.

UCLA’s tight ends coach Ken Niumatalolo’s tenure at Westwood was short-lived after San Jose State announced him as its head coach on Sunday.

Niumatalolo spent the 2023 season as the Bruins’ director of leadership before he was hired as a position coach in early January. He was named the interim tight ends coach for the LA Bowl in December after the departure of Jeff Faris, who was named as Austin Peay’s head football coach.

Coach Chip Kelly initially created the position for Niumatalolo, allowing him to work with the players and staff as an advisor.

Niumatalolo will replace Brent Brennan, who spent seven seasons as the Spartans’ coach before taking the job at Arizona. Brennan graduated with a degree from UCLA in 1996.

Niumatalolo is most notable for being the Navy’s winningest head coach (109-83) and spending 16 seasons at the helm. He also worked as a position coach and offensive coordinator at Navy. Niumatalolo played quarterback at Hawai’i from 1987-1989.

Niumatalolo had a brief reunion with former Navy edge rusher Jacob Busic, who recently signed with the Bruins as a four-year senior out of the transfer portal.

Ken’s son Ali’i Niumatalolo works as an offensive line graduate assistant for UCLA.

With Ken’s departure, Kelly will have to make a fifth coaching hire this offseason.