UCLA hires San Jose State’s Ryan Gunderson as new quarterbacks coach

A week after UCLA quarterbacks coach Dana Bible retired, the Bruins hired San Jose State’s Ryan Gunderson to replace him, bringing on board one of the fastest rising assistant coaches in the country.

Gunderson, the Spartans’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, presided over one of the nation’s top passing attacks last season, San Jose State averaging 298.4 yards through the air to rank No. 19 nationally. The Spartans’ passing success was a big reason the team went 7-1, winning the Mountain West Conference championship while compiling its best season since going 13-0 in 1939.

In 2019, when San Jose State ranked No. 4 nationally in passing offense with 338 yards per game, Gunderson was nominated for the Broyles Award that goes to the top assistant coach in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Gunderson mentored quarterback Josh Love, who became the Mountain West’s offensive player of the year that season.

A former Oregon State quarterback, Gunderson, 36, served in a variety of coaching and administrative roles at his alma mater from 2008 to 2014 before following coach Mike Riley to Nebraska, where Gunderson was the Cornhuskers’ director of player personnel from 2015 to 2016. He became San Jose State’s quarterbacks coach in 2017 before adding the title of passing game coordinator a year later.

Gunderson has a tradition of success, having been part of 11 bowl games as a player, graduate assistant or staff member.