UCLA hires 49ers' Johnson as new OC

UCLA hired Mike Johnson as its new offensive coordinator Saturday without formally announcing the departure of Norm Chow, who held the job for the past three years.

Coach Rick Neuheisel was vague about the future of Chow, the respected coaching veteran who built powerful offenses at BYU and USC before struggling at UCLA. The Los Angeles Times reported Chow soon will be hired at Utah, his alma mater, as the Utes' offensive coordinator.

''We are having ongoing discussions (with Chow) as to how this will all work, and hopefully this will be resolved quickly,'' Neuheisel said. ''We're nearing a resolution there that I think will serve everybody's interests.''

Chow has two years left on his UCLA contract at $1 million after completing a contract extension in November despite the Bruins' miserable offensive play while going 4-8. The prolonged delay in the Bruins' coaching changes is thought to be due to negotiations surrounding his buyout, and Neuheisel didn't deny that notion at halftime of the Bruins' basketball game Saturday.

Chow didn't return a phone call seeking comment.

UCLA also is expected to interview former Miami coach Randy Shannon on Sunday for its vacant defensive coordinator job.

Johnson landed quickly with the Bruins after spending most of last season as the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator. He agreed last Thursday to reunite with Neuheisel, his fellow assistant with the Baltimore Ravens from 2006-07, but the school didn't announce it with Chow's future still under debate.

''I'm a believer that you look at the personnel you have, and then you develop an offense around the people,'' Johnson said. ''I think the talent level here is good. My goal as the recruiter in Los Angeles is to make sure we upgrade that and make it better, but there's the talent here to do some positive things.''

Johnson also will coach the Bruins' receivers, replacing fired coach Reggie Moore. Neuheisel will coach UCLA's quarterbacks while taking a more hands-on approach in what might be a make-or-break season for his coaching future at his own alma mater.

Neuheisel has led the Bruins to just one minor bowl game in three seasons since returning to Westwood. He is 15-22 at UCLA, which lost six of its final seven games last season with one of the NCAA's worst offenses.

''I certainly have zero problem in turning the keys over to Mike, and he gets it done,'' said Neuheisel, who isn't sure whether he'll call every play.

Neuheisel's housecleaning began Dec. 18, when he fired defensive coordinator Chuck Bullough and Moore.

Shannon is an intriguing candidate to take over the Bruins' middling defense. He was fired by Miami in November after going 28-22 over four seasons at his alma mater, but he is a respected defensive coach and an outstanding recruiter.

''I think we've always had good coaches, we've always had good people, but sometimes the chemistry of the staff isn't exactly right,'' Neuheisel said. ''I think dysfunction may be too strong of a word, but when it's not functioning at the highest level, it leaks down into the program. I've been working to put back together what I think will be a formidable staff.''

The Bruins were pathetic on offense for most of last season, ranking 100th out of 120 FBS teams in total offense, and 116th in passing offense with just 141 yards per game.

UCLA spent the past offseason installing Nevada's pistol formation, which was seen as a surprising admission of desperation by Chow and Neuheisel, two experienced coaches who couldn't build a consistent Pac-10 offense.

''I think we all bought into the pistol offense,'' Neuheisel said, refusing to blame Chow for the experiment that improved UCLA's running game, but crippled its passing game. ''There's no finger-pointing at all with regard to that. I think retrospectively, we'd wonder if it was exactly the thing to do, but we all bought in.''

Since-fired San Francisco head coach Mike Singletary promoted Johnson, then his quarterbacks coach, to the 49ers' top assistant job on Sept. 27 during their eighth consecutive non-winning season. Johnson was moderately successful with the 49ers' talent-laden offense, but wasn't retained by new coach Jim Harbaugh.

Although it's still early, Neuheisel and Johnson appear ready to retire the pistol for the upcoming season.

''I don't know that we'll have the flashy name for our offense, but hopefully we'll develop one as it starts producing,'' Neuheisel said. ''We feel we can put together something that's special.''