UCLA just straight-up fired Athletic Director Martin Jarmond this week, y’all. And get this: it went down just days before new football coach Bob Chesney even steps onto the field for his debut game! Chancellor Julio Frenk wasted no time, dropping the hammer on Tuesday, citing a “significant financial deficit” that’s apparently been sinking the whole department. Talk about a wild way to kick off a new era for the Bruins.
Jarmond’s Tenure Ends With a Massive Tab
Jarmond was brought in back in 2020, and honestly, his run at the top has been a rollercoaster. We’ve seen the football program change head coaches *twice* under his watch. First, Chip Kelly got swapped out for DeShaun Foster after the 2023 season. Then, just last December, Foster was replaced by Chesney. Now, Frenk is saying the athletic department’s “current path is not sustainable,” especially with the explosive growth in NIL spending shaking up college athletics. It’s a huge mess, and the school clearly felt like they had to make a drastic move to save their financial health. And get this, per ESPN, Jarmond is still owed a cool $6.5 million on his contract. So, they’re in a “significant financial deficit,” but still gotta fork over millions to the guy they just let go. That’s gotta sting.
New Leadership Steps Into a Financial Firestorm
So who’s gonna pick up the pieces? UCLA announced that Tim Harris, a former UCLA soccer player and Los Angeles Lakers executive, is stepping in to replace Jarmond. And get this: he’s doing it on a pro bono basis! Harris was the President of Business Operations for the Lakers, so he knows a thing or two about big-time sports organizations. Chancellor Frenk sounds confident, believing Harris is exactly the right person to get UCLA back on track. The plan is for Harris to cook up a whole new strategy to grow revenue, focusing on partnerships, licensing, and other ventures. His job is to make sure student-athletes and coaches get the support they need to compete at the highest level, all while digging the department out of this financial hole. No pressure, right?
Chesney’s Debut: A Sideshow to the Main Event?
The timing here is just bonkers for Coach Chesney. He hasn’t even coached a single game for the Bruins yet, and already the entire athletic department is in financial upheaval. Jarmond’s hire of Chesney was actually praised a lot, especially after Chesney led James Madison to the College Football Playoff last season. Chesney’s been busy in the offseason too, bringing in the No. 25-ranked transfer portal class, according to 247Sports, including some standout players from his old JMU squad. Now, his era kicks off with this massive AD drama hanging over everything. His first game as head coach? A big one against former Pac-12 rival Cal, set for Saturday night in Berkeley. It’s gonna be interesting to see how he and the team perform with all this noise in the background. What a wild start to a season!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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