Ex-Bruin Andersen Is Hired to Be UCLA’s Receivers Coach

UCLA has hired Norm Andersen to succeed Rick Neuheisel as receivers coach.

Andersen played for Bruin coaches Pepper Rodgers and Dick Vermeil in 1973-75, catching 61 passes for 1,051 yards and six touchdowns during three seasons when the Bruins were primarily a running team. He played in the 1976 Rose Bowl game, catching a 14-yard pass from John Sciarra early in the third quarter to help open up a UCLA offense that had been shut out in the first half of a 23-10 victory over Ohio State.

Andersen was a volunteer assistant with Coach Terry Donahue’s first UCLA team in 1976, then a full-time assistant for eight seasons before moving to Iowa State for two seasons. He had coached at Arizona the past two seasons before returning to Westwood.

The third assistant hired since the end of the season, Andersen joins newcomers Bob Toledo and Gary Bernardi on the staff.

Neuheisel resigned to coach quarterbacks and receivers at Colorado, joining offensive coordinator Homer Smith and line coach Bob Palcic as former Bruin assistants in new jobs.