Former Alabama defensive coordinator lands job at Big Ten program, per report
By David Wasson
Published:
The well-traveled coaching career of Colin Hitschler is headed West, as Hitschler is the reported new defensive coordinator at UCLA.
Hitschler just completed a 1-year stint as defensive coordinator at James Madison, helping lead the Dukes to their first Sun Belt title and a spot in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff. He follows James Madison’s Bob Chesney to Los Angeles.
James Madison ranked fifth in the country in total defense in 2025, allowing just 266.6 yards per game. The Dukes were also 15th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 18.36 points per outing. James Madison’s defense led the Sun Belt in scoring defense, rush defense and pass defense in Hitschler’s lone season as its coordinator.
Hitschler previously was co-defensive coordinator at Alabama (2024), Wisconsin (2023) and Cincinnati (2022) and also had collegiate stops at South Alabama, Arkansas State, Widener and Salve Regina. The Penn graduate got his start in the NFL as an analyst with the Chiefs and Eagles.
UCLA went 3-9 overall and 3-6 in the Big Ten in 2025. The Bruins ranked 123rd nationally in scoring defense (33.42 points allowed per game) and 83rd in total defense (387.0 yards allowed per outing).
ESPN was the first to report Hitschler’s move to UCLA.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. He also hosts Gulfshore Sports with David Wasson, weekdays from 3-5 pm across Southwest Florida and on FoxSportsFM.com. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
