UCLA Hires Fired Titans Assistant Chow as Offensive Coordinator

By Mason Levinson

Jan. 21 (Bloomberg) -- UCLA hired Norm Chow as offensive coordinator, six days after he was fired from the same position with the National Football League's Tennessee Titans.

Terms of Chow's contract with the college football team were not disclosed in a news release posted on the Pacific-10 Conference school's Web site.

``Norm brings great offensive expertise to the job,'' Rick Neuheisel, UCLA's new coach, said in a statement. ``We are thrilled that Norm has decided to become a Bruin. What youngster who plays offense in high school wouldn't be excited about playing for a school with Norm Chow as its offensive coordinator?''

Chow, who coached in Tennessee for three seasons, was fired by the Titans as the team's offense managed nine touchdown passes, the fewest in the NFL, this season. They lost their American Football Conference first-round playoff game to the San Diego Chargers 17-6.

In 2006, Chow's offense finished fifth in the NFL in rushing yards, and quarterback Vince Young was named the league's Rookie of the Year.

The Titans hired Chow from the University of Southern California in 2005, where he developed quarterbacks including Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart as the Trojans won the 2003 and 2004 national titles.

The 61-year-old, who also interviewed for UCLA's head coaching position before it was given to Neuheisel, will join the Los Angeles school with 32 years of college football coaching experience.

UCLA fired coach Karl Dorrell in December after the Bruins finished the season 6-7 and were beaten by Brigham Young University 17-16 in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Neuheisel, who had coached the University of Colorado and University of Washington football teams, was hired as UCLA's coach after spending the past three seasons as an offensive assistant with the NFL's Baltimore Ravens.