Report: UCLA hiring LSU's Jake Sugarman for Director of Scouting, high school relations role

UCLA is set to hire LSU’s Jake Sugarman as the director of scouting and high school relations, per CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Sugarman also worked at Arizona State under Kenny Dillingham.

Sugarman graduated from Arizona State in 2024, according to his LSU profile. He is from Chanhassen, Minnesota.

Now, he’ll take his talents to UCLA for his third stop in as many seasons. The Bruins enter Year 2 under DeShaun Foster in 2025.

The rough win total for UCLA this season is five or six wins, making the Bruins a borderline bowl team. ESPN’s Greg McElroy outlined how the team could finish this fall.

“The win total is 5.5,” Greg McElroy said. “They had five wins in DeShaun Foster’s first season. Pulled off a couple pretty big upsets last year too. So, it wouldn’t surprise me if this team is more competitive than they were just a year ago. I think the schedule might be more difficult, though, going into this season.”

UCLA moved to the Big Ten in 2024 and went 5-7 in Foster’s first season. That included finishing the season with a strong, late-season push. After starting 1-5, UCLA finished the second half with a 4-2 run. That included going 3-6 in conference play for the season. Now, they’re hoping to build on that and become more competitive throughout the season.

Perhaps the addition of Sugarman can give them a boost in recruiting, judging by his time in the Big 12 and SEC. UCLA will need a few things to break their way for a successful season in 2025 it looks like.

Much of the success for UCLA will likely go back to transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava. He has experience in the SEC and took Tennessee to the College Football Playoff in 2025. Now, however, he finds himself in a new situation trying to learn a new scheme as quickly as possible.