This post was updated Oct. 2 at 11:30 p.m.

A stagnant first half has become the Bruins’ calling card.

UCLA football (0-4, 0-1 Big Ten) has yet to score a first-quarter touchdown this season, averaging just five points going into halftime in 2025.

And interim head coach Tim Skipper identified slow starts as the direct issue behind the team’s winless start.

“We started slow (against Northwestern). … We were just a step late on a lot of things,” Skipper said. “We’ve got to figure out how to maximize the first eight to 10 plays.”

The Bruins’ ability to start fast and strong may become more difficult to achieve after former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri mutually parted ways with UCLA on Tuesday, marking the third coach to leave the program this month after former head coach DeShaun Foster and defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe exited Westwood on Sept. 14 and Sept. 17, respectively.

[Related: Sunseri out in Westwood, following Foster and Malloe put tino firing here]

Sunseri was one of the team’s most high-profile acquisitions following the transfer of redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava. Many thought that Sunseri could revolutionize a UCLA offense that flatlined under the leadership of former quarterback Ethan Garbers and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.

But after a 0-4 start where the Bruins have struggled to score at all, let alone in the first half, it is evident that something is wrong with the offense. And while Sunseri mutually parted ways with the university, it seems like some thought the former Indiana co-offensive coordinator was part of the problem.

Penalties also remain one of the most pressing problems afflicting the squad. UCLA has totaled 36 flags for 335 yards over four games in 2025, making it one of the most penalized teams in the country.

Skipper zeroed in on the juxtaposition of penalties between opponents during the Bruins’ last outing against the Wildcats.

“We had six penalties for 60 yards. They had two penalties for 20,” Skipper said. “So it’s a 40-yard difference there.”

Execution in the red zone has been no less problematic.

Redshirt senior tight end Hudson Habermehl, now in his sixth year with the program, pointed to miscues during key moments as a primary issue.

“When we’re in the red zone, contested catches, getting in the paint,” Habermehl said. “Some guys are overthinking things, including myself. We have to do our job.”

That proved true against Northwestern. After a stretch in the third quarter, Iamaleava had a chance to close the gap, but his end-zone throw to sophomore receiver Kwazi Gilmer was broken up. He later found Gilmer for a 29-yard score in the fourth, but UCLA’s last two drives fizzled out before they could threaten again.

Play-calling duties will shift to tight end coach and assistant head coach Jerry Neuheisel after the departure of Sunseri. Neuheisel – a former UCLA quarterback himself – has spent the last eight years with the program, leading the tight end and wide receiver groups during that time.

Skipper called the adjustment “another opportunity to go win,” despite the lack of offensive production thus far this season.

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. – who has missed the last eight games of 2024 due to an ACL injury – said that the focus has been on rhythm. After returning from injury, he said stepping back onto the field felt natural and that the unit’s progress hinges on collective buy-in.

“All 11 got to play,” Flores said. “We all got to come out there swinging, ready to go off the first play.”

Flores wasted no time swinging in his reentrance to the Bruin program. He posted four receptions for 43 yards against Northwestern and looks to be a trustworthy target for Iamaleava, as he is poised for increased production.

Skipper highlighted true freshman linebacker Scott Taylor as one of the younger players injecting energy into practice and games, and he has emerged as one of the few bright spots in a season that has otherwise lacked consistent playmakers.

UCLA has surrendered more than 401 yards per game this season, including 6.2 yards per play. Those lapses have magnified the pressure put on an offense already searching for stability.

The Bruins’ margin for error, as Habermehl said, is thin.

And UCLA’s next opponent, No. 7 Penn State, will not offer much relief. The Nittany Lions are holding teams to under 4.4 yards per game with one of the Big Ten’s most physical fronts.

“They’re always there, in the right area at the right time,” Habermehl said. “We have to capitalize on our opportunities.”