University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Bailey McElwain Named Senior Special Teams Analyst for UCLA Football
January 02, 2025 | Football
LOS ANGELES โ Bailey McElwain has been named senior special teams analyst for the UCLA football program, head coach DeShaun Foster announced Thursday.
The hiring represents a return to Westwood for McElwain, who was a special teams analyst for the Bruins in 2022. He was recently tabbed a rising star in coaching as an off-field member of the 247Sports 30Under30 list and received similar acclaim from Our Coaching Network.
"We are excited to have Bailey back on staff," said Foster. "He is an impressive young coach whose attention to detail and versatility can give us an edge and make him perfect to lead our special teams."
McElwain spent the 2024 season as a special teams quality control coach at Washington, helping the Huskies to a berth in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Redshirt freshman Keith Reynolds returned kickoffs at a rate of 21.9 yards per game during the regular season, ranking fifth in the Big Ten. Jack McCallister, meanwhile, averaged 44.0 yards per punt.
As tight ends coach at Northern Arizona in 2023, McElwain helped develop Marcus Phillips Jr. into a red-zone weapon. Phillips finished second on the team with four receiving touchdowns, doubling his previous career output.
Nicholas Barr-Mira had a standout 2022 for UCLA with McElwain on staff, recording the 10th-best scoring season in program history. Barr-Mira's total of 106 points was boosted by four field goals โ including the game winner โ against South Alabama. He was recognized as Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week and a Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award "Star of the Week" for that performance. Kazmeir Allen, meanwhile, put up 24.6 yards per kickoff return to rank 21st nationally. The Bruins went 9-4, earning a spot in the Sun Bowl.
McElwain made his Big Ten debut as an assistant offensive line coach at Northwestern in 2021. There, he helped Peter Skoronski to first-team All-Big Ten recognition. Skoronski went on to become the Wildcats' first unanimous All-America selection and a first-round draft pick of the NFL's Tennessee Titans.
McElwain was an offensive graduate assistant at UNLV during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, his first at the FBS level. His collegiate coaching career began one year earlier as a volunteer safeties coach at East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss.
McElwain played one season at Vanderbilt before suffering a career-ending injury. He was the Commodores' lead fullback in 2016, helping them to the Camping World Independence Bowl. McElwain caught six passes for 35 yards and two touchdowns. He would collect his bachelor's degree in general studies at UAB, earning a double minor in psychology and history.
MCELWAIN'S COACHING EXPERIENCE
2019 โ Volunteer Safeties Coach โ East Central CC
2020 โ Graduate Assistant โ UNLV
2021 โ Assistant Offensive Line Coach โ Northwestern
2022 โ Analyst (Special Teams) โ UCLA
2023 โ Tight Ends Coach โ Northern Arizona
2024 โ Quality Control (Special Teams) โ Washington
The hiring represents a return to Westwood for McElwain, who was a special teams analyst for the Bruins in 2022. He was recently tabbed a rising star in coaching as an off-field member of the 247Sports 30Under30 list and received similar acclaim from Our Coaching Network.
"We are excited to have Bailey back on staff," said Foster. "He is an impressive young coach whose attention to detail and versatility can give us an edge and make him perfect to lead our special teams."
McElwain spent the 2024 season as a special teams quality control coach at Washington, helping the Huskies to a berth in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl. Redshirt freshman Keith Reynolds returned kickoffs at a rate of 21.9 yards per game during the regular season, ranking fifth in the Big Ten. Jack McCallister, meanwhile, averaged 44.0 yards per punt.
As tight ends coach at Northern Arizona in 2023, McElwain helped develop Marcus Phillips Jr. into a red-zone weapon. Phillips finished second on the team with four receiving touchdowns, doubling his previous career output.
Nicholas Barr-Mira had a standout 2022 for UCLA with McElwain on staff, recording the 10th-best scoring season in program history. Barr-Mira's total of 106 points was boosted by four field goals โ including the game winner โ against South Alabama. He was recognized as Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week and a Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award "Star of the Week" for that performance. Kazmeir Allen, meanwhile, put up 24.6 yards per kickoff return to rank 21st nationally. The Bruins went 9-4, earning a spot in the Sun Bowl.
McElwain made his Big Ten debut as an assistant offensive line coach at Northwestern in 2021. There, he helped Peter Skoronski to first-team All-Big Ten recognition. Skoronski went on to become the Wildcats' first unanimous All-America selection and a first-round draft pick of the NFL's Tennessee Titans.
McElwain was an offensive graduate assistant at UNLV during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, his first at the FBS level. His collegiate coaching career began one year earlier as a volunteer safeties coach at East Central Community College in Decatur, Miss.
McElwain played one season at Vanderbilt before suffering a career-ending injury. He was the Commodores' lead fullback in 2016, helping them to the Camping World Independence Bowl. McElwain caught six passes for 35 yards and two touchdowns. He would collect his bachelor's degree in general studies at UAB, earning a double minor in psychology and history.
MCELWAIN'S COACHING EXPERIENCE
2019 โ Volunteer Safeties Coach โ East Central CC
2020 โ Graduate Assistant โ UNLV
2021 โ Assistant Offensive Line Coach โ Northwestern
2022 โ Analyst (Special Teams) โ UCLA
2023 โ Tight Ends Coach โ Northern Arizona
2024 โ Quality Control (Special Teams) โ Washington
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