Marques Tuiasosopo enjoying ‘better opportunity’ across town at UCLA

1:51 PM ET

LOS ANGELES — After Tee Martin was named USC’s offensive coordinator in mid-December, Marques Tuiasosopo was optimistic about what it would be like continuing to work with his former NFL teammate on the Trojans’ staff.

Tuiasosopo was set to remain as the team’s quarterback coach and was already looking forward to the looming quarterback competition between Max Brown and Sam Darnold.

“I was in a good place,” he said.

It was clear newly appointed coach Clay Helton wanted Tuiasosopo on staff — he fired four assistant coaches immediately following the Pac-12 title game — but it also became apparent Tuiasosopo wasn’t on course for additional responsibilities. On Jan. 4, USC announced Helton hired his brother, Tyson Helton, to serve as the Trojans’ running backs coach and passing-game coordinator. Tyson was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Western Kentucky the previous season, and as the Trojans’ offense was set for a makeover, his ideas were going to carry a lot of weight.

For Tuiasosopo, the writing was on the wall. About week a later, he was off to UCLA to join Jim Mora’s staff as the quarterbacks coach and passing-game coordinator.

“You’re just going along and things come up,” Tuiasosopo said. “It was a better opportunity for me to keep …

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