Exclusive | Why ex-UCLA AD Dan Guerrero is failing retirement and loving it

As he munched on a ham and cheddar omelet with sliced tomatoes, along with a side of potatoes he didn’t order, Dan Guerrero contemplated something that was hard to swallow.College athletics in 2026.The former longtime UCLA athletics director, who retired only six years ago, has seen such revolutionary change that the landscape now bears little resemblance to the one he left behind.“It’s almost a different phenomenon in so many ways,” Guerrero told the California Post during a breakfast interview.Some college football rosters top $40 million in NIL and revenue sharing.Players are free to bounce from one team to another.

Anyone who doesn’t like something can just file a lawsuit.The chaos has prompted Guerrero to add an unofficial title — therapist — to his lengthy list of retirement endeavors.Long known for leading a life of service, he’s happy to counsel colleagues grappling with the current state of the college sports business.“It’s very hard for them to put their arms around what’s happening right now and they’re struggling in so many respects and I saw that coming late in my career; I saw a lot of these things beginning to emanate,” Guerrero said.“I didn’t expect they would be to this degree this soon, but it’s happened and everyone has to adapt and adjust to the reality, like it or not.”What’s his best advice?Understand that one thing hasn’t changed — college athletes besides those in the major revenue sports still pick their school for the same reasons.

They want to attend that school, they love their coach and they crave a certain major or social experience that only that institution can provide.“I said you have to hold onto that,” Guerrero said, “because we got into this thing because we wanted to provide access and opportunity for student-athletes to pursue their aspirations and their dreams and still do that.It’s a different environment for sure, but fundamentally, all of that is still the same.”Even in re...