Latest news with #DeShaunFoster
Yahoo
9 hours ago
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Can UCLA sustain its buzz? Five questions Bruins must address going into training camp
DeShaun Foster politely declined to specify how many wins he wanted in Year 2 other than to say 'a lot.' The UCLA coach was far more forthcoming when asked about his team packing the Rose Bowl to the extent that the Bruins did when Foster was running over opposing defenses a quarter of a century ago. In fact, Foster went full Joe Namath mode in predicting a full stadium before the end of 2025. 'Yeah, it will be,' Foster said Thursday during Big Ten media days. 'You guys will see that. You'll see it this season. I'm guaranteeing that you'll see it this season — as long as we're playing the way that we need to play, they'll show up.' Read more: 'It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA Those are bold words considering the Bruins averaged just 46,805 fans for home games last season and have not topped 50,000 since averaging 51,164 during coach Chip Kelly's first season in 2018. UCLA has a long way to go to approach the 73,709 it averaged in 1998, when Foster helped the Bruins win their last conference championship as a star freshman tailback. But crazier bets have paid off handsomely. Namath's New York Jets toppled the 18-point favorite Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III after Namath guaranteed that his team would win. Can UCLA make its coach look equally prophetic? Here are five questions facing the Bruins as they prepare to open training camp Wednesday morning in Costa Mesa: Can Nico Iamaleava show he's worthy of the buzz? UCLA's new quarterback handled the pressure at media day, patiently answering questions (many of them asked repeatedly) about his messy departure from Tennessee. Now comes a far greater challenge: mastering a new offense in a month. That's how long Nico Iamaleava has from the start of training camp until the season opener against Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl. In an encouraging sign, Iamaleava said he's been pushed by the training staff harder than he ever has before and is excited by offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri's pro-style scheme. After displaying exceptional arm strength in leading Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, Iamaleava said he's working on the 'cerebral side of football' in his bid to take the next step as a top-tier quarterback. 'You know, I'd say probably 90% of playing the position is really your brain,' Iamaleava said, 'so I think Coach Tino has just taught me how to use it and has put me in great positions to go out there and be successful.' Will the offensive line hold up? Maybe Garrett DiGiorgio & Co. can land an NIL deal with STP oil treatment or the Stone Temple Pilots. That's because the offensive line has a new motto — STP, standing for "Something To Prove" — that would fit either brand. It's certainly an accurate assessment given the offensive line gave up 34 sacks last season and was part of a running game that averaged just 86.6 yards, ranking No. 131 out of 133 major college football teams. 'I think that's very true,' DiGiorgio said of the motto, 'because we do have something to prove as a unit.' DiGiorgio split time between right tackle and left guard in spring practice as part of new offensive line coach Andy Kwon's bid to get his best five players on the field. When DiGiorgio played left guard, Reuben Unije slotted in at right tackle. Read more: A year after stumbling at Big Ten media days, UCLA's DeShaun Foster is poised and confident Kentucky transfer Courtland Ford appears the front-runner to start at left tackle alongside DiGiorgio or Oluwafunto Akinshilo at left guard, Sam Yoon at center, Julian Armella at right guard and DiGiorgio or Reuben Unije at right tackle. Armella's story is similar to many of the new transfers on the roster. A widely heralded prospect who never fulfilled the hype in three seasons at Florida State, Armella is seeking a breakthrough with the Bruins. Kwon's strategy for improvement goes beyond catchphrases. DiGiorgio said there's been a new emphasis on sustaining blocks instead of just making an initial block and releasing the defender. Can the running game get going? There were times last season when it seemed as if Foster and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, even in middle age, could have had more success running the ball than their twentysomething counterparts. UCLA's running game was that bad. Enter an influx of intriguing running backs. California transfer Jaivian Thomas could become an immediate star after averaging 6.3 yards last season as Jaydn Ott's backup. 'He's a guy,' Foster said of Thomas, 'who has explosive capabilities.' Other candidates to emerge include Anthony Woods, a onetime standout at Idaho who sat out last season at Utah while recovering from an Achilles injury; freshman Karson Cox, the top high school running back recruit in California; and returners Jalen Berger and Anthony Frias II. Who will be the defensive playmakers? There's no sugarcoating the loss of NFL draftees Carson Schwesinger, Oluwafemi Oladejo, Kain Medrano and Jay Toia, who comprised the heart of a rigid defense. Collectively, those players combined for 290 tackles and 11 sacks in 2024. Who might replace them? Linebacker JonJon Vaughns, a candidate to become a playmaker in his own right after giving up baseball to fully commit to football, identified defensive tackle Gary Smith as someone to watch based on his play in practice after sitting out last season with a foot injury. Read more: Wide receiver Kaedin Robinson suing NCAA in bid to play for UCLA this season 'He took on two blocks, and I just went right in,' Vaughns said of his ability to penetrate the backfield thanks to the assist, 'and I'm like, I've been missing this — I've been missing you.' Foster said he also expected big things from defensive tackle Keanu Williams; edge rusher Anthony Jones; linebackers Jalen Woods and Isaiah Chisom; and defensive backs Croix Stewart, Key Lawrence, Robert Stafford and Andre Jordan Jr. During the spring, defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe pinpointed another future star when he said redshirt sophomore defensive tackle A.J. Fuimaono would become a better player than Toia after appearing exclusively as a reserve last season. Can training off campus pull the team together? For the first time since 2016, when it ventured to San Bernardino, UCLA will hold training camp away from the Wasserman Center. The move to Costa Mesa was made in part because the Bruins are installing a new grass field at their practice facility, but it could have added benefits for a team with so many newcomers. 'We're going to be all in the same hotel together and our practice field is four minutes away,' DiGiorgio said. 'So I feel like it's going to be really good for us to grow that connectedness even more.' Sign up for UCLA sports for big game takeaways, recruiting buzz and more UCLA sports insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
What Penn State fans should know about the UCLA Bruins in 2025
UCLA faced a rude awakening in its first year in the Big Ten, tumbling to 5-7 in year one under head coach DeShaun Foster. The Bruins started to click down the stretch, winning four of their last six contests, but they failed to reach bowl eligibility for the first time since 2020. UCLA hit the transfer portal hard this offseason, revamping its offense and secondary ahead of 2025. Here's what to expect from the Bruins this season. 2024 in review UCLA began its season by sneaking out a narrow win over Hawaii before before dropping five straight contests, including three against ranked opponents. The schedule lightened up and the Bruins' offense starting clicking, leading to a drastic turnaround in the back half of the schedule. Though they finished with a poor overall record, there's reason for optimism given how the team rallied. Head coach profile DeShaun Foster got off to a shaky start, with an extremely awkward introduction at Big Ten media days where the moment appeared too big for him. He followed that up with a slow start to the season, and some speculated he would be fired after just one season. However, he turned the ship around and made some splashy offseason moves, closing out his first year as a head coach. Prior to that, he was a running backs coach at Texas Tech and UCLA. Top offensive player In one of the most controversial and heavily publicized moves of the offseason, the Bruins added transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava after an ugly NIL-related fallout at Tennessee. There's no denying Iamaleava, a former 5-star recruit, is one of the most talented players at the position. But his inexperience showed at times last season, and his off-field issues could become a distraction this fall. With the Volunteers, he completed 213-for-334 passes for 2,616 yards and a 19-5 touchdown-interception ratio last season - solid numbers for a redshirt freshman. Top defensive player UCLA's defense struggled last season, leading the coaching staff to bring in a large transfer portal contingent this offseason. While none of the defensive additions are considered stars, there are several solid contributors who are expected to land starting roles. Edge rusher Nico Davillier arrives after starting in six games with Arkansas last season and was solid when on the field. Additionally, cornerback Andre Jordan Jr. arrives from Oregon State after appearing in 11 games as a rotational piece last season. 2025 schedule Aug. 30 vs. Utah Sept. 6 at UNLV Sept. 12 (Fri.) vs. New Mexico Sept. 27 at Northwestern Oct. 4 vs. Penn State Oct. 11 at Michigan State Oct. 18 vs. Maryland Oct. 25 at Indiana Nov. 8 vs. Nebraska Nov. 15 at Ohio State Nov. 22 vs. Washington Nov. 29 at USC Penn State and UCLA will clash for the second consecutive year and eighth overall occasion in early October. The Bruins will welcome the Nittany Lions in a cross-country trip, the first meeting in Los Angeles since 1968. Penn State trails the all-time series 3-4 but will have a chance to pull even as favorites this fall. This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: What Penn State fans should know about UCLA in 2025
Los Angeles Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
UCLA Unlocked: DeShaun Foster makes a bumble recovery in Las Vegas
DeShaun Foster was hired on a hunch. What other way was there to evaluate someone who had no experience for the role he was being brought in to fill? The hope was that the longtime position coach could quickly grow on the job as UCLA's football boss while leveraging his unrivaled passion for restoring his alma mater to the glory it had last enjoyed during Foster's playing days. Nearly a year and a half later, there are an increasing number of signs indicating that Foster's hire might have been a smart gamble. After the Bruins won four of their last six games to end 2024 with a 5-7 record, Foster didn't simply point to that late-season success as a reason to stay on the same path. Instead, he quickly pivoted to revamp a coaching staff that had been hired on the fly and generated one of college football's most disappointing offenses. Among the newcomers were several dogged recruiters who immediately revived the team's ability to land the sort of elite high school recruits who had usually looked elsewhere under the Chip Kelly regime. UCLA's 2026 recruiting class, which includes a quartet of four-star players and is currently ranked No. 21 in the country by could be the Bruins' best since Jim Mora challenged the likes of Michigan and Ohio State for the nation's top prospects. Another encouraging development revealed itself Thursday inside a Mandalay Bay convention center in Las Vegas. Foster chased away the ghosts of his 2024 Big Ten media days bumble by delivering a 6 1/2-minute opening monologue that presented a coherent message amid a touch of self-deprecating humor, the coach referring to his infamous 'We're in L.A.' line from a year ago as 'the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history.' 'You're gonna see growth in my team this year, and you saw growth with me with this press conference,' Foster told a small group of Los Angeles-based reporters afterward. 'But, you know, I was looking forward to this, and like I told you guys before, I've been waiting on this opportunity to come back out here.' Perhaps the biggest difference between Foster's latest public performance and his stumble a year ago was that he actually prepared this time, clutching several sheets of paper instead of riffing off the top of his head to regrettable results. That's not to say that Foster has fully silenced the doubters. As his team prepares to open training camp Wednesday in Costa Mesa, there are unknowns galore about a roster that will feature an almost entirely new defense and a transfer quarterback who has only a month to master the offense after transferring from Tennessee. The baseline for success in Year 2 under Foster should be at least six wins and an accompanying bowl game, which would still fall well short of what the Bruins accomplished with Foster on their roster. Remember, they nearly made the first BCS title game at the end of Foster's freshman season in 1998 (Damn you, lack of instant replay on the alleged Brad Melsby fumble). But a winning season combined with a horde of promising prospects on the way would serve as the biggest signal yet that maybe, just maybe, Foster is the right guy for the job. It would have been easy for UCLA to squirrel away its new 6-foot-6 quarterback until the season started, saving Nico Iamaleava from a fusillade of questions that felt like a Congressional hearing. But there was the transfer from Tennessee on Thursday, facing one of the biggest scrums of reporters near the end of the final Big Ten media day. 'I wanted to bring him here,' Foster said. 'Just, you know, it's time to let you tell your story. A lot of people wrote a book for you and didn't talk to him about it, so I just wanted him to be able to come out here … and, like, really tell his truth.' Iamaleava told a fairly straightforward story about wanting to move closer to his Long Beach home to play in front of family for a team that he considered attending out of high school. More importantly, he never came close to getting frazzled by a series of probing, repetitive questions about the circumstances of his departure from Tennessee. 'He's just somebody that I don't think can really get rattled, you know?' Foster said. 'Personality wise, he's kind of quiet a little bit, but, you know, has confidence. But a quarterback, you've got to be able to function with stuff [happening] around you.' Letting Iamaleava get the media scrutiny out of the way now was a smart move that will let him fully focus on something far more important — preparing for the season opener against Utah on Aug. 30 at the Rose Bowl. For the first time since it slogged through the San Bernardino heat in 2016, UCLA will hold its football training camp off campus. The team will use the Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, a previous home to the Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders. The site's proximity to coastal breezes could prevent the Bruins from spending as much time soaking in ice baths as they did in San Bernardino, where temperatures routinely reached triple digits. Right tackle Garrett DiGiorgio said the team's hotel was only four minutes away from the practice fields, meaning players won't be stuck on buses for a long commute. The move to train off campus was made in large part because UCLA is installing a new grass practice field outside the Wasserman Center, but it could have additional benefits for a team that's integrating dozens of transfers and high school freshmen. This could be a historic year for UCLA sports. After finishing fifth in the Learfield Directors Cup that measures broad-based success in college athletics, the Bruins could challenge for the top spot in 2025-26 based on an extraordinary combination of returning talent and gifted newcomers. What's perhaps most intriguing is that the football and men's basketball teams could join their Olympic-sport counterparts in winning big upon the arrival of Iamaleava and point guard Donovan Dent. In a wide-ranging interview with The Times, UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said he was bullish on the Bruins' chances to follow up a prosperous debut Big Ten season with even greater success. 'A lot of people put in a lot of work to put us in this position, and we're going to keep working, you know?' Jarmond told The Times. 'So I'm really, really proud and I'm really excited about what we're doing and where we're going.' UCLA has produced some legendary football coaches, from Terry Donahue to Red Sanders to Tommy Prothro. Its list of celebrated players is far longer, including numerous inductees into the college and pro football halls of fame. Who are your favorites? If you had to pick four figures to place on a Mount Rushmore of UCLA football (say, along a Bel-Air hilltop overlooking campus), who would they be? Email your responses to uclasurveys@ and we'll post the results next week. Foster has experience coming off a disappointing UCLA season with a tough opener at the Rose Bowl like his team will face late next month when Utah coach Kyle Willingham brings his team to Pasadena. In their 2000 opener, the Bruins faced third-ranked Alabama at the Rose Bowl and it looked like things might get ugly. UCLA lost starting quarterback Cory Paus after the first drive with a sprained shoulder ligament. The Bruins fell behind when the Crimson Tide scored the first touchdown on a punt return. But then backup quarterback Ryan McCann and Foster engineered a stunning 35-24 victory that coach Bob Toledo at the time called the second-greatest of his UCLA career behind only a double-overtime triumph against USC in 1996. Foster tied a school record with 42 carries for what was then a career-high 187 yards and McCann completed 14 of 24 passes for 194 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown to Freddie Mitchell. You can watch that game here. Unranked at the time, UCLA went on to win its first three games en route to a No. 6 ranking before finishing the season with a 6-6 record after a 21-20 loss to Wisconsin in the Sun Bowl. After successful Big Ten debut, UCLA has designs on something even bigger 'It came down to me wanting to be back home': Nico Iamaleava details move to UCLA A year after stumbling at Big Ten media days, UCLA's DeShaun Foster is poised and confident Wide receiver Kaedin Robinson suing NCAA in bid to play for UCLA this season 'It was a real blessing': Ben Howland remains grateful long after leaving UCLA Thank you for reading the first UCLA Unlocked newsletter. Have a comment or something you'd like to see in a future newsletter? Email me at and follow me on X @latbbolch. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
A year after stumbling at Big Ten media days, UCLA's DeShaun Foster is poised and confident
It's easier for everything to go according to script when you have one. As DeShaun Foster strode across the stage inside a convention center here Thursday afternoon, the UCLA football coach clutched several pages of prepared remarks that helped him navigate a lengthy opening monologue with poise and confidence. Poking fun at his widely mocked and memed performance from a year ago, when he delivered a short, unrehearsed address filled with awkward pauses and an uneasy smile, Foster indulged reporters in a short recap of the lowlights. 'Last year I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which looking back might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,' Foster said. 'But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A., and we're proud to be in L.A. This year we're ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it's firing on all cylinders.' The Bruins can only hope their turnaround on the field is as stunning as their coach's transformation onstage. A year ago, as UCLA stumbled to a 1-5 start, 'We're in L.A.' became a catchphrase freely wielded to ridicule a team that often looked as lost as its coach had while delivering his opening remarks inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Rather than run from his troubles, Foster barreled ahead like a running back who found an opening in a wall of defenders. The rookie coach found his footing with a team that won four of its last six games, narrowly missing an opportunity to play in a bowl game. His offseason was even more impressive. Foster overhauled his staff (only two assistants from last season remain) and redoubled his recruiting efforts, leading to a 2026 high school class ranked No. 21 nationally by Landing Nico Iamaleava from the transfer portal after the quarterback's spring of discontent at Tennessee generated immediate buzz. 'We're just excited to have a playoff quarterback, somebody that was able to lead his team to the playoffs,' Foster said. 'They might not have gotten the outcome that they wanted, but he still was able to play. He showed how tough he was in that game. Just being able to come back home and be comfortable and being in a familiar environment, I think the sky is the limit. We're excited about this.' While Iamaleava's arrival isn't expected to vault the Bruins into contention for the Big Ten title, much less the College Football Playoff — UCLA was picked to finish 15th in the 18-team conference by a media poll conducted by — there is recent precedent for teams taking a big leap in their coach's second season. Colorado finished 9-4 last season after going 4-8 in Deion Sanders' debut season and Arizona State went 11-3 and made the CFP one year after going 3-9 in Kenny Dillingham's first season. Foster said he hopes this season goes as well as his second in the NFL, when he helped the Carolina Panthers reach the Super Bowl. Questions abound, particularly on a defense that loses every key playmaker, as the Bruins prepare to open training camp in Costa Mesa on Wednesday. The team will practice off campus for the first time since training in San Bernardino in 2016 because of the installation of a grass field outside the Wasserman Football Center. Some changes around the program feel more than cosmetic. UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said that Foster's willingness to make wholesale changes on his coaching staff after just one season and the associated recruiting surge are signs that this is a program on the rise. Read more: Wide receiver Kaedin Robinson suing NCAA in bid to play for UCLA this season 'He's just brought a vibe back, a buzz and energy about UCLA football that we haven't had since I've been here, quite honestly,' Jarmond said. 'And that's what you want to see.' A few hours before Foster took a few sips of water and dabbed his head with a handkerchief before ascending stairs to the podium inside the Mandalay Bay, his boss predicted that he would have a better showing than he did last year. 'I think he's just more comfortable,' Jarmond said. 'You know, everybody is new at something and you don't nail the landing every first time. And so, thankfully, you're not graded on what you say; you're graded on how you perform and how you lead, and that's what he's done exceptionally well. I mean, the last half of the season, we finished 4-2 — the momentum he had going into the second half of the year and then the recruiting, that's what matters, what you're doing with the program. 'So I think he's excited about today. I think he's going to feel more comfortable because he's done it before. And that's just part of the deal. But he's going to be himself and he's going to be great.' Foster said his verbal stumbles from a year ago taught him a valuable lesson. Read more: New college sports agency is rejecting some NIL deals with donor-backed collectives 'Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection,' he said. 'Our players saw me being human, and it brought us closer together. We've been joking about it for about a year now. The players know that that same genuine approach is how we coach, recruit and build this program.' Entering his second season, Foster said he expected significant improvement not just from his team but also from himself. 'Growth is part of the process, and we're all committed to being better than we were last season,' Foster said. 'I know there are questions about our progress, expectations and how well we're performing in this conference. That's totally fair. We're here to earn respect, not demand it. However, I can tell you this: My team is ready. They're confident. They're prepared, and they're hungry to show up and show out and redefine what UCLA football can be. So, yes, we're still in L.A. We're proud to be Bruins, and we're ready to make it happen starting now.' And with that, Foster announced that he was happy to take any questions, having answered a big one about himself. Sign up for UCLA sports for big game takeaways, recruiting buzz and more UCLA sports insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
A year after stumbling at Big Ten media days, UCLA's DeShaun Foster is poised and confident
LAS VEGAS — It's easier for everything to go according to script when you have one. As DeShaun Foster strode across the stage inside a convention center here Thursday afternoon, the UCLA football coach clutched several pages of prepared remarks that helped him navigate a lengthy opening monologue with poise and confidence. Poking fun at his widely mocked and memed performance from a year ago, when he delivered a short, unrehearsed address filled with awkward pauses and an uneasy smile, Foster indulged reporters in a short recap of the lowlights. 'Last year I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which looking back might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history,' Foster said. 'But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A., and we're proud to be in L.A. This year we're ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it's firing on all cylinders.' The Bruins can only hope their turnaround on the field is as stunning as their coach's transformation on stage. A year ago, as UCLA stumbled to a 1-5 start, 'We're in L.A.' became a catchphrase freely wielded to ridicule a team that often looked as lost as its coach had while delivering his opening remarks inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Rather than run from his troubles, Foster barreled ahead like a running back who found an opening in a wall of defenders. The rookie coach found his footing with a team that won four of its last six games, narrowly missing an opportunity to play in a bowl game. His offseason was even more impressive. Foster overhauled his staff (only two assistants from last season remain) and redoubled his recruiting efforts, leading to a 2026 high school class ranked No. 21 nationally by Landing Nico Iamaleava from the transfer portal after the quarterback's spring of discontent at Tennessee generated immediate buzz. 'We're just excited to have a playoff quarterback, somebody that was able to lead his team to the playoffs,' Foster said. 'They might not have gotten the outcome that they wanted, but he still was able to play. He showed how tough he was in that game. Just being able to come back home and be comfortable and being in a familiar environment, I think the sky is the limit. We're excited about this.' While Iamaleava's arrival isn't expected to vault the Bruins into contention for the Big Ten title, much less the College Football Playoff — UCLA was picked to finish 15th in the 18-team conference by a media poll conducted by — there is recent precedent for teams taking a big leap in their coach's second season. Colorado finished 9-4 last season after going 4-8 in Deion Sanders' debut season and Arizona State went 11-3 and made the CFP one year after going 3-9 in Kenny Dillingham's first season. Foster said he hoped this season went as well as his second in the NFL, when he helped the Carolina Panthers reach the Super Bowl. Questions abound, particularly on a defense that loses every key playmaker, as the Bruins prepare to open training camp in Costa Mesa on Wednesday. The team will practice off campus for the first time since training in San Bernardino in 2016 because of the installation of a grass field outside the Wasserman Center. Some changes around the program feel more than cosmetic. UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond said that Foster's willingness to make wholesale changes on his coaching staff after just one season and the associated recruiting surge are signs that this is a program on the rise. 'He's just brought a vibe back, a buzz and energy about UCLA football that we haven't had since I've been here, quite honestly,' Jarmond said. 'And that's what you want to see.' A few hours before Foster took a few sips of water and dabbed his head with a handkerchief before ascending stairs to the podium inside the Mandalay Bay, his boss predicted that he would have a better showing than he did last year. 'I think he's just more comfortable,' Jarmond said. 'You know, everybody is new at something and you don't nail the landing every first time. And so, thankfully you're not graded on what you say; you're graded on, how you perform and how you lead, and that's what he's done exceptionally well. I mean, the last half of the season, we finished 4-2 — the momentum he had going into the second half of the year and then the recruiting, that's what matters, what you're doing with the program. 'So I think he's excited about today. I think he's going to feel more comfortable because he's done it before. And that's just part of the deal. But he's going to be himself and he's going to be great.' Foster said his verbal stumbles from a year ago taught him a valuable lesson. 'Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection,' he said. 'Our players saw me being human, and it brought us closer together. We've been joking about it for about a year now. The players know that that same genuine approach is how we coach, recruit and build this program.' Entering his second season, Foster said he expected significant improvement not just from his team but also from himself. 'Growth is part of the process, and we're all committed to being better than we were last season,' Foster said. 'I know there are questions about our progress, expectations and how well we're performing in this conference. That's totally fair. We're here to earn respect, not demand it. However, I can tell you this: My team is ready. They're confident. They're prepared, and they're hungry to show up and show out and redefine what UCLA football can be. So, yes, we're still in L.A. We're proud to be Bruins, and we're ready to make it happen starting now.' And with that, Foster announced that he was happy to take any questions, having answered a big one about himself.
