DeShaun Foster emphasizes the hope to maintain strong running game at UCLA

UCLA has a new headman but its emphasis on the ground game hasn’t changed. At the 2024 Big Ten Media Days, first-year UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster revealed his plans for the Bruins’ rushing attack.

“We run the ball really well,” Foster said. “Coach [Chip] Kelly did a really good job of running the ball. I was excited about that. I want to make sure we don’t lose that.”

The run game was UCLA’s bread and butter on offense last season. The program averaged 197.9 rushing yards per game, the 16th-most in the country and most in the Pac-12. The Bruins boasted four backs in their rotation averaging at least 5.1 yards per carry.

Carson Steele (847 yards) and T.J. Harden (722 yards) led the charge for the Bruins while ranking seventh and 10th in the conference in rushing yards per game, respectively. While Steele moved on to the next level, Harden will return with hopes for another standout season.

If Harden’s lucky, he can be Foster’s next NFL product. During his time with UCLA, Foster has seen four of his running backs selected in the NFL Draft: Zach Charbonnet (Seattle, 2023), Brittain Brown (Las Vegas, 2022), Demetric Felton Jr. (Cleveland, 2021) and Joshua Kelley (Los Angeles Chargers, 2020).

Deshaun Foster is excited to lead UCLA into new era

If anybody can carry on UCLA’s success in the ground game, it’s Foster. He has spent the past seven seasons as the Bruins’ running backs coach. Additionally, Foster was an NFL running back from 2002-08 and an All-American threat at UCLA.

Now at the helm of his alma mater, Foster has a bold vision for the future of UCLA football

“Three things you will see with my football team is discipline, respect, and enthusiasm. Those are my pillars,” Foster said. “No matter what, you should be able to see that – win, lose, or draw.

“You see my guys in the classroom? You should see that. You see them in the dorms? You should see that. Anywhere, you should see discipline, respect, and enthusiasm out of my football players,” Foster added. “I think, if we do that and we’re able to present that every game, the outcome will come out in our favor.”

It won’t be long before Foster and his team will have a chance to show off their hard work on the gridiron. On Aug. 31, the Bruins will kick off their 2024 campaign in a showdown against Hawai’i at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on CBS.