DeShaun Foster on Mone Malafu's status: 'Still figuring that out'

Redshirt freshman linebacker Mone Malafu‘s status ahead of UCLA‘s season opener is uncertain, according to head coach DeShaun Foster.

The Hawaii-native didn’t record any stats as a true freshman last year. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder was an early enrollee in 2023. It’s unclear whether if he’ll be unavailable due to academics or another reason.

“We’ll figure that out,” Foster said.

Malafu was a three-star recruit out of Kapaa (HI) High School during the 2023 recruiting cycle, per the On3 Industry Rankings, a a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 597 player in the class and No. 62 linebacker. Malafu was the No. 3 player coming out of Hawaii that year behind Oregon‘s Iapani Laloulu and Texas‘ Liona Lefau.

Elsewhere on the roster, UCLA is also having to worry about a couple of long-term injuries carrying over into fall camp. Defensive lineman Gary Smith and running back Deshun Murrell have not been practicing with the Bruins ahead of the 2024 season, and after the latest update from head coach DeShaun Foster, the duo may continue to be on the sideline.

“That’s going to be up in the air,” Foster said, via On3’s Griffin McVeigh. “Deshun just actually had another surgery to take out some scar tissue. But other than that, he’s been progressing really well. Same thing with Gary… TBA.”

The Bruins will begin the 2024 regular season on the road against’ Malafu’s home-state university of Hawaii on Aug. 31 before turning around the next week for a Big Ten Conference opener against Indiana. With the LSU Tigers, Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions all looming in consecutive weeks before the second week of October, the beginning of the DeShaun Foster era in LA has it’s work cut out for it.

Corey Miller returns to UCLA as strength coach

Corey Miller is the new UCLA strength and conditioning coach after spending a year away from the program, head coach DeShaun Foster revealed on Thursday.

Miller previously served as UCLA’s director of speed and movement from 2022-2023 before moving on to serve as the assistant director of strength and conditioning for the Carolina Panthers in the NFL.

“We had a transition in strength coaches,” Foster said after practice on Thursday. “I brought Corey Miller back. [Keith Belton] went to the Dallas Mavericks and I brought Corey from the Carolina Panthers. He said that (the players) had an awesome summer just transitioning into his style from KB’s.”