DeShaun Foster reacts to momentum around UCLA program
New UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster feels the momentum swing around the football program.
Basically, it’s good vibes only. Foster took over as head coach at an odd time when Chip Kelly left to be an offensive coordinator and amid a move to the Big Ten.
But so far, Foster’s led a good rallying cry.
“We’re being genuine,” Foster said ahead of UCLA’s spring game. “You know, when you come out here, I think that’s what people are jumping in the boat. We’re being genuine. You can see that. What we’re preaching is true. We’re trying to be a family and it’s a real family.
“You can see the alumni that are coming back, they’re getting the donors, you’re getting fans, it’s just, the atmosphere it’s something that you want to be a part of. Hopefully we can just keep this going into this Saturday and that’ll ride us all the way to the season.”
If Foster is as genuine as he seems, UCLA could be in good hands. Of course, everyone expected a rebuild of sorts going into 2024.
Plus, Foster was hired late in the coaching cycle due to Kelly’s departure.
“At this point of my career, I know a lot of high school coaches,” Foster said of the pitch of UCLA back in February. “I either played against them [or] maybe coach somebody that they know. So there’s a lot of relationships that I have. But we’re taking this nationally. This isn’t just a local California LA thing. Our brand is national; we don’t have to downplay it to just being West Coast. Some of our Hall of Famers aren’t even from California Big O [Jonathan Ogden], Kenny Easley, [and] Troy Aikman, so this isn’t about just recruiting California kids.
“We’re most definitely gonna take care of our backyard. But this is going to be a national recruiting thing. And my boys are ready to hit the ground running, and I am too.”
On3’s Andy Staples previously said UCLA had flexibility with Foster, at the time of the hiring.
“Now they have some flexibility because, at this point, I don’t know who the ideal candidate would have been for UCLA,” Staples said. “This way, they get to figure out what to do now and if DeShaun Foster happens to be awesome, you just pay him and you keep him. That’s really what it is. But, obviously, this is not what UCLA fans want to hear because they thought when they got Chip Kelly, ‘Okay, this will steady things. It’s going to be stable. He’s going to be food for a long time. We’ve got our guy.’ It didn’t work out that way.
“I hope DeShaun Foster kills it there. I don’t like it when people get hired and the first thought is they just hired him to fire him, I hope that’s not the case. I hope he’s awesome because you never know in this situation… let’s give this guy a little time. See what he can do.”