Several sources reported on Monday that the UCLA Bruins have hired former player DeShaun Foster as their new head coach. The Southern California football program has struggled in recent seasons but make no mistake about it, this is still a top-tier job.
Foster has years of experience with the program, is familiar with the local market, and has a proven track record of developing NFL-level talent.
“This is a dream come true,” said Foster per ESPN. “I always envisioned being a Bruin ever since I was young, and now being the head coach at my alma mater is such a surreal feeling, and I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
The move is a sharp u-turn from the coach who worked with the Bruins as a running back coach for six years before agreeing to join the Las Vegas Raiders, only to return to his alma mater a week later.
Sources: UCLA is set to hire DeShaun Foster as the school’s next head coach. He’s is in the UCLA Hall of Fame as a player, worked as an assistant coach there since 2017 and played seven seasons in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/MiGPayT4Jj
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 12, 2024
Chip Kelly’s decision to move on from the program and take the offensive coordinator job with Ohio State left an opening for at UCLA. The veteran coach spent the last six seasons with the program finishing with a 35-34 overall record. After the Kelly experiment failed to materialize as the school hoped, the Bruins have been on the lookout for a new leader.
Foster was a standout player for the Bruins and was chosen as the 34th overall pick in the 2002 draft by the Carolina Panthers. He spent six seasons in the NFL with the Panthers and San Francisco 49ers, racking up 3570 rushing yards, 1129 receiving yards, and 16 touchdowns over 79 games.
UCLA, known more for its basketball program, has fallen behind its competitors when it comes to football. The SEC remains the premier conference in college football but the Bruins have struggled to keep pace with West Coast rivals like Oregon, USC, and Washington. A new direction could be exactly what is needed for a program that was once regarded as a powerhouse in college football.
