The DeShaun Foster period is over after 15 video games and simply 5 victories, the previous UCLA star working again’s storybook rise to move coach at his alma mater coming to an abrupt, deflating finish.
After an 0-3 begin that included back-to-back losses to Mountain West Convention groups, Foster was dismissed on Sunday in a transfer that confirmed the Bruins will not settle for their standing because the laughingstocks of the faculty soccer world.
Tim Skipper, the previous Fresno State interim coach who was introduced in as a particular assistant to Foster earlier than this season, will function the interim coach for the remainder of the season as the varsity commences a seek for a everlasting alternative.
UCLA was outscored by a 108-43 margin in its three losses, resulting in trolling tweets from the Large Sky and Pac-12 conferences along with widespread ridicule from nationwide media figures who famous that the Bruins had clinched final place within the Mountain West and had been the one remaining winless group within the Large Ten.
Foster, who compiled a 5-10 report in somewhat a couple of full season, is owed roughly $6.43 million in buyout cash per the phrases of his five-year contract, barring a brand new job that offsets that quantity. UCLA stated it could pay Foster’s buyout from athletic department-generated funds.
“Serving as the head coach at UCLA, my beloved alma mater, has been the honor of a lifetime,” Foster stated in an announcement. “While I am deeply disappointed that we were unable to achieve the success that our players, fans, and university deserve, I am grateful for the opportunity to have led this program.”
Foster’s dismissal shifts the highlight onto UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond, who made the unconventional transfer to rent Foster in February 2024 regardless of Foster’s having no expertise as a coordinator or head coach. Foster’s greatest promoting factors had been his standing as a legendary UCLA participant who had appeared within the Bruins’ final Rose Bowl recreation in 1999 and his success as a working backs coach on the college below earlier head coaches Jim Mora and Chip Kelly.
Throughout a gathering at Jarmond’s residence the evening earlier than Foster’s hiring, the candidate advised his future boss that he would win by means of a relentless strategy.
DeShaun Foster, left, holds up a UCLA jersey with athletic director Martin Jarmond after being launched as UCLA’s new soccer coach on Feb. 13, 2024.
(Damian Dovarganes / Related Press)
In saying the transfer, UCLA stated a complete nationwide seek for Foster’s alternative would contain Jarmond and govt senior affiliate athletics director Erin Adkins, who could be assisted by a committee composed of completed sports activities and enterprise executives and UCLA greats that may be introduced as soon as finalized.
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to DeShaun for his contributions to UCLA football over the course of many years, first as a Hall of Fame student-athlete, then as an assistant coach and finally as head coach,” Jarmond stated in an announcement. “He was named to this role at a challenging time of year, on the cusp of a move to a new conference, and he embraced it, putting his heart into moving the program forward. His legacy and love for this university are firmly established. He is a Bruin for life, and we wish him, his wife, Charity, and their family the best.”
Jarmond touted Foster’s ardour and integrity among the many greatest components that led to his hiring, and it didn’t damage that the coach was wildly common amongst returning gamers, permitting the Bruins to maintain a lot of their roster intact heading into his debut season.
However Foster’s inexperience confirmed in his first recreation, the coach admitting he was nervous and never figuring out the best way to tackle reporters after his group rallied for a victory over Hawaii. The Bruins began the season 1-5 earlier than profitable 4 of their final six video games, momentarily steadying Foster’s standing with donors and followers.
A flurry of offseason strikes wherein Foster overhauled his teaching employees and scored a variety of massive recruiting wins, together with the acquisition of star Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava from the switch portal, appeared to point out indicators of rising on the job. One other promising improvement got here throughout Large Ten media days in July, when Foster delivered a coherent opening message one 12 months after stumbling his manner by means of extensively mocked and memed remarks that included the coach telling reporters, “We’re in L.A.”
However there was additionally a curious step backward. The coach who initially stated he wished to offer his program a household really feel, holding a carnival-like spring follow full with a fireplace twirler and placing names on the backs of jerseys to assist reporters establish gamers, severely curtailed entry to practices and participant interviews throughout coaching camp.
Foster shrugged off a season-opening 43-10 loss to Utah, saying his group was shut to creating the performs it wanted to be aggressive. However a 30-23 setback in opposition to Nevada Las Vegas that was adopted by a 35-10 blowout in opposition to New Mexico showcased a collection of worrisome traits.
Foster’s group couldn’t persistently transfer the ball, get defensive stops or keep away from penalties. The Bruins are nonetheless searching for their first lead of the 2025 season after having fallen behind 20-0 in opposition to Utah, 23-0 in opposition to UNLV and 14-0 in opposition to New Mexico.
Foster’s pillars of self-discipline, respect and enthusiasm clearly by no means took maintain given his gamers’ repeated penalties, lagging preparation for lesser opponents and lack of ardour on the sideline.
In his closing assembly with reporters earlier than his dismissal, Foster initially blamed his group’s shortcomings on a scarcity of execution earlier than lastly accepting culpability when pressed by a reporter about who was in the end accountable.
“Everything that happens can fall on me,” stated Foster, who turns 46 in January. “I’m the head coach, so it can fall on me.”
Attempting to sound upbeat in a monotone voice, Foster stated he would use the bye week to make tweaks earlier than the Bruins opened Large Ten play Sept. 27 on the highway in opposition to Northwestern.
“You know, we’ve got two weeks to fix this,” Foster stated, “and just looking forward to this opportunity to get it fixed.”
A proud Bruin having met an inglorious ending, these fixes will now be within the palms of another person.
