Is Assessment of UCLA's DeShaun Foster First Year as HC Fair?

UCLA coach DeShaun Foster and the Bruins went 5-7 in his first season as the program's head coach.

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images / Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

DeShaun Foster had an up-and-down first season in his first season as UCLA's head coach. Ultimately, the Bruins had dug a hole early on that proved too big to climb out of.

But that cannot all be held against Foster.

CBS Sports' David Cobb recently graded each first-year Power Four college football head coach's 2024 season. He gave Foster a B.

Here's what Cobbs had to say about the Bruins coach's first season:

"UCLA looked overmatched in the Big Ten during a 1-5 start following Chip Kelly's unceremonious departure. But the Bruins rallied for a 4-2 ending that included four wins against bowl teams as Foster's squad finished off one of the nation's toughest schedules with promise."

The start for the Bruins did not give Foster the best place to take over, as Cobb said. However, something changed for UCLA midway through, as the Bruins strung together three straight wins after that slow start.

Finishing his first season with a 5-7 record, Foster had many reasons to hold his head up high. Taking down teams that went to Bowl games is never an easy task, and for the future Bruins, it showcased how hard Foster wants to win with the group of guys brought in.

Yes, UCLA needs to fix something on both offense and defense. Now with key contributors gone in the transfer portal or lost to graduation, the Bruins' squad for 2025 will look vastly different. Different is not always a bad thing though and could easily be the reason or motivation to get the Bruins into top contenders in the Big Ten.

Now with several assistant coaches choosing to come to UCLA, there must be something that Foster is doing right to lure coaches. Especially with the new offensive coordinator in Tino Sunseri, the Bruins could be a scary team to watch in 2025.

Foster has been very vocal about the love he has for being a Bruin, and he wants to share that feeling with all of his players, while teaching them alongside other pros in the league. He is working hard to make UCLA a formidable team in the Big Ten, starting with this offseason's portal acquisitions and his staff's active recruiting.

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