UCLA Football: Deshaun Foster Provides Update on Special Teams Position Battle

Jeremy Hanna | Aug 20, 2024

Aug 29, 2019; Cincinnati, OH, USA; UCLA Bruins place kicker JJ Molson (17) kicks an extra point against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the first half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports / Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

College football is almost upon us, and the UCLA Bruins still have plenty of questions hanging over their head. How will DeShaun Foster do as head coach? Are the Bruins ready for the Big Ten? Can Ethan Garbers lead UCLA to success as the starting quarterback?

According to a recent interview with Foster at training camp, the head coach revealed that the Bruins still have some position battles on the team even though the season starts in less than two weeks.

"We still have one more week before Hawaii, so we're still in training camp mode and most of the guys are still in the competition, but some stuff has settled a little bit, but next week it will probably be on [?] for sure," Foster said.

Of these positions, Foster revealed that the most difficult decision is in special teams with the kicker and punter.

"That's one position that has gone into this week," Foster said. "You know, we want to put them in a couple of game-like situations, try to get to some competitive periods just for them just to see who can–with 11 guys out there, who really shines."

Part of what's making the decision so difficult is that R.J. Lopez, UCLA's kicker last season, transferred to Purdue in the offseason. Last year, he recorded a 96.9 extra point percentage and a 54.5 field goal percentage.

Now, the most notable returning kicker is Blake Glessner. While the redshirt senior is a kickoff specialist, he made all 13 of his extra-point attempts. That being said, he only made two of six field goals.

Also in the mix are sophomore transfer Mateen Bhagani and freshman David Dellenbach. Bhagani made all 29 extra point attempts last year and eight of nine field goals. Dellenbach was ranked as the 10th-best kicker in the class of 2024. In high school, his longest kick was a field goal recorded at 58 yards.

Based on stats alone, it seems that Bhagani may be the best choice for the position. Fortunately, it seems that the punter position battle is less convoluted.

The best option seems to be Brody Richter, who transferred to UCLA from Northern Arizona. He punted 24 times for 1,039 yards in five games. His closest competition is redshirt sophomore Chase Berry. However, he only punted once for the Bruins in 2022.

While special teams is an important part of any football team, this isn't the most important focus for the Bruins. This year, UCLA needs to prove that they made the right choice installing Foster as head coach and that they belong in the Big Ten.

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