UCLA Football: How Former Bruins LB Feels About DeShaun Foster

An ex-Bruin unpacks the hire of an ex-Bruin.

During a special Valentine's Day edition of his Bleav In UCLA Football podcast along with co-host James H. Williams, ex-UCLA Bruins linebacker Josh Woods expressed optimism for the hiring of the club's 19th head coach, DeShaun Foster. 

Foster, a former All-American running back with the club, had served as the team's running backs coach under both the Chip Kelly, who just quit the club rather abruptly to join the Ohio State Buckeyes as their offensive coordinator, and Jim L. Mora regimes.

"He's going to be a thermostat. He's going to set the temperature in the energy for the team," Woods noted. "That's the guy that you want to... run through a wall for. And he's going to make sure that energy is straight with the whole team. He's not going to be overbearing," Woods opined. "And usually you see that one guy, when head coaches are OCD addicts, they get so involved with that type of football and it kind of ends up being my way or the highway approach, I'd say, and sounds a little familiar."

"And Coach Foster is right in the middle," Woods said. "He's for the players, but he also has the structure. And like you said, like he wants to have fun again. You know what I'm saying? And I think this is between the previous coaches. I believe Coach Foster is right in the middle and exactly what the program needs.

"And clearly, like you said, [Foster's hire is] what the kids want," Woods allowed. "And I think that's one of the biggest things as far as like when you're getting recruits to come in and you want players to stay. Having a coach like that is really important because it's like that's somebody I want to play for. I know somebody who's invested in me and you've seen all the passion and emotion like that is real."