Bruins See Minnesota As 'Beatable Team' Ahead of Crucial Big Ten Matchup

John Robinson | Oct 12, 2024

Sep 21, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster looks on during the second half against the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Head coach DeShaun Foster is looking to lead his UCLA Bruins' football team to their first home win of the season as they try to avoid losing their fifth consecutive game. When the former UCLA running back took over his alma mater he was given the keys to a program that would be looking for a fresh coat of paint due to the end of the Chip Kelly era. Despite being 1-4 on the season, coach Foster sees Saturday as a great opportunity to get a win.

Lineman Niki Prongos agrees with his coach.

“We’re looking at Minnesota,” Prongos said, “as a beatable team.”

For coach Foster, giving the fans hope for the future is something he is trying to inspire through his team this season. Although the year has not gotten off to the start that they had hoped for, the Bruins' head coach looks at Minnesota as a new opportunity for his program to flash excellence.

“I want to get our team out there and give the fans something to see,” Foster said, “so any time you can get a real victory and not necessarily a moral victory, it would be a good thing.”

The UCLA defense is going to be a key factor if the Bruins' expect to upset the Gophers on Saturday. This group has been the highlight of the season, as the UCLA offense has looked lackluster the majority of the time. This defensive unit is spear-headed by former walk-on Carson Schwesinger who has looked like the heart of this team over the last few weeks.

“It’s a credit to us, you know, keeping good walk-ons,” Foster said. “You want to get guys who have aspirations of playing at the next level and can help the team and not just want to get into UCLA, so I think we’ve done a good job with some of those guys.

“I knew Carson was a player just from how he was performing on scout team when I was a running back coach. You know, I always tried to give him positive reinforcement and stuff like that and I’m just glad that he’s out there playing at the high level that he’s playing at.”

Coach Foster is trying to build a program, with a work-oriented mindset a lot like his walk-ons as it will translate into a culture for future recruiting classes. Although this season has not started up to expectation, fans should be patient with the grind that is needed in order to build a contender.

More News: UCLA Football: DeShaun Foster Has No Interest in Moral Victories