UCLA Football: DeShaun Foster Admits He Will Have Jitters Before First Game

Jeremy Hanna | Aug 30, 2024

Jul 24, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster speaks to the media during the Big 10 football media day at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Goddin-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 season marks a big year for UCLA Football. Not only are the Bruins making their debut in the Big Ten conference, but they'll also have a completely new coaching staff.

Head coach DeShaun Foster will lead offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and six new assistants into a more difficult conference. They'll be able to test whether things are working or not against Hawaii, UCLA's first opponent this year.

Naturally, Foster is nervous, admitting to Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times that he will likely feel the jitters.

“I’m sure I’ll have them Friday night, the night before, or it might even happen as I’m running out before kickoff," Foster said. “But it’s gonna happen.”

Part of the reason Foster feels nervous is that he can't directly control the outcome of the game. As a coach, he can only influence his players to do better.

“Do your job!” Foster jokingly shouted, imitating Al Pacino from Any Given Sunday (1999). “Mostly it’s gonna come from the heart. That’s me. You know, I gotta speak how I feel and just come and be genuine.”

While this is Foster's first season as head coach of the Bruins, he has spent a total of 10 years with the program as an assistant coach and running back coach. However, his tenure with UCLA goes back even further than that.

Foster first joined the Bruins as a freshman running back in 1998. In his first season, Foster rushed for 635 yards and 10 touchdowns, setting a team record for rushing as a true freshman.

After spending a second season mostly on the bench due to an ankle injury, Foster led the Bruins in rushing during his junior year with 930 yards and 11 touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Pac 12 that season.

In his senior year, Foster rushed for 1,109 yards and 12 touchdowns across eight games. He also set a school record after he ran for 301 yards in a single game and scored four touchdowns. He was once again named first-team All-Pac 12 as well as second-team All-American.

In the 2002 NFL Draft, Foster was selected in the second round with the 34th overall pick by the Carolina Panthers, where he would play for six years.

In addition to a single season with the San Francisco 49ers, Foster would rush for a total of 3,570 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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