UCLA Football: DeShaun Foster 'Fired Up' To Prove Doubters Wrong This Season

John Robinson | Aug 28, 2024

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

The University of California Los Angeles football program is set to open up their first season in the Big Ten against the Rainbow Warriors of the University of Hawaii. The Bruins will travel the most of any team in college football this year, having to traverse over 22,000 miles during their six-road game. If the distance wasn't already daunting enough, UCLA's strength of schedule was ranked number one in the Big Ten according to CBS.

UCLA Football's first year in the Big Ten will include about 25,000 miles of travel — more than nearly every NFL team.

Trips out of LA include Honolulu, Piscataway, and Ann Arbor. pic.twitter.com/wgSZlxhGUV

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 9, 2023

Most media polls have the Bruins finishing bottom five in their first year as a member of the Big Ten with most reporters expecting them to have issues handling the schedule they were dealt. Fortunately, for Bruins' fans newly hired head coach DeShaun Foster is ready for the challenge.

During an interview with LA Times reporters, Foster talked about the mood in the locker room after hearing all the doubts surrounding his team.

“They’re not worried about it, but we’re fired up, it is a little light underneath you a little bit, so we just take it in stride and you just better hope that you didn’t say something and I beat you because it’s going to be bad.”

This UCLA football program has a lot of bulletin board material this season due to the doubts surrounding their head coach and schedule. This team is a tight-knit group that believes that everything they need to be successful this year is in their locker room.

Coach Foster has done a lot during training camp to make sure the bond between his staff and players is strong. Team dinners to BJ’s and Fogo de Chao along with a movie night to see recent blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine.

“I just wanted the team to come together,” Foster said. “Just like NFL camp, you come together in camp and really get ready to take on the world.”

The legendary Bruins running back turned head coach is keeping receipts after an offseason of doubt. Foster has the criticism surrounding his program stored in his head, as he looks to make naysayers across the country eat their words this upcoming season.

"I’ve got receipts from [his freshman season in] ‘98 — there’s a few people on the list I’m looking for.”

The new look Bruins are confident that they can be one of college football's best Cinderella stories heading into the 2024-25 season.

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