UCLA Football: Starting Guard Unpacks DeShaun Foster's Revised Offense

Alex Kirschenbaum | Apr 15, 2024

Dec 16, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins running back TJ Harden (25) celebrates with other offensive players. / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

UCLA Bruins starting right guard Josh Carlin spoke with gathered media last week about working under fresh offensive line coach Juan Castillo, and how he feels about head coach DeShaun Foster's new offense overall, per Tracy Pierson of 247Sports.

"It's going great. We're installing a new offense, day-by-day, brick-by-brick, everything's awesome man," Carlin said. "So we're happy."

Last year, Carlin emerged as a starter for the first time. He had primarily served as a special teams player and bench offensive lineman previously.

Carlin also reflected on his new direct supervisor, fresh offensive line coach Juan Castillo.

"Coach Juan's my guy," Carlin raved. "He's big on the extra work. He loves making us come in early and stay later, and we love that. It's crazy, he's been in the league longer than I've been born, so he's got tons of experience and we really got a dime with that. And my last year, I think that's a perfect fit with him."

Castillo, 64, played at Texas A&I before briefly turning pro in 1984. He played in two seasons with the USFL's San Antonio Gunslingers, primarily as a special teamer. Even while playing, he also moonlit as a coach, working as the defensive line and linebackers coach for Texas A&M University-Kingsville from 1982-85. He eventually went to the NFL, where he worked for the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders. He also worked for one season as the offensive analyst of Jim Harbaugh's storied Michigan Wolverines, in 2019.