UCLA football's second season in the Big Ten has gotten off to a nightmare start. Losses to Utah, UNLV, and New Mexico have led to a 0-3 start for the Bruins in head coach DeShaun Foster's second season. Unfortunately, those losses, particularly the 35-10 defeat to New Mexico at home Saturday, have forced the UCLA football program to make a drastic change. According to ESPN's Pete Thamel via X (formerly Twitter), UCLA football has elected to fire Foster after the terrible start to this campaign.
“Sources: UCLA has fired coach DeShaun Foster,” reported Thamel Sunday afternoon. “He started his second season there 0-3.”
After a 5-7 first season, improvements were expected from the UCLA football program under Foster. The former running back was a star for the Bruins during his tenure there. In 2017, he returned to the Bruins as running backs coach. Once ex-head coach Chip Kelly left for the Ohio State offensive coordinator role, Foster was promoted to replace him. Just 15 games into his tenure, he's already gone. With the winless start, the UCLA football team has an uphill battle to get back to bowl eligibility. Can quarterback Nico Iamaleava help guide the Bruins back to respectability?
Can UCLA football rebound and get to bowl eligibility this season?
UCLA football's remaining schedule doesn't get any easier from here. The Bruins will open conference play at Northwestern in Week 4. The Wildcats lost to a visiting Oregon Ducks squad on Saturday, dropping to 1-2 on the season. It's certainly a winnable game for the UCLA football team. If they can get off to the right start with a victory under whoever their new interim head coach will be, then perhaps the Bruins can get to bowl eligibility.
Iamaleava and the Bruins offense need to pick up the pace, though. Northwestern won't be an easy Big Ten opener, particularly on the road in Evanston. After the Wildcats, UCLA football's schedule ping pongs between home and away games. The first conference home game? Against number two Penn State, who will look to continue their undefeated start and get back to the Big Ten conference game. Will Foster's firing spark what has been a listless UCLA football program? If so, brighter days might lie ahead at the Rose Bowl.
