UCLA football head coach DeShaun Foster rarely tweets. Yet he couldn't help but post a sly reaction Saturday following some big college football recruiting news.
The Bruins delivered a massive win on the recruiting trail — landing four-star offensive lineman Micah Smith. UCLA even beat out Big Ten rival Ohio State plus College Football Playoff team Tennessee for Smith, per Hayes Fawcett of On3.
Foster couldn't help but react to UCLA's notable recruiting move. He posted this sly reaction on his X account:
😎 Coast 2 Coast
— DeShaun Foster (@DeShaunFoster26) June 7, 2025
Foster clearly is boasting about UCLA sweeping up both coasts on the recruiting trail. Especially in landing a high-caliber talent like the Fort Pierce, Florida native. Smith even shared this statement to Fawcett after his commitment.
“Don’t follow the trends, make your own mark and BE DIFFERENT,” Smith posted.
UCLA delivering stout recruiting results under DeShaun Foster?
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The Bruins enter a pivotal time for their program.
UCLA is now in its second season as a Big Ten member. Foster and the Bruins have received intense scrutiny for their recruiting efforts. Crosstown rival USC has delivered the nation's top recruiting class of the 2026 cycle. Many fans and analysts have ripped UCLA before for its lack of assertiveness with recruiting. More so landing top prospects from the nearby high schools.
Has Foster and company fielded stronger results now? Even before the Smith commit?
UCLA already made significant waves with Nico Iamaleava. Foster helped win over the Tennessee quarterback via the college football transfer portal. Iamaleava became a major coup for UCLA.
The Bruins now sit at nine total verbal commits for the '26 class. They're 30th in the nation and sit at 10th among Big Ten teams. But, UCLA ranks ahead of Oregon in both national and conference recruiting rankings.
UCLA even rates higher than Michigan — as the Wolverines sit at No. 14 in Big Ten recruiting and 41st nationally.
Smith now joins wide receiver Jaron Pula of Lone Peak High in American Fork, Utah as Foster's top recruits. Pula is another four-star pledged to join the Westwood campus.