DeShaun Foster had never felt fear on the football field until last year, his first season as head coach of the UCLA Bruins, his alma mater.
“Oh, I was scared,” Foster said Wednesday during media availability, about the difference between last fall and this season. “I’ve never been scared on the football field, but it was a nervous feeling just because it was brand new and I had never been in that position. I’m nowhere near where we were last year. I feel pretty good.”
Despite his fears, Foster’s first game in charge was a victory for UCLA: a 16-13 road win over Hawaii. However, the Bruins went on to post a 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten) record last season, and finished 12th in the Big Ten in UCLA’s first year in the conference.
Though the head coach has a year of experience under his belt, CBS Sports’ Cody Nagel doesn’t expect much from Foster, and ranked the Bruins’ leader 17th of 18 conference coaches. Foster outranked only Northwestern’s David Braun, while Nagel ranked the Big Ten’s only first-year coach — Michigan State’s Jonathan Smith — 13th.
This season, Foster will rely heavily on transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava to help guide the Bruins through a difficult schedule. UCLA is scheduled to face top Big Ten opponents No. 2 Penn State and No. 3 Ohio State, as well as No. 20 Indiana. The Bruins are set to open their season Saturday, Aug. 30 at home against Utah.
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