Another UCLA Player Supports DeShaun Foster After Firing

The former Bruins head coach has gotten nothing short of love from his former players since being fired.

Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster shakes hands with running back T.J. Harden (25) after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Despite all his proclivities as UCLA's head coach for 15 games, DeShaun Foster's impact on his players was undeniable.

It's the reason he held onto the Bruins' locker room after starting last season 1-5. And it's the reason why, despite starting this season 0-3, many of his players continue to cling to every word.

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster following the loss against the Utah Utes at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

After Foster was relieved of his duties as Westwood's head man on Sunday, he was mostly welcomed with a collective sigh of relief from fans and national pundits who never thought he was the right guy for the job.

Despite that, his players always had his back, and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Rico Flores Jr. is the latest current Bruins player to show his support for Foster after the firing.

Flores, who has been out all season while recovering from an ACL injury that kept him out last season, took to X (formerly Twitter) and posted a picture of him and the estranged coach with a caption saying, "Membership past football."

membership past football… 🩸 @DeShaunFoster26 pic.twitter.com/QFCOMp6XPr

— Rico Flores Jr🕴🏽 (@lil_reek_) September 15, 2025

Flores isn't the only player to come to Foster's defense.

Reuben Unije, UCLA redshirt senior right tackle, took to X to voice his support for the former head coach, saying, "As a player this (our record)is on us the coaches can only do so much we have to make the plays and will make the plays!! [Foster] has done nothing but try to put us in the right position to make plays on and off the field! I'll ride with him any day !! The realest!!"

As a player this (our record) is on us the coaches can only do so much we have to make the plays and will make plays!! @DeShaunFoster26 has done nothing but try and put us in the right position to make plays on and off the field ! ! I’ll ride with him any day !! The realest!!

— REÜ (@RUnije) September 14, 2025

He then later added another post, saying, "I have to be better ! Play makers are supposed to make plays."

Nico Iamaleava Backed Foster Before Firing

Sep 12, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) looks to pass during the first quarter against the New Mexico Lobos at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Unije, despite being the only one to publicly defend Foster after the firing, isn't the only Bruin who defended the second-year coach after their devastating 0-3 start.

Following a depleting 35-10 loss to Jason Eck and the New Mexico Lobos on Friday, UCLA star quarterback Nico Iamaleava had Foster's back no matter what.

“I totally believe in Coach Foster," Iamaleava said following the loss. "He gives me so much belief to get in the building and go to work. He gives me that ‘want’ to go out there and practice, and practice hard. We’re doing him a disservice by not performing for him. He’s telling us everything we need to hear, he’s telling us everything we need to do, and we’re not executing as players. It all falls back on the players.

"Coach Foster’s done a great job, Coach Tino [Sunseri], and Coach Ikaika [Malloe] have all put us in great positions to win a game and we haven’t done that successfully.”

Oct 29, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Laiatu Latu (15) and defensive lineman Gary Smith III (58) celebrate after a sack of Stanford Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee (18) in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Defensive captain Gary Smith III echoed Iamaleava's sentiment after Friday's loss, saying, "I believe in him one hundred percent. He never really lied to us or anything like that. We just got to keep our trust in him. There are a lot of thing we have to clean up, but I wouldn’t point the finger at Coach Foster. Coach Foster is a great guy, great coach, and he’s done it at the best level. There are things we have to clean up as far as penalties and we’re going get that done. We have to get that done.”

UCLA players now have to look forward to a new era and likely lost season following Foster's departure. Following a bye week this week, the Bruins open conference play against Northwestern on Sept. 27.

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