Foster: UCLA Chancellor 'Passionate' About University, Athletics

The Bruins' football coach had great things to say about UCLA's new chancellor, Julio Frenk.

Sep 14, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster reacts after the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The foundation for any college football program to truly be successful is support and alignment from university leadership. Look no further than UCLA's chancellor, Julio Frenk, who has made it known that athletics are integral to the success of any university.

Though Bruins football coach DeShaun Foster hasn't spent too much time with Frenk, he knows that the new chancellor's intentions are pure. And during Saturday's media availability at fall camp in Costa Mesa, Foster detailed their relationship.

"We've spoken, but it wasn't really-I think just tell how passionate he is about the school, really," Foster said. "He hasn't given me anything, that he's not supporting us or anything like that. But I'm excited about what he brings to the table and what he can do for UCLA.

Jul 24, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

"He's just a wise man. Every time he's up here talking, it's some knowledgeable stuff that I can take notes on and keep. So, I've enjoyed all of our interactions that we've had so far. I'm pretty sure I will continue to."

Foster is in the process of changing the culture of Bruins football, and he's done a great job at it, entering his second season at the helm. Coming off a 5-7 inaugural season in the Big Ten, he made a splash in the transfer portal by landing Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, and, in his first full offseason, conjured up one of UCLA's best recruiting classes in recent history.

Frenk is All-In on UCLA Athletics

In an interview with the LA Times in June, Frenk detailed the importance of a successful athletics program to a university and how he plans on making that success a priority.

“I am [going to be involved] because I think athletics plays a very central role,” Frenk told The Times. “It is, first, an avenue for recruiting very talented students. Secondly, it benefits the other students. It enriches the student experience of everyone. But let me tell you, when we talk about the contribution to society, part of the reason many universities have a deficit, it’s not because of football. Football actually has a positive cash flow for the university."

The finances are an important wrinkle in Frenk's intentions. UCLA athletics ran up a $219.5 million deficit over the last six fiscal years that has since been covered by the university. And even then, Frenk plans to allocate more resources to revenue sports like football and men's basketball, he told The Times.

“I acknowledge this costs money,” Frenk said, “but the money goes to be able to have all the other disciplines that do not generate money. The most direct way to do that would be to find other sources of funding. Right now, we use the revenue from football and that requires investments to fund the entire athletic operation."

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