Foster Trying to Answer This Last Question in Training Camp

UCLA's head man thinks his squad is a few intricate steps away from being a complete team ahead of the season.

Nov 2, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster walks off after a timeout in the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins football season is looming closer with every rep in training camp, and coach DeShaun Foster is leading a program with a ton of momentum and expectations ahead of the season.

Which is why he's squeezing everything he can out of this year's training camp in Costa Mesa, California. Between prioritizing team connectivity and assembling a squad littered with transfer players, the second-year head coach is close to completing the puzzle.

When asked if there are any last questions he's trying to get answered as camp continues on this week, Foster felt what the Bruins are missing are small intricacies.

"It's just more situational stuff now," he said in Saturday's media availability. "I think that we know who's tough and who knows what they're doing. Now it's just situational stuff like, who can function tired, who really knows the playbook in and out. Let's get the coaches on the side and let's start getting into more scrimmaging."

The Bruins are going to have a ton of eyes on them this season, entering their second year in the Big Ten with transfer star quarterback Nico Iamaleava under center.

Where UCLA Stands in Big Ten Power Rankings

The offseason is the prime time period to start power rankings and projecting how teams will do ahead of the season. ESPN released a complete Big Ten Conference preview along with conference rankings and the national sports outlet pegs the Bruins and transfer quarterback as one of the biggest stories to watch along with the Big Ten's playoff race.

The Bruins are 14th on ESPN's conference power rankings. While the placement is pretty low considering just how much momentum UCLA has entering the season, the site acknowledges that they could shoot up the rankings if Iamaleava has the season many expect him to have:

"The Bruins have gone all-in on quarterback Nico Iamaleava, the Tennessee transfer whose return home could signal a shift in how UCLA will operate under coach DeShaun Foster. If Iamaleava meets expectations and a defense with many new players and coaches shines, UCLA could rise in these rankings after a season where it had wins against Iowa and Nebraska."

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Read more on UCLA football and their momentous second season in the Big Ten and under DeShaun Foster here. While you're here, check out all things UCLA basketball and Mick Cronin improving the Bruins through the transfer portal here.

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