Where Does DeShaun Foster Rank Among CFB Coaches?

There's still work to be done, but Foster is slowly garnering respect among national pundits.

Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster leaves the field with the game ball after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Sporting News released a composite ranking of all 136 FBS college football coaches ahead of the 2025 season, and UCLA's DeShaun Foster is climbing up the ranks.

The Sporting News ranks Foster as the 58th-best coach in all of college football, sitting among the likes of Auburn's Hugh Freeze, Michigan State's Jonathan Smith, and Baylor's Dave Aranda.

Foster, after his first season at the helm, was previously ranked 71st on The Sporting News' 2024 season rankings. This is a huge jump and an indictment on what Foster is creating in Westwood.

Where Does Foster Rank Among Big Ten Coaches?

On3 compiled the rankings for Big Ten coaches and where they sit in the rankings. Here's how they rank:

1. Ryan Day, Ohio State (2)
2. Dan Lanning, Oregon (7)
3. James Franklin, Penn State (8)
4. Lincoln Riley, USC (12)
5. Curt Cignetti, Indiana (17)
6. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa (19)
7. Bret Bielema, Illinois (25)
8. Luke Fickell, Wisconsin (29)
9. PJ Fleck, Minnesota (32)
10. Sherrone Moore, Michigan (35)
11. Matt Rhule, Nebraska (36)
12. Jedd Fisch, Washington (46)
13. Greg Schiano, Rutgers (52)
14. Jonathan Smith, Michigan State (54)
15. Mike Locksley, Maryland (55)
16. DeShaun Foster, UCLA (58)
17. David Braun, Northwestern (59)
18. Barry Odom, Purdue (82)

This is what On3 contributor had to say about Foster's placement on the rankings:

"Foster’s coached one season, so like Smith, it’s too early to tell how he stacks up against other Big Ten coaches. UCLA had some positives last year, but nothing stellar. He gets Nico Iamaleava at QB this season, so that’ll help and bring in a lot of attention. After starting 1-5, Foster led the Bruins to a 4-2 finish, so there’s reason for optimism this fall."

Foster, much like the entire UCLA program, has a lot to prove going into this season. The second-year head coach has already made a splash in his first full offseason, cultivating the best recruiting class UCLA has had in decades, bringing in 21 recruits for the 2026 class.

During a red-hot recruiting month of June, Foster was able to reach peaks of the seventh-ranked recruiting class in the nation. Though commitments have slowed down and recruiting battles have swung the other way since, Foster is expecting some big-time commits soon.

This is just one peek at what Foster can do in Westwood over time. Mixing the culture shift he's adopted along with the overall talent he's able to pluck from the recruiting trail is sure to only improve the Bruins program over time.

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