EXCLUSIVE: Marshawn Friloux on UCLA's Culture Shift Under DeShaun Foster

Marshawn Friloux has only been on UCLA's staff for about a month, but he's been part of the Bruins' best recruiting trail in over a decade under DeShaun Foster.

UCLA's newest senior director of football recruiting, Friloux comes to Westwood by way of Sacramento State, where he held the same title. His journey through the ranks of football coaching led him back to his hometown with his dream school.

Friloux caught up with UCLA Bruins on SI after the Bruins had further bolstered an already historically great recruiting class under Foster.

Here's what he had to say about his short time with UCLA and the insane culture shift Foster is cultivating in his second year at the helm.

On what it's like joining staff amid UCLA's best recruiting cycle in recent history:

"It's been dope. I mean, most importantly, a dream come true for me to come back home and be able to be at UCLA. UCLA has always been a dream school of mine, being an LA guy, you know, I was more of a UCLA guy first before I was a SC guy, you know, but for the most part, man, to be here on a height of best recruiting class is pretty cool, man. I was just at Sac State, and we were No. 1 in the FCS and were top-50 in the FBS at some points.

"I've been on a high ever since I stepped foot in Sac State, and it hasn't stopped now since I've been at UCLA. It's pretty dope to be here. As I walked into these buildings, it just felt like home. Everybody welcomed me with open arms, and the hospitality has been great. They're fired up for recruiting and everybody's tempo is high. They're vision is pretty clear. DeShaun Foster has something special here that's keeping everybody intact, and the realness and environment in the building is what's different than any other program right now. Everybody just feels so locked in."

On just how impactful the DeShaun Foster culture shift has been and what's stood out so far:

"I've been on the outside looking in for some time now, and the vision and the culture shift -- it's been a drastic change. From the energy to the social media presence, to the recruiting side of things. And even the guys he's hired on staff... all the way down, he hired some real good guys that got some real good experience. Got a lot of professional guys in the building from top to bottom.

"Overall, he hired great guys, man. I think the biggest thing is just great humans and great men in the building is really gonna make this thing shake. Everybody's very family oriented... we have an open door policy. what DeShaun Foster brings to the table is a different type of love that UCLA hasn't been having in the past. Just having that door open for guys and having that space for guys to be yourself in the building and when you're yourself in your building and you can be yourself, you're just gonna work that much harder."

On if he envisions UCLA being a prime location for recruits in the future:

"Of course. We're just getting started. We're setting the foundation now. This is the foundation of everything, and we're trying to be a national powerhouse, number one in the nation in all categories. From the winning column to the recruiting side of things. Every day is a one-in-all mentality. We're trying to make UCLA the place that every recruit wants to go to until we don't have enough room. That's how impactful we want UCLA to be. To where we have to [eventually] turn kids down. So this is just the start, man. This is the start of something very beautiful."

On UCLA's 'Coast-To-Coast' mentality and what the recruiting staff is doing to be able to land top recruits across the nation:

"Honestly, just being ourselves. Being real, authentic and genuine. Telling the truth, not telling lies. The experience that our coaches have, we're selling that experience, we're selling the development, the academic side of things, the development of the UCLA program, all the guys we've sent to the NFL.

"Outside of football, the different avenues you could take when it comes to having a UCLA degree. Being in the classroom with business owners already, or parents that own big time businesses. Having alumni who are giving you internship opportunities. It's more than just football over here at UCLA. We're going to recruit wherever the talent is at. We do a good job evaluating. For the most part, if you want to compete with the top dogs, you've got to recruit nationally. That's the coast-to-coast mindset. We're not turning anyone down and we're pretty much taking everybody.

On how he envisions himself being a part of a new culture in Westwood:

"It's a dream come true. Honestly, I never in a million years thought that I will be at UCLA so fast. Ten years seems long. I've been in coaching for 10 years overall from high school all the way to now, but in reality, man, I'm 35 years old. I'm here at UCLA now. I'm here to make a footprint and be where my feet [are] at and put my head down. I'm here to learn. I'm eager to learn from these guys. That's my mentality and that's my mindset. I come in all ears. It's been a dream come true since I've been here.

"I see myself here at UCLA for the long haul. I would love to retire here, that's a vision. With DeShaun Foster being the head man and leading it, I have nothing but confidence in his man, and I thanked him enough for giving me the opportunity and him believing me made me want to work that much harder. I want to be able to make my footprint here and help these guys win and be successful in any way I can. I would change my whole title or if it's something I [need to] do better that's gonna help the team win, I'm gonna do it. It's been a dream come true, and whatever DeShaun Foster wants from me moving forward, I've got his back. 4s up. Let's do it."

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