UCLA's Foster's Rushing Attack Built to Mimic Production of his Playing Days

UCLA coach DeShaun Foster is creating a program ready to run all over the Big Ten with the same attitude he used to play with.

Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Fresno State Bulldogs at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Throughout the late 90s and into the early 2000s, UCLA coach DeShaun Foster and fellow school legend Maurice Jones-Drew were two among several who used to run over all over defenses back in the day.

The Westwood superstars were coached right, schemed up right and executed. That process is the same one Foster is trying to establish with his Bruins and he's taking the right steps to make it happen.

UCLA had a conference low in total rushing yards, mainly due to Eric Bieniemy's offensive scheme. The team suffered a major blow after the season when T.J. Harden hit the portal, and Foster would be tasked with replacing his offensive coordinator and star running back.

Foster took action, hiring the man who helped turn Indiana from the eleventh best rushing offense in the Big Ten in 2023 to the sixth in 2024 in Tino Sunseri. By hiring Sunseri to be his offensive coordinator, he has ensured the run will be a part of UCLA's gameplan moving forward.

Sunseri's offense requires the offense to establish a penetrating rushing attack to open up the RPO and play action.

Foster then added to his roster a 1,000-yard rusher from Utah named Anthony Woods. Woods played for a team that fired their offensive coordinator midseason and a team that hasn't had a functional quarterback since week one of last season.

Despite facing loaded boxes, Woods continued his solid production through a hard-nosed approach of lowering his shoulder pads. Woods is built to be a runner in a shotgun-based offense with his low center of gravity and explosiveness.

Woods and Jalen Berger bring an interesting dynamic to the running back room for newly hired running back coach A.J. Steward. During Steward's time at Oregon State, his top running back, Damien Martinez had rushed for 982 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022 and would be named the Pac-12 Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Foster has the coach, coordinator and players in place to re-establish the Bruins rushing attack. The play of his offensive line will play a massive factor, but all signs are looking up for UCLA.

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