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UCLA's decision to fire DeShaun Foster sparks strong reaction from recruits

Joe Cox|
The abrupt firing of UCLA coach DeShaun Foster surprised recruits.
The abrupt firing of UCLA coach DeShaun Foster surprised recruits. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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UCLA Bruins

Three weeks was enough for a decision from UCLA, where coach DeShaun Foster was fired after an 0-3 start. A former running backs coach at UCLA, Foster made it only three games into his second season before his firing. With a 5-10 mark, it was not surprising that UCLA was displeased with Foster's progress. But a stable of recruits from the Bruins were seemingly surprised by the quick hook.

UCLA recruiting chaos

UCLA had the 30th ranked class in the 2026 recruiting arena, per 247sports. But in the aftermath of UCLA"s termination of Foster, it's safe to expect that recruiting class to crumble.

Anthony Jones reportedly told Rivals recruiting analyst Adam Gorney, “I really don’t believe they gave him a chance especially with this recruiting class we had coming in.”

UCLA has two more recruits who have not yet decommitted who are ranked as four-star recruits by 247sports. Edge rusher Carter Gooden and OL Micah Smith are the top players still remaining in the class, although given Foster's departure, it's safe to expect opposing programs to come out of the woodwork for the chance to pick off those and other UCLA prospects.

Recent UCLA history and Foster

Foster played at UCLA himself from 1998 to 2001. After an NFL career spent mostly with the Carolina Panthers, Foster got into coaching in 2013 as a student assistant with UCLA. He has been in coaching since and has spent his entire career at UCLA with the exception of coaching running backs at Texas Tech in 2016.

Despite being a traditional power, UCLA has struggled mightily in recent seasons. The last 10-win season at UCLA came in 2014 under coach Jim L. Mora. Chip Kelly led the program to a 9-4 season in 2022. Kelly went 35-34, but left UCLA to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

Foster was hired after Kelly's early 2024 departure, but after a 5-7 campaign, much of the program's 2025 hopes centered around the high-profile transfer recruitment of Nico Iamaleava. The former Tennessee QB had apparently become disgruntled with his NIL situation and left Tennessee in the spring. But Iamaleava has been a disaster and at 0-3, UCLA decided that a promising recruiting future could not sustain Foster through the present.

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Joe Cox
JOE COX

Joe is a journalist and writer who covers college and professional sports. He has written or co-written over a dozen sports books, including several regional best sellers. His last book, A Fine Team Man, is about Jackie Robinson and the lives he changed. Joe has been a guest on MLB Network, the Paul Finebaum show and numerous other television and radio shows. He has been inside MLB dugouts, covered bowl games and conference tournaments with Saturday Down South and still loves telling the stories of sports past and present.

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