It has only been two games in the DeShaun Foster era as the UCLA Bruins head coach. However, neither game has been encouraging.
The Bruins barely defeated Hawaii 16-13 in Week 1. Then, they got blown out in a home game against Indiana with the Hoosiers having a new head coach in Curt Cignetti (although he was at James Madison before).
It has not been a good result so far for UCLA and Foster, and the hot seat buzz is already beginning. However, not for the 2024 season, but for 2025, as Matt Zemek of Trojans Wire wrote.
The hope is that Foster will recruit so well that the talent level at UCLA will rise. It is true that UCLA entered this season with low expectations in the Big Ten. The talent drain in Westwood combined with a rough Big Ten schedule were always going to be hard for the Bruins to overcome. When we refer to a coaching hot seat for DeShaun Foster at UCLA, we’re not referring to 2024. However, Foster is definitely coaching at a level which points to a 2025 hot seat if things don’t begin to change in Westwood.
Zeemk added more as well.
If Year 1 does become the 2-10 trainwreck we think it will be, Year 2 has to be at least somewhat respectable. Foster would probably need to go at least 4-8, maybe 5-7, to give people in and around the UCLA program the belief this program is heading in the right direction. If UCLA is 2-10 in 2024 and 3-9 in 2025, why would anyone within the program think Foster is worth trusting in 2026 and beyond?
UCLA will not make a move in 2024, that is almost certain. However, if things don’t improve in 2025, they might not have a choice. You never want to have that conversation, especially after two weeks, but it has been a disappointing start in Westwood.