Since the hiring of DeShaun Foster, little has changed on the Bruins roster in 2024. That said, last week, a casualty of the coaching change came to light.
Former Elon University long snapper Ryan Wilkins, who announced his transfer commitment to UCLA in January, was told earlier this month that he no longer will be on the team. Transferring when Chip Kelly was still the head coach, Wilkins was the number one long snapper on the depth chart going into spring practice.
In his post on X, he announced that after a phone call with the coaching staff, he is no longer a member of the team.
Heading into spring ball I was the 1 on the depth chart at UCLA
I received a phone call a few days later informing me that due to a coaching change I would no longer be on the team.
I am in the transfer portal with 1 year left along with a waiver year
— Ryan Wilkins (@ryanwilkinsxi) April 8, 2024
An unfortunate byproduct of the coaching change, Wilkins entered the transfer portal again to play out his final season of eligibility.
With long snapper being a specialized position, Wilkins will find a home in the NCAA, but his story is a reminder that even as a starter at the college level, nothing is guaranteed.