UCLA is ready for Big Ten play 

Las Vegas, Nevada (News4usOnline) – This is a new football season for the UCLA Bruins. Head football coach DeShaun Foster can hardly wait to unleash this newer and improved version of Bruin football. 

“Well, everyone, I’m back,” Foster said in his opening remarks in a Big Ten Conference Media Days press conference on July 24. “Last year I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which looking back might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history. But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A., and we’re proud to be in L.A.”

“This year we’re ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders. That moment speaking to you last year taught me a valuable lesson. Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection,” Foster continued. 

Foster has a reason to sound so bodacious. Having a top-flight quarterback at your disposal as Foster does can give you a reason to sound off with excitement. Nico Iamaleava jumped into the transfer portal and transferred to Westwood after spending one season playing for the University of Tennessee. 

Iamaleava guided the Vols to the College Football Playoff where they fell to eventual champion Ohio State. Iamaleava, who once starred at Warren High School in Downey, California, before enrolling in Tennessee, gives Foster and the Bruins a big-time, megawatt star. 

He also provides UCLA with a bona fide chance to be highly competitive in the Bruins’ second year in the Big Ten. 

“He’s an elite quarterback who chose to come back home and help build something special at UCLA,” Foster said of Iamaleava. “This Big Ten journey has been magnificent for our program. We’re thrilled to be a part of a conference that has produced national champions these last two years. That’s the standard of excellence we aspire to reach.”

Foster and the Bruins expect to climb that ladder of success that schools such as Michigan, Ohio State, and even crosstown rival USC have been able to attain. In UCLA’s first season playing in the Big Ten Conference, the Bruins stumbled and could never quite get their swerve back, finishing the 2024 season with a 5-7 overall record. 

The Bruins finished 14th in conference play with a 3-6 mark. With this being his second season as UCLA’s head coach, Foster  

“Our players are passionate about having an opportunity to compete against legendary programs and prove that West Coast football belongs on the biggest stage,” Foster remarked. “We’re not just focused on winning games. We’re committed to building something special and sustainable to honor UCLA’s incredible tradition. We aim to be recognized as a program that develops both NFL-caliber talent and leaders in every field.”

Foster is ready for the Bruins to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk when it comes to producing results on the football field. Foster said the buck stops with him.  

“Entering year two I expect to see significant improvement,” he said. “Not just in my team, but in myself as a head coach. Growth is part of the process, and we’re all committed to being better than we were last season. I know there are questions about our progress, expectations, and how well we’re performing in this conference. That’s totally fair. We’re here to earn respect, not demand it.”

Featured Image: PASADENA, CA – The Oregon Ducks defeated the UCLA Bruins 34-13 in a Big Ten Conference college football game at the Rose Bowl on Sept. 28, 2024. Photo credit: Carlos Jones/News4usonline