If there was a college football playoff in the offseason, DeShaun Foster would have his team in contention.
Name one aspect of building the program – assembling a team, getting player buy-in, recruiting, engaging fans, soliciting name, image and likeness dollars – and UCLA the new coach hit the nail on the head in the first months of work.
Foster rejuvenated the fan base, not to mention the squad that remained largely intact due to their belief in their coach. He courted donors in a way his predecessor was unwilling to do. He aggressively pursued high school recruits as well as transfers, who formed the core of the team in recent years. It created a buzz around a faded brand that hasn’t been to a major bowl game in a quarter century.
Can these early wins lead the Bruins to success in their inaugural Big Ten season? Impossible to say. But it’s clear that Foster will face challenges with the same fearlessness with which he faced defenders when he starred as a running back on his alma mater’s last Rose Bowl team.
Here are four takeaways from UCLA’s first spring practice under Foster:
A dynamic offense
The UCLA offense put up a lot of points under Chip Kelly, but often had a stubbornly predictable feel, especially on fourth downs and short-yardage situations.
What the Bruins have shown in the first few weeks under new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is a more versatile approach that appears to emphasize protecting the quarterback. Among the plays the team made were a variety of screen passes and throws that minimized the possibility of sacks while getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly.
See more information: UCLA’s ‘Friday Night Lights’ Showcases DeShaun Foster’s Vision of Competitive Fun
Barring the arrival of a veteran quarterback, Ethan Garbers has clearly established himself as the one who will take the first snap of the season. He found a reliable rhythm for Titus Mokiao-Atimalala, Logan Loya and Rico Flores Jr.
Keegan Jones is pushing TJ Harden for designation as the top running back, showing more explosiveness and pass-catching ability out of the backfield. The offensive line is constantly changing, with at least three transfers yet to arrive on campus. The hope is that they can solidify what was the team’s biggest weakness a year ago.
An electric vibration
Sometimes there would be shouting, jumping and applause before the first practice.
It was all part of individual competitions that Foster instituted to get his players in the mood for football. The entire team gathered around the combatants to take sides, with the victor surrounded by happy companions.
Another tradition was revealed with the debut of Friday Night Lights, a nighttime football practice with a festive atmosphere that attracted a few thousand fans, donors and recruits.
Foster also brought the spring showcase back to the Rose Bowl for the first time in nearly a decade, fans had the opportunity to greet the players with the rebirth of the Bruin Walk from a parking lot to the stadium.
That’s not to say Foster was more focused on fun than football.
“My main thing in every practice is how hard are we competing?” Foster said. “Are these guys really leaving it on the field? Are they trying to improve daily?
True entrepreneurs
Some days there were more high school recruits than fans attending practice, a sign of renewed interest in the team among local prospects.
Earlier this spring, Foster estimated the team had welcomed more than 2,000 recruits. Some made verbal commitments immediately after the end of the Friday Night Lights event.
“It was so good that people wanted to jump on the boat,” Foster said, “so I was pretty impressed.”
Foster and his team appeared to trumpet commitments with simultaneous video tweets showcasing the school and Southern California hot spots.
These videos have had significant air time considering the Bruins’ ability to land five transfers since the portal opened last month, providing an infusion of veterans at positions of need. Tackle Reuben Unije (formerly Houston and Louisville) and interior lineman Alani Makihele (Nevada Las Vegas) could start immediately and tight end Bryce Pierre (Arizona State) could see plenty of playing time alongside returners Moliki Matavao and Jack Pederson . Punter Brody Richter (Northern Arizona) and long snapper Travis Drosos (South Alabama) are the latest transfers to commit.
There are some holes left
The team is so weak at edge rushing that it regularly uses linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo in that position, capitalizing on his combination of speed and strength. More help will arrive once Miami transfer Collins Acheampong recovers from injury and Johns Hopkins transfer Luke Schuermann arrives on campus for fall training camp.
See more information: Bruno Fina enters transfer portal after UCLA signs two forwards
The Bruins also lost two forwards — Bruno Fina and Benjamin Roy Jr. — to the transfer portal, nearly offsetting any gains in depth. They could certainly use a few more proven players at the position.
Earlier this spring, the Bruins had as many tight ends coaches (one) as they had scholarship players available at the position following injuries to Pederson and Hudson Habermehl. They could use at least one more tight end besides Pierre, given Bieniemy’s apparent predilection for plays that incorporate two tight ends.
Other positions needed include defensive back, running back and quarterback.
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
