UCLA Bruins Head Coach DeShaun Foster Must Walk The Walk And Talk The Talk

From the opening on SportsCenter to op-ed pieces in the New York Times, seemingly everyone has had perspective, commentary, or stand-up monologues on UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster’s opening freeze-up at last week’s BIG-10 Media Day .

As shared on our Bruin Bible podcast , games are not won, statistics are not accrued, and championship parades are not enjoyed based on press conference performances. In fact, the only conversations that matter for Foster are the ones with current and future players – and given the emotionally charged reception from that most important demographic just a few months ago upon learning of their new head coach, DeShaun is going to be just fine.

To his credit, Foster responded resiliently last week after the nightmare opening. He spoke about how he’s not a talker by nature – that his collegiate and NFL playing resume, from scoring four touchdowns in 1998 against cross-town rival USC Trojans , to having a then school-record 301 yards and four more touchdowns in a top-10 matchup against Washington in 2001, to scoring a memorable touchdown in the Super Bowl against the Tom Brady Patriots in 2004 – speaks for itself.

UCLA Bruins DeShaun Foster Must Walk The Walk And Talk The Talk

As Foster rightfully described, “Just ask me what you want to know,” and given this deep relatable experience to players, doesn’t feel the need to almost magically misdirect them with flowery words or memorable gestures or a grandiose personality. And he’s spot on – well, almost.

Nothing Foster has said is untrue, it’s just incomplete. Like it or not, Foster is coaching in the largest media market to have serious Division I football (apologies Syracuse). In today’s world of uncapped NIL, unlimited transfer portal entries, and 24/7 recruiting cycles, every time Foster gets in front of a microphone, it’s an opportunity to pitch and sell future players, accrue more NIL sponsors, and brand UCLA as a serious football program.

Related: Optimism Still Abundant For 2024 UCLA Bruins

Michael Jordan was asked in the 1990s why he’s always so meticulously dressed, calculatingly eloquent, and strategically guarded with his mannerisms, and his response, “Every time I get in front of a camera, I’m auditioning for my next endorsement.”

Whether fans or Foster like it or not, college football has fully entered that level of transaction, capitalism, and corporate savvy.

For Foster, some media training would be good, getting more publicly comfortable in his own skin would be nice, but embracing this Hollywood reality would be best. He’s absolutely the right guy for this job – he just needs to appreciate all aspects of what this job entails.

More must-reads:

• DeShaun Foster’s UCLA Bruins Big Ten Presser Reaction, Eric Bieniemy’s New Offense
• UCLA Media Day: Despite Awkward Presser, Optimism To Be Had For UCLA Football In 2024