LOS ANGELES (AP) — UCLA fired football coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday after the school’s first 0-3 start since 2019.
Athletic director Martin Jarmond announced the move two days after the Bruins lost to New Mexico 35-10 on Friday, their second straight loss to a Mountain West opponent.
Tim Skipper will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season, which includes games against three highly ranked Big Ten Conference opponents. Skipper had been special assistant to Foster, and he served as Fresno
State’s interim coach last year.
“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to DeShaun for his contributions to UCLA Football over the course of many years, first as a Hall of Fame student-athlete, then as an assistant coach and finally as head coach,” Jarmond said in a statement. “He was named to this role at a challenging time of year, on the cusp of a move to a new conference, and he embraced it, putting his heart into moving the program forward. His legacy and love for this university are firmly established."
Foster was 5-10 since taking over the program from Chip Kelly in February 2024. The Bruins were beaten by Utah in their opener and by UNLV a week ago. They trailed at halftime in all three losses.
Foster was asked Friday if he was still the person for the job, and he replied, “Most definitely. Because I can get these boys to play.”
However, even the arrival of quarterback Nico Iamaleava via the transfer portal couldn't save Foster. The sophomore left Tennessee after leading the Volunteers to the College Football Playoff last season.
Iamaleava defended Foster after Friday's loss, saying, “We're not executing as players. It all falls back on the players.”
During Foster's first season, the Bruins finished 5-7 after a 1-5 start. He had been the program's running backs coach before being promoted by Jarmond.
Foster was a star running back for the Bruins during his college career, including a four-touchdown performance against rival USC in 1998, before playing six seasons in the NFL.
The school said the terms of Foster’s contract will be honored by UCLA Athletics, exclusively using department-generated funds. A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.
The Bruins are off until visiting Northwestern on Sept. 27.
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