UCLA’s DeShaun Foster Faces Pressure After 0-2 Start Amid Coaching Concerns

Los Angeles, California – UCLA‘s head coach DeShaun Foster is under scrutiny following a disappointing 0-2 start to the 2025 college football season. After a promising 2024 season, the Bruins aimed to build on their success, but back-to-back losses have raised questions about Foster’s job security.

The Bruins opened the season with a 43-10 loss to Utah and followed that with a competitive yet disappointing 30-23 defeat against UNLV. CBS Sports experts indicated that Foster’s position could be at risk if the team’s performance does not improve soon. “He was paid half as much as Chip Kelly was at UCLA,” said Chris Hummer, suggesting that the buyout for Foster is relatively low. “If things continue to go the wrong direction, that is a job a lot of people in this space are looking at as one that could come open.”

Foster, a former UCLA running back, signed a five-year deal worth $3.1 million for the 2025 season. Should UCLA decide to terminate his contract before December 1, they would owe him a significant buyout, but that figure would drop considerably after that date.

Despite the initial enthusiasm around his hiring in 2024, concerns about Foster’s inexperience as a head coach are now resurfacing. Before taking the role, he had no head coaching experience and had only served as a running backs coach. There are also concerns about key areas of the team’s roster, particularly the offensive line and wide receiver positions. “There’s clear deficiencies on that roster along the offensive line and at receiver,” Hummer remarked.

Meanwhile, quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a five-star recruit who transferred to UCLA, has struggled to find a rhythm. In his first two games, he recorded 391 passing yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Observers note that he lacks the supporting cast he had previously at Tennessee, where he led his team to the College Football Playoff in 2024. As a result, Foster’s ability to surround Iamaleava with adequate offensive weapons is now under the microscope.

As discussions circulate around potential coaching changes, the program’s future hinges on whether Foster can turn the ship around in the upcoming games. If the Bruins continue to struggle, both his and the team’s fate may be in jeopardy.