Oct 12, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster reacts after his team scored a touchdown during the first quarter against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first quarter at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

DeShaun Foster: From UCLA Star to Head Coach

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI
By Spencer Barnes | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 1:10 PM ET

DeShaun Foster has had many roles at UCLA. First a star running back, then as a graduate assistant, then as running backs coach and finally as head coach. His UCLA journey has come full circle.

Raised in Tustin, California, Foster's skills on the football field began early. At Tustin High School, he was a dominant force at the running back position. He amassed 5,885 rushing yards, and set a state record his senior year, scoring 59 touchdowns. In 1998, he committed to UCLA.

He made an immediate impact. Foster spent all four years at UCLA and solidified himself as one of the Bruins' all-time great running backs. He rushed for 3,194 yards and 39 touchdowns, which puts him fifth in all-time rushing yards and second in touchdowns. One of his defining moments came in 2001, when he rushed for 301 yards in a single game against Washington. To this day, it is one of the most dominant individual performances in UCLA history.

Foster was drafted in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. He had a successful seven-year career, rushing for 4,500 total yards and 16 touchdowns. He played in Super Bowl XXXVIII and scored a 33-yard touchdown.

After his NFL career, Foster returned to UCLA in 2013 as a volunteer assistant. He worked his way up to graduate assistant, then to director of player development, before he took a job at Texas Tech as running backs coach. After one season, he returned to Westwood to coach the running backs, and in 2023, he was promoted to associate head coach.

Finally in Febuary 2024, after Chip Kelly departed the team, Foster was hired as the head coach for the UCLA Bruins. His first season was filled with ups and downs, as he tried to establish his identity as a head coach while leading the Bruins into the first year in the Big Ten conference. He finished with a 5-7 record but is confident in what he is building at UCLA.

"I'm in familiar territory, because it's something I've already done," Foster said. "We kind of got thrown into the fire around this time, last February, but I've been in this situation now for a year."

The Bruins have improved significantly this offseason, headlined by the signing of star quarterback Nico Iamaleava from Tennessee. There is a buzz and excitement brewing in Westwood, driven by Foster's UCLA roots and commitment to excellence.