UCLA's Jarmond Praises Foster's Growth From Year to Year

"Last year, he came in late. So, you got to kind of adjust on the fly. He's hired seven or eight new assistant coaches, talented coaches. You see that in the recruiting and relationship-building. A strength of his is how he relates to the players and people. He's a very likable person, a genuine person. You see that showing up in the program now, kind of him putting his imprint on it.

"And I think the mark of a good leader is surrounding yourself with good people. He's done that in his hiring. He's made good decisions there. And also, as a leader, you've got to know when to pivot. You can't stay too long on a decision. And so, he's made changes quickly instead of letting them linger. And that's the mark of a good leader, and he's done that. He has done an excellent job with getting this program on a trajectory that is up."

Foster Reciprocates Appreciation

Foster took the stage at Big Ten Media Days and gave fans a promising trajectory ahead of his second season at the helm at UCLA.

Of the many topics he discussed, one of the people he was most thankful for in his journey was Jarmond.

"I'm just fortunate to have an athletic director that's been at the highest level and been to schools that produce at the highest level," Foster said of Jarmond. "The expectations that he has they're very high, and I trust everything that he says and I hold on to a lot of the words that he tells me.

"We have a great relationship. I'm just fortunate that I have somebody that is in my corner and supports me the way that he does."

The alignment goes beyond just Foster and Jarmond's relationship, though. UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk is a huge advocate for the success of UCLA athletics and how that can translate into overall success for the university.