Nov 30, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Tim Skipper during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Why Tim Skipper is Shifting UCLA Away From 'X's and O's'

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 6:00 AM ET

UCLA interim head coach brings a vastly different coaching philosophy than the former Bruins' coach DeShaun Foster.

While Foster focused on togetherness and brotherhood, Skipper is focused on making sure every player gives it all they've got every single down. In fact, Skipper noted that he prioritizes heart over anything a scheme can provide a team.

"The first team meeting we had, it was 'Play hard. Play smart. Play fast,'" Skipper said in his appearance on the Bruin Insider Show. "And we need to do that. It's not the X's and O'. Everybody thinks the X's and O's and all these cute systems, and all that stuff has nothing to do with it all. You have to play with some heart, some energy, some passion.

"And when you get that to happen, you're always going to be rising. That's the next thing. You always are getting better."

Despite being brought onto the staff by Foster in mid-July, Skipper is sort of operating under different terms.

Is UCLA's Tim Skipper Staying True to DeShaun Foster’s D.R.E.?

DeShaun Foster ran the UCLA Bruins under three crucial pillars -- discipline, respect and enthusiasm. D.R.E.

The messaging stuck during Foster's tenure and was the backbone of the shift in culture the former head coach pioneered in Westwood.

Nearly two weeks after his dismissal, "DRE" is still scripted on the fences of UCLA's practice field, but does Bruins interim head coach Tim Skipper still emphasize that message in the post-Foster era?

"I think those are words that are always good," Skipper said Wednesday ahead of his UCLA debut against Northwestern on Saturday. "I think every team uses those words in some way, and we are doing that by our style of play, that's what I would say. Our style of play does all our talking.

"We don't have to actually say the words or any of that stuff. But we need to play that way. So, that's our style of play. Whether we're here, anywhere, wherever, we're going to play that way. So, it's always about the style of play."

Skipper has already shifted in many facets since taking over for Fosters. Most notably by allowing the media more time and the ability to film at practice. It's a small, yet important, effort as he aims to turn an abysmal season around.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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