LOS ANGELES — UCLA’s decision to place its trust in DeShaun Foster as its football coach was met with excitement and brought a level of comfort and “relief” to the football program Monday.
While players on the current roster made it clear to athletic director Martin Jarmond and the administration Friday that they wanted Foster, there was still a level of shock when he appeared in front of the team Monday.
“It was a surprise,” running back TJ Harden said. “My heart was racing. … I couldn’t explain the relief I had when Coach Foster walked in the room.”
Harden and linebacker Kain Medrano were among the players that swarmed around Foster as he returned to campus after departing from the program last week to become the Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach.
“It’s what everyone was asking for and hoping for,” Medrano said. “I couldn’t ask for any better coach.”
Current players, alumni and staff packed the Pavilion Club inside Pauley Pavilion to support Foster and his family as he was formally introduced during a press conference on Tuesday.
“I’ve always dreamed of being a head coach and being the head coach here at UCLA,” Foster said before fighting back tears. “This is something I’ve built for. I can do this. I’m going to put all my passion into this. I am here for these boys.”
The Tustin alum introduced his three pillars that will serve as the foundation for the program: “Discipline, respect and enthusiasm.”
Foster also declared that he would help guide the program in a direction and bring a level of excitement back to the program that will draw fans back to fill the stands for home games.
“We are going to get this Rose Bowl back to how it needs to be,” he said. “We are in L.A. We are UCLA. We win banners in every sport and I just have to get football back.”
UCLA hit a record low with its home game attendance at the Rose Bowl twice during Chip Kelly’s six-year tenure as head coach.
The university…
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