DeShaun Foster has a clear message for the 2025 season: Winning cures all. Foster spoke during media availability on Wednesday about the Bruins having tighter restrictions on practices, player interactions with media and the players’ spot on the depth chart.
Some might call it paranoia, some might call it smart, but Foster isn’t taking any chances in Year 2 after the Bruins went 5-7 in their first season in the Big Ten Conference. No players were made available for media on Wednesday. Foster prevented the media from filming clips from practice.
“You guys film our practice and put it online. If I was an opponent for another team, I’d look right at your guys’ stuff and see what’s going on,” Foster said. “So for them not to get a beat on Tino (Sunseri) or depth or anything that’s going on, that’s why it’s closed.”
While Foster’s grapes do sound a bit sour, it makes sense to prevent the gameplan being shared on the internet. It also makes sense to prevent the media from creating any division within the locker room by asking about starting positions. That said, UCLA’s new secrecy doesn’t guarantee improvement on Saturdays.
“It’s tough but we’re trying to win games,” Foster said of the lack of player availability with the media. “If they come over and interview, then you guys are gonna ask me ‘Are they a starter? Are they this? Are they that?’”
It’s a new era of UCLA football. There’s plenty of interest in the Bruin program after bringing in Sunseri and transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava, but Foster isn’t wanting that attention to turn into a distraction.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: DeShaun Foster tightens the ropes on media availablity for Bruins
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
