UCLA Football Buzz: DeShaun Foster’s Massive Bye Week Playbook to Ignite Team Spirit!

UCLA football is taking advantage of its bye week to regroup after a rocky season opener against Hawaii. Under first-year head coach DeShaun Foster, the Bruins are concentrating on rectifying the issues that hampered their performance as they gear up for their next showdown with Indiana. The offense faced challenges in their opening game, with two turnovers and a lack of rhythm.

Despite the heat wave in Southern California, Foster is maintaining a high-intensity practice atmosphere to ensure both offense and defense see improvement. “It didn’t feel like a bye week practice at all,” he noted, emphasizing that he wants to elevate the entire team—not just one side of the ball. The defense displayed strength by holding Hawaii to just 13 points, despite tough field conditions stemming from turnovers.

This defensive tenacity will be essential as the Bruins prepare for tough Big Ten matchups, including Oregon and USC. Offensively, quarterback Ethan Garbers and his teammates need to adapt quickly, especially after the loss of two offensive linemen. The shift to a new offensive system under coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been challenging, but simplifying the play-calling may help restore their momentum.

With skillful players such as Rico Flores Jr. and a solid group of running backs, the Bruins are aiming to recover and make an impact in their upcoming game against Indiana.