DeShaun Foster reacts to Bruno Fina entering transfer portal

UCLA lost an offensive tackle on Tuesday, with Bruno Fina entering the NCAA transfer portal. A four-year player for the Bruins, losing your starting left tackle this late in the window has to hurt. Especially when making the move into the Big Ten and facing some more physical defensive linemen.

Head coach DeShaun Foster was asked about Fina leaving, being supportive of the player. There was seemingly a conversation between the two before the move became official.

“He told me he wanted to hit the portal,” Foster said. “Good player. I support him.”

Fina played in all 13 games last season for UCLA with all of them being at left tackle. The prior three years had not resulted in a ton of action, seeing just three games. UCLA had to be hoping for a breakout season from Fina heading the 2023 campaign and got it.

But for his final season of college eligibility, it appears as if Fina will be playing elsewhere. UCLA has seen guys enter the transfer portal only to return and recommit. Foster was asked if that would be a possibility for Fina and without saying too much, the answer did not provide too much hope.

“Yeah, um… Yeah,’ Foster said. “He’s interested in other schools. I’m just going to leave it at that.”

Fina played high school football at Salpointe Catholic (AZ) High School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 891 overall recruit in the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

UCLA continues to see transfer portal exports

While some may have thought the UCLA job would open this past coaching cycle, nobody expected it to go down as it did. Chip Kelly left in favor of another Big Ten job but as an offensive coordinator. Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are putting faith in Kelly in a big way.

So, UCLA had to respond quickly and landed on Foster as their head coach. Even so, there have been a ton of transfer portal exports this offseason and Fina is just the latest.

In total, 18 players have left Westwood and are set to play next year somewhere else. To make matters worse, three have committed to crosstown rival USC and will be on the other side of the rivalry in 2024.

Part of the process of hiring a new coach, Foster is doing the best he can to manage the storm.