DeShaun Foster calls out media in explanation of restricted access to UCLA players

Speaking with reporters Wednesday, UCLA coach DeShaun Foster addressed his approach to media access to practice. He said his goal is to avoid giving opponents an edge.

UCLA also did not make players available to the press Wednesday and will not do so after Saturday’s open practice. Foster said that’s due to an anticipation of questions about whether players are starting or not, which further ties into opponents trying to listen to those answers.

As for practice access, Foster argued media members post videos on social media. His goal is to protect what offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri and the staff are doing during practice while preventing other teams from trying to break it down.

“You guys film our practice and put it online,” Foster said. “If I was an opponent for another team, I’d look right as your guys’ stuff and see what’s going on. For them not to get a beat on Tino or our depth or anything that’s going on, that’s why it’s closed.”

When asked about whether limiting player access impacts the marketability of the program, Foster countered by saying winning can help take care of that. He added that was part of the reason UCLA went off-campus to start training camp.

“No, I’ll let you guys handle all that,” Foster said. “I’m not worried about the marketing because what marketing does, if you win games, you’re marketed. So we’re going to go out there and focus on winning games. That’s why we left for training camp.

“But if I was just trying to just let everything be open, we could’ve just stayed right here and did that. We’re going to work and go away and come back, and everything’s going to be fine.”

DeShaun Foster is preparing for his second season as UCLA head coach and the program’s second year as a member of the Big Ten. The Bruins had an up-and-down go in 2024, finishing 5-7 overall and 3-6 in conference play.

This offseason, Foster went to work to make changes. He notably brought in Sunseri from Indiana, where he helped the Hoosiers’ historic turnaround en route to a College Football Playoff berth, to lead the offense. UCLA then made a splash in the transfer portal by landing Tennessee transfer quarterback Nico Iamaleava.

The Bruins are now preparing for an open practice this weekend as part of the final tuneups for the regular season. UCLA will get things underway Aug. 30 against Utah.