WATCH: UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster's press conference at Big Ten Media Days
LAS VEGAS — DeShaun Foster strolled to the lectern determined to not have a repeat of last year Thursday afternoon at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.
The UCLA second-year head coach came off polished and prepared in his 10 1/2 minutes on the Big Ten Media Days stage. And yes, Foster leaned into the jokes made at his expense regarding his obvious “we’re in L.A.” statement during last year’s opening remarks in Indianapolis.
“Well everyone, I’m back,” Foster said about a minute into his opening statement. “Last year, I stood up here and reminded everyone that UCLA is in L.A., which looking back might have been the most obvious geography lesson in Big Ten history. But you know what? Important things are worth stating clearly. We are in L.A. and we’re proud to be in L.A., and this year we’re ready to show the Big Ten what L.A. football looks like when it’s firing on all cylinders.
“That moment…last year taught me a valuable lesson: Authenticity resonates more deeply than perfection. Our players saw me being human and it brought us closer together. We’ve been joking about it for about a year now.”
Watch Foster’s full press conference below (courtesy of Big Ten Network):
