College football’s first major coaching casualty of the 2025 season has arrived, and it comes with a familiar sting for UCLA. After three games, the Bruins fired DeShaun Foster, marking yet another failed experiment for a program still searching for its identity in the Big Ten.
Foster’s dismissal comes with a hefty $6.43 million buyout price tag. However, the cost of keeping him may have been even steeper for a program desperately trying to escape the basement of college football’s elite conferences.
How Did DeShaun Foster’s Experiment Fail So Quickly?
Foster arrived at UCLA with minimal credentials but maximum hope. The former Bruins star running back signed a five-year contract worth $15 million in 2024 despite never serving as a coordinator in his coaching career. Athletic director Martin Jarmond made the unconventional hire, betting on Foster’s connection to the program over his resume.
The 2024 season’s 5-7 record offered glimpses of potential, particularly with the addition of the 20th-ranked transfer class this past offseason. Nico Iamaleava’s arrival from Tennessee generated genuine excitement among Bruins fans who believed this might finally be the year UCLA turned the corner.
Instead, Foster’s team stumbled out of the gate spectacularly. The Bruins were outscored 108-43Â in their three losses, and their performances grew progressively worse. Beyond the scoreboard, UCLA showed fundamental breakdowns in discipline and execution. The team commits 10 penalties a game, ranking 130th in the nation, while posting a -2 turnover margin.
The visual of the Rose Bowl told the story as clearly as any statistic. By week three, the stands were half-empty as fans lost faith in Foster’s ability to field a competitive team.
The view of the Rose Bowl crowd during the national anthem as the winless UCLA football team gets ready to take on New Mexico in week three action. pic.twitter.com/I32DMTCWnZ
— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) September 13, 2025
What Do Three Key Decommitments Mean for UCLA’s Future?
Foster’s firing triggered immediate recruit fallout, with three prospects abandoning their commitments within hours of the announcement. The exodus highlights how quickly college football programs can unravel when confidence disappears.
The first domino to fall was four-star offensive tackle Johnnie Jones. At 6’6″ and 305 pounds, Jones represents the foundational piece UCLA desperately needs up front. His status as the 13th-ranked tackle in the 2026 class makes his departure particularly painful for a program struggling to attract elite talent.
🚨BREAKING🚨 4-star OT Johnnie Jones has decommitted from UCLA, he tells Rivals.
Read: https://t.co/DYggvScfVX pic.twitter.com/54n7SBnPSq
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 14, 2025
Edge player Yahya Gaad followed Jones out the door, taking his three-star rating and Tennessee connections with him. “It’s very heartbreaking, I loved that man,” Gaad told Rivals, capturing the personal relationships Foster had built despite his on-field struggles.
🚨BREAKING🚨 EDGE Yahya Gaad has decommitted from UCLA, @adamgorney reports.
Read: https://t.co/Y2gfs7H5I6 pic.twitter.com/yr2bU5VyzJ
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 14, 2025
The third departure came from three-star defensive lineman Anthony Jones, currently ranked as the 50th-best defensive lineman in the 2026 class and the 40th-ranked player from California. His decommitment represents more than just another lost recruit. It signals that UCLA is losing ground in its own backyard, where the program must succeed to have any chance of long-term relevance.
🚨BREAKING🚨 DL Anthony Jones has decommitted from UCLA, he tells Rivals.
Read: https://t.co/oo65TTRqqt pic.twitter.com/3SB256XUEm
— Rivals (@Rivals) September 14, 2025
Can UCLA Find Stability in Its Next Coaching Hire?
UCLA now faces a familiar challenge: finding the right leader to restore credibility to a program that has cycled through coaches without finding sustainable success. The Bruins have struggled since joining the Big Ten, but the foundation for success remains intact.
The program still plays in the iconic Rose Bowl, competes in a major conference, and carries the prestige of UCLA’s academic reputation. However, getting the next coaching hire right will determine whether the Bruins can finally establish consistency or continue their pattern of false starts and expensive buyouts.
Tim Skipper will serve as interim head coach while athletic director Martin Jarmond begins his search for UCLA’s next permanent leader. The stakes couldn’t be higher for a program that needs to prove it can build something lasting rather than simply cycling through coaches every few seasons
