I don't believe Foster ruined the program, he was set up to fail by Jelly 2.0. Kelly is another story, I truly disdain the Chipster. Foster is a great Bruin and his intentions were honorable, he simply didn't have the skill set for the HC job.
But honestly, this is all squarely on Jelly 2.0 (aka Jarmond). He is responsible for the debt, horrible decision making, lack of donor engagement & cultivation, hiding behind his ivory tower desk in Morgan, and alienating the entire Bruin fanbase. He is the proverbial fraud with the fake smile.
Firing Jelly 2.0 should have been Frenk's first move, but the political sphere is powerful and the lack of transparency and lack of action for the greater good has always been the inevitable result.
Well, we will need to agree to disagree on DeShaun. He is part of the problem; he is and was never the solution. He simply contributed to the pathetic system that was in place. He didn't have the experience or capability to change the culture, and he knew he didn't as Jelly also knew. He was a willful accessory to the failure of this football program. So as with anyone one in leadership, he must be held to some accountability. Yes, this is a UC, hence the words responsibility and accountability are quite foreign, however he does have some responsibility here for at least not even attempting to try to change the culture of the football program. And as seen, we agree on Jelly and the UCLA administration, they all simply don't care, which is bizarre for an Athletics dept that has to know the football program essentially runs and funds the entire department. If the football program fails, eventually all the athletic programs fail.
For what it's worth, while he was clearly unprepared for the game management and game planning aspects of being a head coach, as well as recruiting and the retention of the players that helped the brief progress at the end of last season - another part of the job of a modern head football coach is to energize the fan base and engage the donors which, as a respected and even beloved alum put in a tough position stepping in to "save the situation" coming after the aloof at best chipster SHOULD have been a slam dunk for Foster... and he abjectly failed at that as well...
By the way, I'm not saying Jarmond shouldn't be fired - of course he should be, though it's not as easy as "elevate a random staffer who was an interim at Fresno during the bye week" at least if you want to do it right - nor am I saying he's not primarily responsible for the situation we're in, just that Foster isn't blamess...
I think what happened to Foster is he became paralyzed due to being completely overwhelmed with the responsibilities of HC...
I didn't realize it at the time of his hire... but Foster is not a great public speaker, he didn't know how to fundraise for NIL or communicate effectively with the media. He couldn't instill his DRE as he lacked leadership skills.
But to his credit, his 2026 recruiting class was pretty darn good and he worked very hard to get some really great players.
Still...
When all the intense pressure of losing and scrutiny mounted, he simply crumbled and literally fell apart. And he was an super easy scapegoat for Jelly 2.0.
Jelly 2.0 caused this nightmare!!!He failed to fire Chipster. He hired Foster and then left him to drown in an almost impossible position. I realize this now, but when Foster was first hired I was optimistic because he had rallied the players and was a great position coach and I thought that would translate to HC. I was wrong.
Back to Jelly 2.0... he is a classic narcissist who deflects and projects blame, takes full credit when none is due, never admits his costly decisions, has zero introspection or desire to overcome his failures e.g. admin duties like managing the budget or building relations with donors and cultivating support!
So Foster was dealt a rotten hand and floundered. Sure he could have worked to improve his skills but the lack of support and infrastructure from a spinesless, worthless AD did him in.
The former players who Zoomed with Jelly 2.0 were not angry with Foster, but they sure as Hell were angry with Jelly 2.0. Tempers flared, and Jelly 2.0 heard exactly what they thought of him and his unending blunders.
Jello 2.0 doesn't care. He just keeps smiling all the way to the bank, there has been zero accountability for this toxic fraud.
Remember the box score from that long ago basketball game - March 2, 1962 in Hershey Pennsylvania? We just might see Wilt-like numbers in the Rose Bowl....
Remember the box score from that basketball game March 2, 1962 in Hershey Pennsylvania? We just might see a 21st Century matching of Wilt's numbers played out in the Rose Bowl....Yikes!
3rd Qtr(?) Jaivian Thomas rips off consecutive first downs, 12 and 13 yards, they take him out!! Thomas averages 6+ yards per carry for the game. HE GETS 7 - SEVEN - touches!
Is this staff watching the same plays we're all watching?
If bloody massacre occurs at the hands of Nittany Lions next Saturday on our home turf, then the chancellor might as well sack the AD to make the coaching and AD search a package deal.
Merely watching YouTube highlights befuddled, let alone irritated me. UCLA resembled division II teams. Our descent into mediocrity should have been foreseen after the Kelly malaise when Jarmond did not exercise due diligence in his coaching search. In hindsight, he exploited the transition period between chancellors, the turbulence on campus and took the easy route of hiring Foster, knowing the attention, the scrutiny was elsewhere.
I hope we won't see some players refusing to leave by the time we board the plane to play Ohio State in Columbus in late November. " Mom, mom, can you call the school for me ?? Say I don't feel well. I can't go !! " Hahahahahaha ............
Look, players are human too. Who wants to walk into a killing field ? The Buckeyes act like Khmer Rouge in Cambodia back then !!!
Was at the game. Enthusiasm from the team just wasn't there until the blocked field goal. Alas, like Charlie Brown, I was lulled into false hope.
0-12. Sticking to my earlier prediction. They won't win a game. Jarmond, Kelly & Foster ruined this program for a long time to come.
I don't believe Foster ruined the program, he was set up to fail by Jelly 2.0. Kelly is another story, I truly disdain the Chipster. Foster is a great Bruin and his intentions were honorable, he simply didn't have the skill set for the HC job.
But honestly, this is all squarely on Jelly 2.0 (aka Jarmond). He is responsible for the debt, horrible decision making, lack of donor engagement & cultivation, hiding behind his ivory tower desk in Morgan, and alienating the entire Bruin fanbase. He is the proverbial fraud with the fake smile.
Firing Jelly 2.0 should have been Frenk's first move, but the political sphere is powerful and the lack of transparency and lack of action for the greater good has always been the inevitable result.
Well, we will need to agree to disagree on DeShaun. He is part of the problem; he is and was never the solution. He simply contributed to the pathetic system that was in place. He didn't have the experience or capability to change the culture, and he knew he didn't as Jelly also knew. He was a willful accessory to the failure of this football program. So as with anyone one in leadership, he must be held to some accountability. Yes, this is a UC, hence the words responsibility and accountability are quite foreign, however he does have some responsibility here for at least not even attempting to try to change the culture of the football program. And as seen, we agree on Jelly and the UCLA administration, they all simply don't care, which is bizarre for an Athletics dept that has to know the football program essentially runs and funds the entire department. If the football program fails, eventually all the athletic programs fail.
All good points.
For what it's worth, while he was clearly unprepared for the game management and game planning aspects of being a head coach, as well as recruiting and the retention of the players that helped the brief progress at the end of last season - another part of the job of a modern head football coach is to energize the fan base and engage the donors which, as a respected and even beloved alum put in a tough position stepping in to "save the situation" coming after the aloof at best chipster SHOULD have been a slam dunk for Foster... and he abjectly failed at that as well...
By the way, I'm not saying Jarmond shouldn't be fired - of course he should be, though it's not as easy as "elevate a random staffer who was an interim at Fresno during the bye week" at least if you want to do it right - nor am I saying he's not primarily responsible for the situation we're in, just that Foster isn't blamess...
Clio...
I think what happened to Foster is he became paralyzed due to being completely overwhelmed with the responsibilities of HC...
I didn't realize it at the time of his hire... but Foster is not a great public speaker, he didn't know how to fundraise for NIL or communicate effectively with the media. He couldn't instill his DRE as he lacked leadership skills.
But to his credit, his 2026 recruiting class was pretty darn good and he worked very hard to get some really great players.
Still...
When all the intense pressure of losing and scrutiny mounted, he simply crumbled and literally fell apart. And he was an super easy scapegoat for Jelly 2.0.
Jelly 2.0 caused this nightmare!!!He failed to fire Chipster. He hired Foster and then left him to drown in an almost impossible position. I realize this now, but when Foster was first hired I was optimistic because he had rallied the players and was a great position coach and I thought that would translate to HC. I was wrong.
Back to Jelly 2.0... he is a classic narcissist who deflects and projects blame, takes full credit when none is due, never admits his costly decisions, has zero introspection or desire to overcome his failures e.g. admin duties like managing the budget or building relations with donors and cultivating support!
So Foster was dealt a rotten hand and floundered. Sure he could have worked to improve his skills but the lack of support and infrastructure from a spinesless, worthless AD did him in.
The former players who Zoomed with Jelly 2.0 were not angry with Foster, but they sure as Hell were angry with Jelly 2.0. Tempers flared, and Jelly 2.0 heard exactly what they thought of him and his unending blunders.
Jello 2.0 doesn't care. He just keeps smiling all the way to the bank, there has been zero accountability for this toxic fraud.
End of rant.
This team sucks.
Well, we're gonna get a p*ssed off Penn St. team coming into the Rose Bowl next Saturday given their double-overtime loss to Oregon.
I didn't like our chances against a happy Penn St. team! Could be a massacre...
Remember the box score from that long ago basketball game - March 2, 1962 in Hershey Pennsylvania? We just might see Wilt-like numbers in the Rose Bowl....
Remember the box score from that basketball game March 2, 1962 in Hershey Pennsylvania? We just might see a 21st Century matching of Wilt's numbers played out in the Rose Bowl....Yikes!
3rd Qtr(?) Jaivian Thomas rips off consecutive first downs, 12 and 13 yards, they take him out!! Thomas averages 6+ yards per carry for the game. HE GETS 7 - SEVEN - touches!
Is this staff watching the same plays we're all watching?
If bloody massacre occurs at the hands of Nittany Lions next Saturday on our home turf, then the chancellor might as well sack the AD to make the coaching and AD search a package deal.
💯💯💯
"Hey, did you hear, Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in the Rose Bowl?!" - "No silly, Wilt's been dead a long time, that was Penn St."
Merely watching YouTube highlights befuddled, let alone irritated me. UCLA resembled division II teams. Our descent into mediocrity should have been foreseen after the Kelly malaise when Jarmond did not exercise due diligence in his coaching search. In hindsight, he exploited the transition period between chancellors, the turbulence on campus and took the easy route of hiring Foster, knowing the attention, the scrutiny was elsewhere.
I hope we won't see some players refusing to leave by the time we board the plane to play Ohio State in Columbus in late November. " Mom, mom, can you call the school for me ?? Say I don't feel well. I can't go !! " Hahahahahaha ............
Look, players are human too. Who wants to walk into a killing field ? The Buckeyes act like Khmer Rouge in Cambodia back then !!!
Here's a must 'Read the Room' article by Tracy Pierson at BRO.
It's not behind the firewall so everyone can read this Dear Jelly 2.0 dandy 💙💛
https://247sports.com/college/ucla/longformarticle/ucla-football-martin-jarmond-should-step-down--254750639/#2714642