Excellent, honest article. Living in the Bay Area, we are subjected to a lot of Cal press in the paper. It literally took a huge revolt (and I mean major financial revolt) of the large donors to get rid of their AD last year and thereby make changes to the football program. It sounds like it will likely take a similar effort at UCLA??
I hope you are right. He does have a track record for firing the AD, but I think he was called out by a lot of people at Miami before doing it. Something needs to change and fast. Unfortunately I think the Chancellor has his hands full with a lot of other issues besides sports. Ugh!
how are we relying on hope when there isn't any? But one think we gotta appreciate as UCLA fans, UCLA football will not let you have a shred of hope and just kick you in the nuts right away every season as a fan
It's clear now why Foster limited access to practice and camp....this team is shit. The O Line is no better than last year and the Defense is significantly worse. The true winner last night was Joey Aguilar who mercifully escaped this travesty. I stayed up until 1:30a here in TX for the game...I won't make that mistake again.
I suppose HC DSF had restricted access in order to protect his players, knowing well beforehand that he was unable to recruit sufficient talent to field a competitive team this season. The UCLA football program has to either wait for HC DSF to become the next Terry Donahue, or else be completely overhauled in order to improve.
I also don't think any amount of hopium will help, as the UCLA football program has apparently regressed since HC Chip Alford quit and ran. Glad I didn't go to last night's game and witness such an embarrassing performance in person. I could have accepted a *competitive* loss, but the current coaching staff seems inept, unable to prepare players or have an effective game plan. And conducting preseason practices in secret couldn't hide the fact that this team lacks sufficient talent to begin with. Will it take yet another 3 or 4 seasons just to be toilet-bowl eligible again? The current situation under a HC in training makes it even harder to recruit better talent and make any major improvements in order to be competitive. AD Martin Guerrero absolutely should be replaced, and the football program needs to be completely overhauled. Otherwise, UCLA is apparently being led by an apathetic Frenkenstein who is content with perpetual football mediocrity and an empty Rose Bowl covered by tarps.
I get the frustration, but last night was Frenk's first UCLA football game. He needs to see how bad things are before he can fix the problems with the program.
First some humor. At the start of the ND/Miami game they were talking about a player coming back from a UCL injury, I waiting for the announcer to say he was coming back from a UCLA injury - can't play football. That game was atrocious. I was hoping that our great new QB and stellar OC would at least keep us in a shootout. New Mexico seemed to give Michigan a run yesterday, so I assume they will blow us out. The only hope is against UNLV, 1-11 for the year, as I don't see us beating anyone but UNLV.
P.S. Don't fire DSF until we have a front line coach ready to take the job.
There was a coherent strategy and I did see adjustments throughout the game. It's just that there's a shocking lack of talent and speed on this team. Years of recruiting ineptitude and apathy towards football were responsible last nights crucifixion and God help us once we start playing the big boys. It's gonna take at least 2 more recruiting cycles for UCLA to rise to baseline competitiveness in the Big 10 (Iowa, Wisconsin), and an absolute miracle for us to catch up to the likes of Ohio State and Michigan.
also recruiting doesn't matter anymore. If you can't get talent in the transfer portal you are in big trouble unless you are a blue blood that brings in a lot of ready to go 5 stars. USC getting mocked big time for trying to tout their #1 2026 class when Riley can't do squat i the portal. Foster had an opportunity to completely remake this roster last off season. He brought in a quarterback (that was not his doing) and not much else.
I had to subscribe because I need to vent and also need to straighten out my status on TMB. First, to business: as an unpaid subscriber I am wracked with guilt and need to pull my weight here. You send me two emails for every post. One to my "socal.rr.com" domain and one to my "War Planner gmail.com" I re-upped to paid on the former (and prefer that) and you can consign the gmail account to oblivion. You are most welcome to contact my by PM and we can work out the details. I would be grateful if you did that!
Now to what has been rubbing me greatly since I left the paid status some years ago (and I apologize if I weigh in too stridently): Martin Jarmond!
The guy has turned UCLA athletics into a wasteland and he needs to come to Jesus or seek employment elsewhere. Again, my apologies if this is not appropriate; I shall leave it at that.
Awfully nice of you to say so! But I had no idea I was being shot at! (Forgive me; I am engaged in some aspect of "shooting sports' at the moment and it rubs off!)
..seriously, I could not stand what was going on and had to get back in the game.
Utah ran almost 80 plays and they are not an uptempo team. UCLA only ran 50. The time of possession was nearly 2 to 1. The Utes had a drive of approximately 20 plays and over 9 minutes. Our squad was not competitive and scheme had little to nothing do wo about it. UCLA is not viewed as a serious football program. Blame Foster if you like, but he is more of a symptom than the disease.
we are not a serious program because we behave like a small market professional team. Pretty sure Foster is the lowest paid coach in the Big Ten. His salary is $3.1 million. $3.1 million!!! Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Illinois all pay their coaches more than double that.
I’m convinced this job is too big for Foster and his coordinators. Maybe with the exception of the offensive coordinator. Despite foster’s professional background, I believe he lacks the capability, intuition, and the forward thinking to create a winning program. HIs defensive coordinator definitely needs to be Fired.
The first person who needs to go is Jarmond. He's terrible and has proven this over his tenure. Of course, he is better than his predecessor but almost anyone would be better than donut Dan. As for Foster, he was an unproven "filler" anyway and should have never been hired as head coach, but again this isn't DeShaun's fault, this is all on Jarmond. DeShaun Foster may be a good effective position coach, but he isn't any kind of head coach at any level presently. As for this team, if you could even call them that, I'd say if they play like they did against Utah, they won't win a game. Just look at the teams they have coming up, all are better, and I mean ALL. Yes, even UNLV, New Mexico, Michigan St. I don't see them winning any games IF they play like they did against Utah.
Was at the game. Utes were 13 of 15 on third down. And 1 of 2 on 4th down. Defensive line clueless to the concept of contain. Linebackers wiffed tackles. Dbacks zero run support. Utes 1st down yards must have average 7.5.
Oline can't open a hole, and forget about picking up a blitz.
In the spirit of “can’t make chicken salad without the chicken”: what I saw Saturday was a shocking lack of athleticism for a D1 team, especially on defense…in the past few years the Bruins lucked out on defense with some effective transfers plus a few guys who developed well in the program, but…now just a bunch of guys running around out there, showing us why their previous schools weren’t exactly devastated to lose them in the portal. Since we know Malloe can coach…if that’s what he had to put out there, yikes!
Trying to stay away from massive over reactions, but…in today’s world football is the lynchpin of a school’s athletic department earning power, and if you’re not even competitive - not only the sad spectacle on the field but the half-empty stadium containing mostly Utah supporters - tough changes are in order, athletic director to football GM to coaching staff. Would like to be wrong, but…I just don’t see any chickens…
I said in another thread before the game I thought we'd make a bowl but didn't think we'd beat Utah - the combination of 5 returning OL starters and an experienced mobile QB against a new front 7 was a bad combination for an opener... that said, I never expected us to be non-competitive - and clearly the first part of that call isn't going to age well!
I can't disagree with the majority of our community here - but the scarier thing to me is that - it is obvious that another realignment is eventually coming to major college football - a break-away super group of sorts is coming amongst the top 64-ish schools, like the breakup of D1 and FCS years ago... TV will drive it, of course... but right now, if we don't get this fixed and start acting like a major college program, we're going to be left on the wrong side of that split. 10-15 years ago, at the height of Harbaugh, Gerhart, McCaffrey, and Luck - no one could have imagined that Stanfurd would be left without a chair when the Pac imploded... we need to be VERY careful that isn't where we are when the music stops the next time.
Your observations are very interesting, Clio, and I am not inclined to disagree. I would only add that I have become disillusioned over the state of college sports and NIL and the whole greedy mess this has become. There seems to be absolutely NO PERSONALITY left in football, round ball..and even trickling down to the "lesser" sports.
I would be hypocritical if I criticized the athletes for asking for a slice of the action -- especially considering who started the whole ball rolling. Personal opinion: it is good that the NCAA got their nose rubbed in it after the way they rode roughshod over college athletes and universities.
But we're way down the road from this and the only way this will be "resolved" will be by some variant on your "top 64-ish" scenario.
Alas, I am one of those old codgers who lament baseball's DH rule, the fact that the NCAA BBall tournament has expanded to the top 512 teams, why can't the College World Serious just go back to playing in Rosenblatt Stadium again, and what's the reason for putting a guy on 2nd base when a game goes into extra innings?
Someone just toss me my lap blanket and get me a glass of warm milk and some Zwieback I can gum on and I'll be OK!
Jeeeeezus! I never thought I'd get ***this*** old!
Well at least we are not the only team with new expectations that got embarrassed in week 1. The new look UNC team coached by Bill Belichick also lost by 30+
Excellent, honest article. Living in the Bay Area, we are subjected to a lot of Cal press in the paper. It literally took a huge revolt (and I mean major financial revolt) of the large donors to get rid of their AD last year and thereby make changes to the football program. It sounds like it will likely take a similar effort at UCLA??
I don't think it will take an all-out revolt. Frenk fired an AD at Miami in order to fix football.
I'm sure he will do the same here too.
I hope you are right. He does have a track record for firing the AD, but I think he was called out by a lot of people at Miami before doing it. Something needs to change and fast. Unfortunately I think the Chancellor has his hands full with a lot of other issues besides sports. Ugh!
With the lack of support/attendance currently....there is not enough for an actual revolt anyway. At best it would be a disturbance.
🤣 'Disturbance' that's awesome!
Agreed and it isn't a powerful disturbance as in The Force!
What is he waiting for? Saturday's performance should have been more than enough. An interim would be much better at this point.
If we're already relying on hope, we're already done.
However, I didn't see a lot on the field or on the sideline to even inspire hope in the first place.
The hope is that the Chancellor decides to fix a broken program!
There was no hope on the field itself last night.
how are we relying on hope when there isn't any? But one think we gotta appreciate as UCLA fans, UCLA football will not let you have a shred of hope and just kick you in the nuts right away every season as a fan
It's clear now why Foster limited access to practice and camp....this team is shit. The O Line is no better than last year and the Defense is significantly worse. The true winner last night was Joey Aguilar who mercifully escaped this travesty. I stayed up until 1:30a here in TX for the game...I won't make that mistake again.
I suppose HC DSF had restricted access in order to protect his players, knowing well beforehand that he was unable to recruit sufficient talent to field a competitive team this season. The UCLA football program has to either wait for HC DSF to become the next Terry Donahue, or else be completely overhauled in order to improve.
I also don't think any amount of hopium will help, as the UCLA football program has apparently regressed since HC Chip Alford quit and ran. Glad I didn't go to last night's game and witness such an embarrassing performance in person. I could have accepted a *competitive* loss, but the current coaching staff seems inept, unable to prepare players or have an effective game plan. And conducting preseason practices in secret couldn't hide the fact that this team lacks sufficient talent to begin with. Will it take yet another 3 or 4 seasons just to be toilet-bowl eligible again? The current situation under a HC in training makes it even harder to recruit better talent and make any major improvements in order to be competitive. AD Martin Guerrero absolutely should be replaced, and the football program needs to be completely overhauled. Otherwise, UCLA is apparently being led by an apathetic Frenkenstein who is content with perpetual football mediocrity and an empty Rose Bowl covered by tarps.
I get the frustration, but last night was Frenk's first UCLA football game. He needs to see how bad things are before he can fix the problems with the program.
Yes, too bad he can't perform a Vulcan mind-meld with us frustrated UCLA alumni and fans!
First some humor. At the start of the ND/Miami game they were talking about a player coming back from a UCL injury, I waiting for the announcer to say he was coming back from a UCLA injury - can't play football. That game was atrocious. I was hoping that our great new QB and stellar OC would at least keep us in a shootout. New Mexico seemed to give Michigan a run yesterday, so I assume they will blow us out. The only hope is against UNLV, 1-11 for the year, as I don't see us beating anyone but UNLV.
P.S. Don't fire DSF until we have a front line coach ready to take the job.
There was a coherent strategy and I did see adjustments throughout the game. It's just that there's a shocking lack of talent and speed on this team. Years of recruiting ineptitude and apathy towards football were responsible last nights crucifixion and God help us once we start playing the big boys. It's gonna take at least 2 more recruiting cycles for UCLA to rise to baseline competitiveness in the Big 10 (Iowa, Wisconsin), and an absolute miracle for us to catch up to the likes of Ohio State and Michigan.
what was the strategy?
also recruiting doesn't matter anymore. If you can't get talent in the transfer portal you are in big trouble unless you are a blue blood that brings in a lot of ready to go 5 stars. USC getting mocked big time for trying to tout their #1 2026 class when Riley can't do squat i the portal. Foster had an opportunity to completely remake this roster last off season. He brought in a quarterback (that was not his doing) and not much else.
Joe,
I had to subscribe because I need to vent and also need to straighten out my status on TMB. First, to business: as an unpaid subscriber I am wracked with guilt and need to pull my weight here. You send me two emails for every post. One to my "socal.rr.com" domain and one to my "War Planner gmail.com" I re-upped to paid on the former (and prefer that) and you can consign the gmail account to oblivion. You are most welcome to contact my by PM and we can work out the details. I would be grateful if you did that!
Now to what has been rubbing me greatly since I left the paid status some years ago (and I apologize if I weigh in too stridently): Martin Jarmond!
The guy has turned UCLA athletics into a wasteland and he needs to come to Jesus or seek employment elsewhere. Again, my apologies if this is not appropriate; I shall leave it at that.
Greetings to all: old friends and new!
William of Orange (County)
Missed you Planner!
Awfully nice of you to say so! But I had no idea I was being shot at! (Forgive me; I am engaged in some aspect of "shooting sports' at the moment and it rubs off!)
..seriously, I could not stand what was going on and had to get back in the game.
War!!!
So wonderful to see you my friend. I missed you and so happy you are back! 💙💛
Your legendary posts need to be a constant! They keep us grounded, so to speak...
Much love, and hope you and Mrs. War are doing great!
You are far too kind, Tamara. Me and the Missus are doing fine ~~ thank you for asking! Now if we could only 86 Jarmond!
Welcome back! Thanks for subscribing again!
Let me see what I can do about the subscription.
Sounds good. If you have questions, just PM me.
~William
Utah ran almost 80 plays and they are not an uptempo team. UCLA only ran 50. The time of possession was nearly 2 to 1. The Utes had a drive of approximately 20 plays and over 9 minutes. Our squad was not competitive and scheme had little to nothing do wo about it. UCLA is not viewed as a serious football program. Blame Foster if you like, but he is more of a symptom than the disease.
we are not a serious program because we behave like a small market professional team. Pretty sure Foster is the lowest paid coach in the Big Ten. His salary is $3.1 million. $3.1 million!!! Rutgers, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Illinois all pay their coaches more than double that.
At $3.1m he's still being overpaid by about $3.099 million.
At least the buyout is smaller...
Foster's 2025 salary is $3.1 million. Last (I think) in the conference. We get what we pay for.
I’m convinced this job is too big for Foster and his coordinators. Maybe with the exception of the offensive coordinator. Despite foster’s professional background, I believe he lacks the capability, intuition, and the forward thinking to create a winning program. HIs defensive coordinator definitely needs to be Fired.
what has the OC done to convince you he deserves the job
His experience and success before Ucla. Listening to him speak, I believe he might be better suited a head coach than foster
The first person who needs to go is Jarmond. He's terrible and has proven this over his tenure. Of course, he is better than his predecessor but almost anyone would be better than donut Dan. As for Foster, he was an unproven "filler" anyway and should have never been hired as head coach, but again this isn't DeShaun's fault, this is all on Jarmond. DeShaun Foster may be a good effective position coach, but he isn't any kind of head coach at any level presently. As for this team, if you could even call them that, I'd say if they play like they did against Utah, they won't win a game. Just look at the teams they have coming up, all are better, and I mean ALL. Yes, even UNLV, New Mexico, Michigan St. I don't see them winning any games IF they play like they did against Utah.
Was at the game. Utes were 13 of 15 on third down. And 1 of 2 on 4th down. Defensive line clueless to the concept of contain. Linebackers wiffed tackles. Dbacks zero run support. Utes 1st down yards must have average 7.5.
Oline can't open a hole, and forget about picking up a blitz.
What's the over/under on 2 wins this season?
In the spirit of “can’t make chicken salad without the chicken”: what I saw Saturday was a shocking lack of athleticism for a D1 team, especially on defense…in the past few years the Bruins lucked out on defense with some effective transfers plus a few guys who developed well in the program, but…now just a bunch of guys running around out there, showing us why their previous schools weren’t exactly devastated to lose them in the portal. Since we know Malloe can coach…if that’s what he had to put out there, yikes!
Trying to stay away from massive over reactions, but…in today’s world football is the lynchpin of a school’s athletic department earning power, and if you’re not even competitive - not only the sad spectacle on the field but the half-empty stadium containing mostly Utah supporters - tough changes are in order, athletic director to football GM to coaching staff. Would like to be wrong, but…I just don’t see any chickens…
I said in another thread before the game I thought we'd make a bowl but didn't think we'd beat Utah - the combination of 5 returning OL starters and an experienced mobile QB against a new front 7 was a bad combination for an opener... that said, I never expected us to be non-competitive - and clearly the first part of that call isn't going to age well!
I can't disagree with the majority of our community here - but the scarier thing to me is that - it is obvious that another realignment is eventually coming to major college football - a break-away super group of sorts is coming amongst the top 64-ish schools, like the breakup of D1 and FCS years ago... TV will drive it, of course... but right now, if we don't get this fixed and start acting like a major college program, we're going to be left on the wrong side of that split. 10-15 years ago, at the height of Harbaugh, Gerhart, McCaffrey, and Luck - no one could have imagined that Stanfurd would be left without a chair when the Pac imploded... we need to be VERY careful that isn't where we are when the music stops the next time.
Go Bruins
Your observations are very interesting, Clio, and I am not inclined to disagree. I would only add that I have become disillusioned over the state of college sports and NIL and the whole greedy mess this has become. There seems to be absolutely NO PERSONALITY left in football, round ball..and even trickling down to the "lesser" sports.
I would be hypocritical if I criticized the athletes for asking for a slice of the action -- especially considering who started the whole ball rolling. Personal opinion: it is good that the NCAA got their nose rubbed in it after the way they rode roughshod over college athletes and universities.
But we're way down the road from this and the only way this will be "resolved" will be by some variant on your "top 64-ish" scenario.
Alas, I am one of those old codgers who lament baseball's DH rule, the fact that the NCAA BBall tournament has expanded to the top 512 teams, why can't the College World Serious just go back to playing in Rosenblatt Stadium again, and what's the reason for putting a guy on 2nd base when a game goes into extra innings?
Someone just toss me my lap blanket and get me a glass of warm milk and some Zwieback I can gum on and I'll be OK!
Jeeeeezus! I never thought I'd get ***this*** old!
Well at least we are not the only team with new expectations that got embarrassed in week 1. The new look UNC team coached by Bill Belichick also lost by 30+
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46133244/unc-blown-tcu-bill-belichick-college-coaching-debut