UCLA fires coach Foster after Bruins start 0-3

UCLA fired football coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday after a winless start to the season.

Foster, who was in his second year as the Bruins' coach, went 5-10 during his short tenure and began this season with a 43-10 loss to Utah at home followed by back-to-back losses to Mountain West teams.

"I regret putting Deshaun in that situation where we were going into the Big Ten and even though we were supported from a resource perspective, getting a start so late, really disadvantaged the beginning to his coaching career here," UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond told reporters.

Tim Skipper, previously the special assistant to Foster, will serve as the Bruins' interim head coach for the rest of the season, the school said.

"[UCLA chancellor Julio Frenk] trusts me to lead the athletic department. This is a decision I made, I called the chancellor," Jarmond said. "I've been in conversation with him, and I ultimately made this decision, and he supported it."

After a drubbing at the hands of the Utes in Week 1, the Bruins suffered a 30-23 loss to UNLV in Las Vegas. Looking to bounce back, UCLA welcomed a New Mexico team to the Rose Bowl that was picked to finish 11th in the Mountain West. But following a shocking 35-10 defeat Saturday at the hands of the Lobos, Foster did not mince words about the state of the program.

"It's pretty low right now," Foster said. "I've been around this program for a long time, and it's just unfortunate what's going on at this moment. Just not executing."

A former All-American running back for the Bruins, Foster led the team to a 5-7 record last season, but UCLA finished 4-2 in its last six games, which appeared to give it momentum heading into Year 2 of the Foster era.

Over the offseason, Foster assembled an impressive class in the transfer portal, including the addition of former Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava. But through three games, Iamaleava has been unable to find any rhythm in the Bruins' offense under new coordinator Tino Sunseri and with a shaky offensive line.

"Serving as the head coach at UCLA, my beloved alma mater, has been the honor of a lifetime," Foster said Sunday in a statement. "While I am deeply disappointed that we were unable to achieve the success that our players, fans, and university deserve, I am grateful for the opportunity to have led this program."

UCLA's defense, which was a strength two seasons ago, has allowed 431 yards per game so far this season -- the worst in the Big Ten and 118th in the country.

The school announced Sunday that it will honor the terms of Foster's contract, which includes a buyout that will owe him more than $5 million. That amount would have dropped had the Bruins waited to fire him until after Dec. 2.

According to the school's release, Jarmond and executive senior associate AD Erin Adkins will lead the search for a new head coach immediately. They'll be helped by a committee composed of accomplished sports and business executives and UCLA greats that will be announced at a later date.

"The circumstances around this next search are very different than the last one. We're in a different situation. We have campus support and we're in the Big Ten, so this is a different picture this time," Jarmond said. "We're going to take our time with the search. It's an attractive job, it's not an easy job. ... I'm very confident in my ability to hire coaches to win championships. I've done it."

The Bruins have lost three commits from the program's 2026 class since UCLA announced Foster's firing, led by four-star offensive tackle Johnnie Jones (No. 196 in the 2026 SportsCenter NEXT 300).

ESPN's Eli Lederman contributed to this report.