UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster is implementing an unusually tough media policy this season, and he defended the approach by claiming it was part of a strategic advantage.
Foster has essentially barred players from conducting interviews this season, and has also limited the media’s access to practices. He defended his decision on Wednesday by claiming that he did not want to give away the Bruins’ depth chart, and it was part of his effort to make UCLA a winning program.
“You guys film our practice and put it online. If I was an opponent for another team, I’d look right at your guys’ stuff and see what’s going on.
“If (players) come over and interview, then you guys are going to ask me, ‘are they a starter? Are they this? Are they that?’ It’s tough, but we’re trying to win games.”
UCLA football head coach DeShaun Foster’s back-and-forth from Wednesday’s practice media scrum on restricting media access policies: pic.twitter.com/vVBo1atmYh
— Benjamin Royer (@thebenroyer) August 20, 2025
Foster is even restricting local outlets from doing feature stories on players. That does not seem to fit with maintaining strategic secrecy, but it is the choice he has made.
It is not necessary uncommon for coaches to refuse to publicly name starters, even in the NFL, in order to maintain some sort of secrecy. Whether that actually leads to a competitive advantage is debatable.
The Bruins are coming off a 5-7 season in 2024, Foster’s first year in charge of the program. Perhaps he just doesn’t like the media since he did not exactly charm them during his first interactions with them.
