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UCLA coach DeShaun Foster has a sizable offseason job restocking a roster that will lose 26 seniors and probably others to the NFL draft and transfer portal. (Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)
Once UCLA lost to USC, erasing the possibility of a winning season and a bowl game, the most important date on the Bruins’ calendar shifted to Dec. 9.
That’s the day the transfer portal opens.
More than anything else, DeShaun Foster’s success as the coach at his alma mater will hinge on his ability to fill holes on the roster and upgrade talent.
UCLA is losing 26 seniors, at least 13 starters — including nine on defense — and maybe a handful of other players via the NFL draft or the transfer portal from a team that finished 5-7 in Foster’s first season.
Among other things, the Bruins need a new starting quarterback, a disruptive edge rusher, several offensive linemen, another go-to tight end and an entirely new starting secondary. Will they have the name, image and likeness funds and persuasive recruiting pitch needed to restock their roster?
Here are five questions facing Foster and the Bruins going into the most critical offseason of his coaching career:
Who will play quarterback?
UCLA quarterback Justyn Martin played well in his one college start, a loss at Penn State. (Barry Reeger / Associated Press)
Justyn Martin’s patience is about to be rewarded … or not.
The redshirt sophomore who has moved his way up from fourth string will be the Bruins’ next starting quarterback unless the team snags a veteran in the transfer portal. Of course, a transfer could also come on the condition that he must beat out Martin for the starting spot in spring practice and fall training camp.
Might that transfer be former USC quarterback Miller Moss? It would be an intriguing story and make some sense given that Moss is a Southern California native with considerable talent, even if he did lose four of his final five games as the Trojans’ starter before being replaced by…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/uclas-starting-quarterback-2025-five-120050190.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-12-02 12:00:00
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