UCLA football’s Saturday session wasn’t just another day in pads – it was a test of stamina and patience.
Coach DeShaun Foster stretched the team’s eighth practice into a marathon, aiming to replicate game-time reality.
No quick whistles. No early escapes to the shade. Just football.
“We need these long practices to make us ready and conditioned for a real game,” said redshirt junior linebacker Jalen Woods. “Coach Fos preaches it. Saturdays are for game-like work. First quarter, second quarter, all the way through.”
The physical grind has been matched by a deliberate push to fuse a roster heavy with new faces into a single unit.
Foster has established and enforced rules that maintain players’ close contact off the field. There are no to-go boxes at team meals, and teammates have to sit down with each other. With a focus on mingling with personnel from the other side of the ball, players listen to their stories and learn things about their new teammates.
Those sit-down meals are bookended by other bonding moments – a team beach day, karaoke nights and card games in the hotel. For Woods, the seemingly small things are the glue that makes the team stick.
“It’s about knowing everybody on your team,” Woods said. “You never know what they’re going through, so instead of just sitting on your phone, you’re talking to someone, finding out who they are. I’ve learned a lot about guys who don’t usually talk much, like (freshman running back) Karson Cox. He’s cool once you get to know him.”
Junior wide receiver Mikey Matthews has leaned into that philosophy.
The incoming California transfer is roommates with redshirt freshman defensive back Brett Barry. Despite playing on opposite sides of the field, the newcomers typically end their nights the same way: sports video games, usually following long meeting blocks that can stretch past 9:30 p.m.
“It sucks in the moment, but it’s going by fast, so I’ve got to cherish it,” Matthews said. “We’re football junkies here. No one’s complaining about the workload. We’ve all got a chip on our shoulders.”
Matthews’ on-field comfort has been boosted by his history with redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava. The two crossed paths during seven-on-seven competitions in high school and maintained a rapport off the gridiron.
“When I knew he was coming here, it was a blessing,” Matthews said. “I already knew he’d get me the rock. He’s lived up to everything I expected: a leader who pushes us every day.”
The connection between the signal caller and the Bruins’ projected starting slot receiver is imperative to an offense that’s as broad as any Matthews has played in before.
Despite his likely role manning the slot, he’s also been repping outside and even at running back depth or tight end alignments.
The Irvine, California, local says every receiver has to know every position and concept because the coaches can dial up anything from anywhere.
And versatility is integral in a steep receiver’s room. Transfer senior Kyle Miller, freshman Jace Brown and returners like redshirt senior Titus Mokiao-Atimalala and sophomore Kwazi Gilmer are all competing for the three starting spots. After practice, each receiver catches at least 100 passes on the Jugs machine and works on blocking technique.
“You can’t throw the ball without running the ball,” Matthews said. “We take pride in making sure backs like (junior and fellow Cal transfer) Jaivian Thomas get to the second level.”
Thomas wasn’t a stranger to Matthews, either. The two made the trip from Cal to UCLA together, with Matthews pitching Los Angeles and Foster’s culture as selling points.
And like the wide receiver room, Woods’ group is stacked with both veterans and improving newcomers, making each rep in practice a competition.
“Competition is needed,” Woods said. “It gets the most out of players. We want as many linebackers on the field as possible, so that means knowing your job every snap.”
Foster has been pleased with Woods’ growth, calling him a tone-setter, and he’s also encouraged by Iamaleava, whose energy draws in his teammates, encouraging offensive linemen to cross-train at multiple positions to build depth.
Injuries may have hit the Bruins, but Foster says the roster has far more options than in the spring.
Depth is especially noticeable at running back, with Cox and redshirt sophomore Isaiah Carlson all pushing behind veterans like Thomas and redshirt junior Anthony Woods. Foster visibly lit up when talking about Woods, who is now more than a year removed from ACL surgery and running without a brace.
“He’s kind of the sleeper right now,” Foster said. “He’s running hard and feels comfortable.”
As camp progresses, Foster’s main questions aren’t about talent but about who can operate under fatigue, who has the playbook down in detail and who will execute situational football without hesitation.
“It’s about figuring out who can function tired,” Foster said. “We know who’s tough. Now it’s about putting that in game situations.”
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