This post was updated Aug. 24 at 8:07 p.m.
Every team’s makeup is constantly evolving and changing.
And while the Bruins’ roster churn has yet to slow, the identity of the team is starting to harden.
UCLA football, now in its second season under Head Coach DeShaun Foster, is grinding through fall camp with a retooled staff, a clear QB1 and a locker room leaning into what could be a breakout 2025 campaign.
Despite all of the moving parts around the program, Foster remains solid and his tone holds steady: competition rules everything. That includes newly added pieces like Tai Marks, an interior offensive lineman expected to arrive Thursday from Tulsa.
“Everybody has an opportunity to compete,” Foster said. “As soon as he can get in here and learn the plays … we’ll see where he falls on the depth chart.”
With the addition of Marks, the offensive line is taking shape. Foster indicated he is close to naming his starting five up front, though finalizing the top 11 to 12 remains a priority as the team heads into the mock game week of fall camp. He praised the group for embracing movement across positions.
“They might be at one position one period, the next period they’re at another,” Foster said. “They’re just trying to make strides.”
The quarterback position, meanwhile, is settled.
With Tennessee transfer redshirt sophomore Nico Iamaleava as the surefire starter, the redshirt sophomore has taken command of the huddle and the offense, allowing the signal caller to build chemistry with sophomore wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer.
“That’s my brother,” Gilmer said. “We are going to do everything together. We always like, come on, let’s go get some routes. … We’re trying to go to the league.”
And after just one season playing collegiate ball, Gilmer has taken every step forward after finishing his freshman season with 31 catches for 345 yards and two touchdowns last season.
“Last year I was just getting my foot in the water,” Gilmer said. “Now that I got it, it’s over.”
His routes are sharper, and the confidence he boasts is obvious.
He’s not shy about his goals either: winning the Fred Biletnikoff Award for most outstanding receiver. Gilmer’s playing faster, too – facilitated by offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri’s new system.
“With EB (former UCLA offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy) it was 17 words,” Gilmer said. “Now we’re in signals. … See the play, do it.”
That rhythm and simplicity with play-calling has helped streamline offensive reads and push tempo – last year he averaged 11.1 yards per catch, which now feels effortless in this new pace.
The new structure of the offense won’t just help Gilmer either. Wide receiver duo redshirt senior Titus Mokiao-Atimalala and junior Mikey Matthews – the two other pass catchers most likely to join Gilmer as starters – are healthy and back to top form.
Similarly, the tight ends, led by redshirt juniors Jack Pedersen and Jake Renda, have emerged as one of camp’s most improved position groups, providing an upgrade that could be paramount for a quarterback in a new system with different weapons.
“I would say probably tight ends,” Foster said when asked who has taken the biggest leap. “Jack’s doing a great job. My two freshmen are playing well, too.”
Growth across the entire spectrum of offensive weapons may prove integral to the functioning of a more versatile scheme.
And after the Bruins averaged just 242.3 passing yards per game last season – ranking 44th nationally – Foster wants to keep the offense multidimensional.
“We’re just excited about this being a full offense,” Foster said. “Not just a one-dimensional thing – just being a full offense that can run the ball and stretch the field.”
Situational work and performance under pressure have also been focuses at camp. Foster noted development in two-minute drills, awareness in clock scenarios and overall sideline management.
Gilmer also pointed out that the emphasis on strategic offensive operations was intentional, specifically with running the ball to save clock time.
“That’s what we were messing up last year,” Gilmer said. “Now? We are going to execute.”
But behind the system tweaks, situational expertise and position group growth is something bigger: trust.
Junior kicker Mateen Bhaghani says the camaraderie on the team is real this year.
“Compared to last year, the team’s so much closer,” Bhaghani said. “Coach Fos has done a great job installing brotherhood.”
Every night, players gather for meetings where coaches and teammates share their backstories and motivations, building mutual respect and purpose within the program.
Bhaghani is coming off a breakout season where he boasted an 83.3% field goal percentage and is now looking to push his range and accuracy even further, come the 2025 campaign.
“I’m always shooting for perfection,” Bhaghani said. “Just getting better every year, focusing on the day-to-day.”
And starting against Utah, Bhagani is working with a new holder in junior punter Will Karoll. The specialist unit – including Australian punters Karoll and freshman Lennox Miller — has kept things loose.
“Accent always cracks me up,” Bhaghani said. “But they’re genuine people, and that’s what makes it work. ”
On defense, young defensive backs have caught the attention of the offense. Gilmer singled out junior Scooter Jackson and redshirt sophomore Cole Martin as tough covers. Foster’s emphasis on versatility didn’t stop on offense – rotating personnel, cross-training players and rewarding those who maximize their reps is critical for the success of the defensive unit.
The pace, structure and tone of camp point to a program not just surviving turnover, but evolving from it.
Foster doesn’t oversell. He builds.
“Just take advantage of the reps you get,” Foster said. “Let everything else play out.”
And so far, it has.
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