UCLA linebacker Kain Medrano spoke from his heart as he relayed his message to high school football recruits and current college players who might be considering UCLA as their college choice. He looked out at reporters and into cameras as he made his pitch:
“We need you. We’ve got a lot of seniors getting out of here,” he said. “So portal, whatever it is, we need you guys. Why not come play football in LA? It’s 75 and sunny all year round. You get a great head coach, great position coach, great support staff behind you on top of a great education.”
“Yeah, it’s in LA,” quarterback Ethan Garbers added immediately after, “but you’re going to school in Beverly Hills. It doesn’t get much better.”
The UCLA football team (5-7) ended its season with a 20-13 win over Fresno State on Saturday and since the Bruins won’t be playing in a bowl game, it gives the program the opportunity to get a head start on offseason efforts to find pieces to build a team that can compete in the Big Ten Conference.
There will be holes to fill at multiple positions after the departure of Medrano, Garbers, defensive lineman Jay Toia, edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo, and tight end Moliki Matavao — who are all out of eligibility. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger might not return, either.
Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster was asked after Saturday’s game if he would look to the transfer portal to find a veteran quarterback. He did not indicate that would be the case but did speak highly of Justyn Martin, this season’s backup quarterback whose only full game was against Penn State.
“He’s still a Bruin so we’re going to evaluate everything,” Foster said. “When you have a backup quarterback that can come in and play well like that, you know everyone is excited about him and his future is bright at UCLA.”
Junior running back T.J. Harden can return to UCLA next season after receiving the majority of touches this season. Redshirt junior Anthony Frias II is also an option after being the leading rusher against Fresno State with 43 yards on 13 carries.
Prior to Saturday, Frias II was handed the ball only twice — once in the Hawaii game and another time against Oregon.
“T.J. missed the last two days because he was sick, so that was one guy who was out. Keegan was already nursing an ankle so that was unfortunate but it’s next-man mentality,” Foster said. “It was just exciting that he finally got his shot and when his number was called he was able to capitalize and make some plays for us.”
Bruins for Life, the NIL collective arm that specifically funds football, could help bring in high-profile recruits and talent from the transfer portal but it’s unknown how much money the collective has raised since it was first introduced.
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Foster has already made progress with the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes, and he will have the opportunity to fully dive into those efforts after an inaugural season that featured a wide range of highs and lows.
The coach’s devotion to his team has been reciprocated by players and could be a valuable selling point for recruits and potential transfers.
“The biggest thing I saw in Foster was his ability to just not give up, not quit, persevere through anything that came his way,” Garbers said. “He said we’re gonna come back to work the next day and we’re gonna put our pants on and we’re gonna work.”