DeShaun Foster is in the right place as head coach

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How did you fall for that? Even Gronk was like, me know that, not real money. Earlier on the show, Turner Sports play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson. Coming up, UCLA head coach Deshaun Foster, senior writer for the MMQB, Albert Breer.

And now, it's Rich Eisen. Our number two, the Rich Eisen Show is on the air. Great chat with Brian Anderson, who's calling the Knicks and the Pacers.

Tonight, we had that conversation in hour number one. Chris had a nice chat in the green room with the head coach of UCLA football, Deshaun Foster, who I covered in the first ever Super Bowl, NFL Network covered, Super Bowl 38. He only ripped one off for 33 yards his first score. You weren't happy at that time, Chris, because it was against your Patriots.

Not happy at the moment. And what a dynamite Super Bowl that was. It was the first of two in a row for New England.

The last back-to-back champions before this year. And Deshaun has been here before, but it was when Suzy was in the chair. Suzy covered UCLA before she covered USC, or she might've been covering them at the same time. At any rate, so Deshaun knows her. And he said, he last saw Suzy when she was parking at the Rose Bowl, bringing the kids in at the Rose Bowl for the Rose Bowl playoff game. So I can't wait to have Deshaun out here to describe what moving violation she must have committed. Just another guess who has- What?

Is this thing on? What? Just another guess who knows Suzy before you. That's true. Their second option to come into this? That's correct.

I am option two, which I'm happy to be. Always. Always. So there's that.

And Albert Breer's in hour number three. So would Jamal Murray have been suspended if he connected with the referee when he threw the heat pack on the court? If a member of either team with the heat pack on the court had stepped on it and turned an ankle, would that have been it?

I think that would have done it. Like if someone had gotten hurt. You can't go someone could have. So if that's the case, then just throwing it on the court or in the direction of the court or in the direction of an official should be enough to suspend him. And I understand the league does not want to suspend a player in the playoffs. You really have to commit some sort of a violation in order to be sad for the playoffs, in the playoffs. You know, being down 0-2 should not matter in my estimation. If they're up 2-0, would they have suspended him? I mean, these are the questions as a fan that one has. Because again, Jamal Murray lost his mind. He must have just snapped clearly. Obviously.

Because he doesn't strike me as a guy who's just like, you know, going to throw stuff on the court of officials. He's Canadian. Canadians are nice. Canadians are nice people. We know this.

I've never seen Jamal get upset. Stacey Dales. Exactly. Every Canadian I've ever met.

Right. I've never met a difficult Canadian. Very friendly. Ryan Reynolds.

Everyone's friendly. You know, edge Christian. Well, Christian, maybe not.

But I honestly don't. It seemed like he fed up with officiating. Also fed up with Minnesota's defense, man. I mean, got him struggling bad. Yeah, that that played a part, right?

Yeah. But yeah, Chris, he threw the towel, which is bad. And then he followed it up. That's why I thought a suspension could happen because he chucked two things at him.

Like the human feels good. I don't get it. Chris Finch is right. He called it dangerous and inexcusable. Yeah.

And because it is. And and even the crew chief, crew chief, Mark Davis said he didn't notice the toss at the time. And it could have been reviewed under the hostile act trigger.

How about that? But it's been subject to a technical foul, not an ejection quote for an ejection. You would have to determine it was thrown directly at somebody versus thrown in frustration.

What the hell does that mean? Well, he had to chuck it over a group of people that were sitting in front of the bank. I mean, that was a long toss. You know, I'm not normally the guy who calls for someone to get suspended or fine, but they got very lucky. Malone not getting the tea.

Murray not getting ties. That one I get, though. That one I completely, I can. Yeah, but you knock up to an official like that. Like, they both got into a fighting stance. Like, they were raving.

But that one I can understand where you're just like, you know what? I'm going to show, I want restraint out of officials and umpires. No doubt.

I want it. Like, and again, Aaron Judge got ejected from his first game ever the other day. And he said something. I mean, you could see he barked out something and then turned and said something as he was walking away and got ejected there. And umpires in Major League Baseball have been way too sensitive over the last couple of years.

But things get said and, you know, Aaron Boone got ejected this year for something a fan above him said. Right. That's true.

And he got a tea for glancing at somebody. And these are difficult gigs. These are difficult gigs with replay and 4K and fans showing up, you know, to the stadium, getting their apps gambling in the stands, putting money on every pitch, every basket, every possession.

No doubt. So I think intensity is ratcheting up on that front. Intensity is ratcheting up with Twitter accounts that are created just to see how bad the officiating has been or how inefficient it has been. So when an official shows restraint, I don't have an issue.

I kind of give him kudos on it. But somebody did not restrain himself from throwing an object on the court. Why do you think he's throwing it? Out of frustration at what? At the officiating. And who did he throw it in the direction of? At an official. How is this guy not suspended for?

Maybe you do look at his entire career and what he is and who he stands for and just show restraint in that regard. Some people do get the benefit of the doubt. I think it's because the Nuggets are down 0-2. And it's the playoffs, man.

It's come from up top? Is that what you're saying? No, I think they're sitting there going, if we suspend him right now, the defending champs could go down three games to none. And they showed some restraint in that regard.

And that this would affect the status of the series. Which is another reason to suspend him. It's just like it shouldn't matter. It shouldn't matter where it is.

It shouldn't matter what you are. I mean, the officials had thrown an object on the court. Never heard of such a thing. So I just got to question that one. 100,000 is a lot though. Dude, I'm sure it is.

And I know it is. In the big scheme of things for him? No, not really. Player definitely doesn't want to scratch out $100,000 or have it out of his paycheck, I'd imagine. The other thing, someone explain this to me. So Austin Rivers went on TV yesterday and said NFL players could not make the transition to the NBA, but NBA players can make the transition to the NFL. He said there's at least 30 guys in the NBA who could easily play in the NFL and be stars. Be stars in the game, huh?

Yeah. And a lot of NFL players have taken offense to that? A lot. Chris Long in particular was having a lot of fun on Twitter last night, posting some videos and responding to people having this conversation. You know, there's like a handful of guys, I think. We've come up with that. There's at least probably 10.

There's a handful. I think Anthony Edwards is just watching a guy right now. That would be really fun to watch him play edge or outside backer or something. And we're not saying lift him up today and put him like, give him some time to... Is that what Austin Rivers said?

I think he said just like today. I mean, Chris Long's conversation was like, look, the reason why these guys can't and won't and will never is because they don't want to get hit. They don't want to go to training camp. Correct.

Like you don't understand what it is. And here's the other thing. We get coached hard. These coaches yell the meanest things at us.

A guy will blow out his knee and they will move the drill around him so they can keep practicing while this guy gets taken care of. No doubt. There's just an attitude in the NFL that will never, ever exist. I also think there is an undercurrent at play.

And this is what I thought of when I was seeing a lot of the response. It's perfect for May 8th. For sure. And I think the undercurrent to this is good luck going from your sport to the ultimate contact sport. Good luck with that. Okay.

Where, you know, a foul that you consider not being called here, like the hacking foul that Anthony Edwards did not have called on him. Good luck when that hack is potentially taking your friggin head off. Okay. Good luck with that. Number one.

And then number two, I think this is the ultimate is like good luck going to a sport where you can't get out of your contract just because you say you want out. I don't think that has anything to do with it. No doubt.

Sir. That's not the part, that's not the point of this argument though. No doubt. I know it's the physical aspect of it. Yeah, that's, I don't think we're getting into contract negotiations.

But the undercurrent, no, it's just like, but no, it's the sense of what he said, of what Chris Long said. It's the culture of where you're going from where you currently are in your nice spot with your roster of just 15 guys. And then when the playoffs hit, you're a star. So you play in the Titan of the rotation in the NFL, there's a next man up mentality. There's somebody that's coming for your job all the time.

Good luck with that. Unless you're a quarterback, unless you're the Falcons, a lot of unlesses and, and, and, and, and good luck dealing with the aspect of the hard coaching and the hard work. And you can't just get to where you want to go to play with somebody you want to play with that you've always dreamt of playing with just by saying you want out, which is the way it works in the NBA. And I understand, I understand the argument, the argument is about whether they can physically just go from one endeavor to the other because it's that easy. You know, you don't have to work that hard.

You don't have to X's and O's. You don't have to know what the guy across from you on a scrimmage is going to do pre snap. You don't have to study as hard because your physical attributes that make you such a terrific NBA player can lead to stardom in the NFL. That's part of the argument from the NFL players. And I think there is an undercurrent from the NFL towards NBA players of, you could call it jealousy. You could call it also, embitterment that in the NFL, if you say I want to trade 99 times out of 100, you're going to have somebody like Mike Brown tell T Higgins, enjoy the franchise tag, sir, and put on the stripes because you are playing for the Bengals this year, or you're not getting paid.

Or good luck, good luck holding out. And in the NBA, an NBA player says, I want out. And it's just like, Oh, okay, let's, let's figure out what trade we can do that isn't as good for the franchise because we've had our entire leverage kneecapped by your public statement, but that's the way it goes in the NBA. And that's part of like good luck in the NFL. So you can go to the NFL and you can go get your ass handed to you physically that you have a complaint about on the hardwood all the time. You know, when you're bumped, trying to take a, you know, a jumper when, but you act like every NBA player is like that. That's not acting like that. I think the point being is, do you think there's someone in the NFL who could play in the NBA?

I'm sure there are. Why wouldn't you be doing it? Cause the NFL seems to be a whole lot tougher based on everything you just said. And I'm, like I said, I think this was just like a fantasy thing, but like if we get breaking it down, I don't know that there's anyone in the NFL who could play in the NBA, but I'm sure there probably are some guys in the NBA who could potentially six, eight, two 55. Well, but what position would Isaiah Stewart play? What about Russell Westbrook? Like we always say this about a prime Russell Westbrook free safety. Well, I'm sure. And plus my receiver Tony, the tight end is, is the position that is mostly associated with somebody who has a basketball background Gates, Jimmy Graham. Okay. Like I, I, I understand that. So, so, but that just because that happens doesn't mean that a power forward can suddenly play linebacker all of a sudden or power or some big man like the kid from NC state can suddenly, you know, be a tackle in the NFL. You know, that seems unlikely in my opinion, but, but if you're saying Austin river says, give it some time and he can do it for sure.

I'll buy that. But again, my point is as Chris long points out, there is an entirely different coaching and management structure in the national football league than there is in the NBA and good luck trying to endeavor it. And part of it is if you're an all star player in the NBA and you're like, I want out, suddenly it's like, Oh, we have to do that.

Cause that's the way it works here. The NFL player goes, I want out very rarely. Are they accommodated? Like who's been accommodated on that front in the NFL recently?

Was it Devante Adams was the last one where they say I want out and suddenly you get to go and like Devante Adams had a very NBA type experience where he's like, I want out. I want to play with somebody in particular. Can I play? I'd like to go there. And he was accommodated. Yeah.

Rogers, Rogers might be the last one too. I want out. I want to be accommodated. It doesn't happen very often. It doesn't happen very often. I think more, it's just kind of the big argument has just been the culture culture wise of like, these guys don't want to get hit. We see what's called a foul in the NBA. We see guys flopping all over the place.

And that's why I'm bringing the culture of management and coaching to the four as well. You TJ are like, this is just a straight physical conversation. Do you have the physical skillset in the NBA transfers better the NFL than the other way around? That's all I'm saying. And I'm not saying a lot of guys can do it because God knows.

Yeah. Being a professional football player, NFL is. But I just feel like if you were going to swap them, I think you'd have a better chance of a NBA player making a roster. But everyone, you know, saying, oh, Kevin Durant, LeBron could play wide receiver. They get hit one time over the middle.

The ribs are broken. They'll never play against seven foot tall. He's not going to play. That's what I mean. But like a like a super casual is like, oh, look how tall they are. They can play wide receiver.

No, they can't. Low key was apparently before he picked basketball at UCLA. He was a one of the best high school football players there were.

So that's the reason why receivers kind of top out at six five. Like, you know, let's let's ask Deshaun Foster if he's asked McCrone and for one of his players or vice versa, because he thinks it's very simple. How about that? You did a deep dive into the psyche of this thing. I think we were just. Well, I mean, I'm a deep dive psyche guy because I learned from I learned from Craig Kilborn how to meditate. Just sit in your in your in your leather barker lounger with a hand mirror. Larry Wedgen and think of your favorite basketball player called the Distressed Lord. Was that a funny Bernard King?

That was that was that was Kilborn classic when he went into that story yesterday. All right. Let's take a break. Deshaun Foster, the head coach of UCLA football, is here.

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Twenty, twenty three award information. Visit J.D. Power dot com slash awards only at a sleep number store or sleep number dot com to Sean Foster, the head coach of UCLA football is here on the Rich Eisen Show. So getting into your process of getting to be head coach of UCLA, when did it when did things begin to start to move where you realize that you were a viable candidate for this gig? So I ended up taking the Raider job. So I was a Raiders running back coach for two days.

And then Chip ended up leaving. UCLA called me back. I interviewed over Zoom.

And then after that, I did a couple in person. And that's when I knew that this was just getting serious. Right.

Getting serious. Yeah. And so I'm sure Antonio Pierce was just like, congratulations, right? He totally got it. He understood. No, especially being a friend, you know, so knowing that that's just our goals, you know, and having an opportunity to be the head coach at your alma mater. Right.

Couldn't pass that out. So what would you say to anybody that's out there? And I know I'm kind of just jumping ahead a few steps here with you to anybody that's looking at a former player. Now, obviously, you've had coaching experience. Antonio Pierce has had coaching experience, but just the concept of a former player who hasn't beaten the coaching sticks for a decade and a half, two decades.

What do you say to anybody who's in a position to hire a coach to say you don't have to do the 15, 20 years? All you need is some. And then the rest of it is your own heart, guts and feel and head.

What do you say? It's all about teaching. We're teachers. So if they can teach, they should be able to coach. You know, and I started coaching 2012.

So was it 12 years now? I've been in the game for a minute. You have, you know, and it's just I just felt I had a master's in football. Just as much football as I played, I had a master's in football and maybe I can go on and figure it out. But, you know, those first couple of years, you're just trying to see if you like coaching, if this is are you in the right place? Maybe I want to be a scout. Maybe I want to do player development. Like you don't know exactly what you want to do, but you know, you want to be around ball. So what did you like about coaching that you realized, OK, I got this.

I like it. This is a development aspect. So I fell in love with just the process, the developing guys. And I took pride in like, I know you guys can make it to the NFL, but how prepared will you be when you get there? You know, and then like just speaking to scouts and talking to them after they take my guys, they're like, I know he's always going to have this, this, this and this. I just enjoyed the process of that.

And do you recall the moment where you're like, OK, I like an exact pinpoint moment where you're like, OK, I. So I like coach. I got the coach under Keni Palomolo. And that's Troy's uncle. And he was a running back coach at SC, coach at UCLA.

He's in the NFL now. But just the platform that he gave me and just the teaching and. Asking me like, OK, what do you guys need to do today? Just prepared me for to be a coach. And once I saw that, like, OK, I do like this. This is kind of cool. This is exciting.

So it's probably about four years in. All right. And now, but it's a different college football world to the point where part of the reason how you got the gig in UCLA is because your predecessors like don't want to deal with a lot of the stuff that head coaches have to deal with in college. How about that part of the job for you? Are you into that part of it or you don't have the same aspect of it or concept of it as maybe or approach as Chip Kelly?

What do you think about that? I'm lucky because I'm becoming a head coach when this is it. I wasn't a head coach when it was interesting. Yes, I was a position coach at that time. But being a head coach in this, this is my first go around and this is how college football is operating. So I'm all for it.

So you basically you're saying you're you're this is the only way you know how to be a head coach. Right. And thus it might not rankle you because you don't have any history of it. How it used to be. How it used to be. Exactly.

Interesting. So then what what is the secret sauce on reaching a player that has transfer portal opportunities and might have an NIL opportunity here or there that can create a sense of independence? What do you what's your approach to that?

You just have to do your homework. It's not just you really have to get to know the kids. See what makes them tick. Why does he like football?

What's going on? You know, what is he really motivated by? You know, some guys can have money, but that's not really the motivation. You just got to check them out and vet out and make sure you're getting the right kids. But other than that, you know, we're in an era right now where college football players are able to college athletes are able to be paid. So, you know, you just have to embrace it and go from there. Well, and clearly the your your kids that you have there were very happy to hear that you got the gig. We have the video of the moment where they they learned in here. You come in and what was this moment like for you to see this reaction from them that you were the head coach?

It was awesome. You know, you I knew how to offense felt about me, but I wasn't sure. I mean I knew how some of the defense felt about me, but I didn't know they would lose their minds and everybody going crazy. So did they not know you were about to walk in?

No idea. So they're they're like everybody meet up. We've got your new head coach.

And then you walk in. Yeah. Wow. Wow.

I saw that video. I thought maybe just maybe they had an inkling that it was you or some of them knew or all of them knew it was going to be you and they were just excited to physically see you know because all weekend they were texting me and I just didn't give them anything really. Yeah. It's because you didn't know anything yet or you just didn't want to a little bit of both. Okay, a little bit of both, but I just I was trying to be cool about it. You know, you wanted to relax and let's let this just and I know even this course even now I kind of feel like you still want to be a little cool and here I am going into the process of it like you are you are that guy.

So I understand that I'm kind of picking up that vibe from you right now. But that is kind of it's got to be cool to Sean. It is. It is special. You know, you still have a special place.

And I think it takes Bruins to really understand how special it is. Why? Just because it's not not everybody can go to UCLA.

Not everybody has. And you know, for me, this isn't a stepping stone. This isn't the I'm using this to get this job. You know, this if I if I do this right, I should be in the next 20 years. This is your destination. This is your destiny.

Maybe where I'm supposed to be. Pretty cool. So interestingly enough, when you take on USC, and obviously that's the game. We all understand that now there's a new Big Ten for you and there'll be other rivalries to be born. Our senior digital producer is a diehard Southern California kid, right?

An LA sports fan and he let me know that your first, if you will, battle with USC was your high school championship game, essentially. Right? Yeah. Where you took on Carson Palmer's high school?

Yes. And the final score was something insane? What was it? A lot to a lot. A lot to a lot. There it is.

There it is up on the screen right here. You were playing for Tustin. And then you took on the the Eagles of what was the Cal State Fullerton Field? Yep. Santa Margarita. Yeah.

Santa Margarita. Carson threw for 413 yards and five touchdowns. You ran for 378 yards and six scores?

And lost. Wow. Look at your season stats. You ran for 3,398 rush yards and 59 total touchdowns?

Wow. So no wonder when I say, what if we told the kid from Tustin you're going to be the coach of UCLA and your answer was, what happened to my football career? Oh, I get it.

No, I get it. What in the hell is it like running for 3,398 rushing yards? It was awesome. It was, you know, I, I, I enjoyed our, my high school career, you know, just playing with your friends and represent Tustin and, you know, it was, it was cool playing against a private school, the Trinity league school, right? You know, Servite was in my league at that time, so it was pretty cool. So when did UCLA first knock on your door? When did that happen? I think my junior year.

Junior year? Yeah. And who was it? Who was the coach? Bobby, Bob Toledo. Bob Toledo.

And Bobby Fields was the area recruiter. Okay. And then you bring, you bring the thunder to UCLA.

And what was your draft day like in the NFL? That was pretty awesome also. Well, let's go back to the high school. Okay. Then let's go back to, by the way, I love it. That's the coach taking over. That's the control freak here.

Normally it's the host is a control freak, but yes, let's go back to it. How did you get to UCLA? You just saw my stats, right? I certainly did. Okay. There was a certain school in this area that told me that I could come and play DB.

Oh, would that be Southern California? There you go. DB? Defensive back. Hold on a second. Yeah.

Your stats, you run for damn near 3,400 rushing yards and they say, how'd you like to play defensive back? Yeah. Did you, did you? I mean, I was pretty good at that too. Yes.

I just scored 60 touchdowns. Wait a minute. Hold on a second.

Cause I'm, I need to get familiar with this. You're playing both sides of the ball when doing that? Yeah.

So wait a minute. I probably played every snap except probably like six snaps. So Carson's throwing against you and you're running against his defense? Yeah. They're just running me on faith. So I'm just covering somebody. I'm just running wind sprints on defense and then I come back and run the ball.

So how did you take that? How'd you like to play DB? I mean, I cramped up. Oh, well, I cramped up in that game, but okay. Let's go back to. Yes.

So please. Yeah. They told me I can play defense. So I went across the street and my first game against him, four touchdowns, one 25. Somebody look up the stats.

I don't know. Chris, look up the stats. His first game against USC after they asked, how'd you like to play defensive back? He, uh, I, I, what should I say?

Impolitely declined. Is that one way to say that year? I think your seventh all time in the history of California for single season rushing. Yes. Your first game against USC and his, in his game log.

You got that over there? 34 17, you had four touchdowns, four yard pass from came down one yard run. Uh, let's see here. A 65 yard run. And then they capped it off with a one yard run. And did you have any words for the opposing sideline? No, it was just, you just flipped the ball to the ref and went back. That's it.

Really? It was at the Rose Bowl. So it wasn't much to be said.

15 carries 117 yards, three touchdowns. And by the way, what a place. Uh, obviously I'm very biased with the Rose Bowl.

Very biased. You know, uh, I, um, I did, I did. It felt good for Michigan to, to win a playoff game there. Uh, but I also covered, uh, Bo's last game there when USC beat Michigan.

Um, uh, and, and I've, I've run my run at the Rose Bowl three years in a row. So I know, I know what it likes to physically achieve. Right.

If I may say in the Rose Bowl. Yes, exactly. Exactly. Um, but that, that is, that is so cool. Wow. All right. Now I know. So this goes way back.

This rivalry, deep, deep, deep. Perfect coach for the situation. Um, but what was your, your draft day like when it was, it was awesome. You know, where were you? I was at my agent's house. Okay.

Um, they've done athletes first. We're at his house. Um, you know, I was born in Charlotte, so that was awesome.

How cool is that? Exactly. To get drafted back home. Right. And, uh, be able to play in front of my whole family. Cause we were the only ones out of the state.

So it was just amazing to be able to go back home. So who called you? Was it John Fox got on the call? John Fox, Marty Hurney and, uh, Mr. Richardson. Got on the phone. And how'd you like to be a Carolina Panther?

Yeah, it was, it was pretty cool, but I kind of had a feeling that if I was there, I would go there. My running back coach. So Kelly Skipper was my running back coach in college.

His dad was a running back coach for the Panthers. And he had kind of told if I'm there, they're taking me. And super Sunday, let's go through this first.

Well, I guess the NFC championship game too, right? That was pretty huge in Philadelphia and everybody in Philadelphia thought that you were just a speed bump for their, for their, you know, for their rightful ascent, including Fred X. He thought that UCLA's finest Fred X. I love that. My favorite nickname for Freddie Mitchell that he named himself is Sultan of the slot was my favorite, by the way. And Susie loved Freddie.

Mitchell loved Freddie. But you too, covering you guys, uh, back in the day, the Sultan of the slot is my favorite Fred X. Oh, when he thanked his hands, that was the best. He thanked his hands.

Now, what are you going to say to your, if one of your players thanks his hands now that you're the coach about now, huh? We'll probably get in front of that. So you wouldn't even have, you know, I think I could get in front of that. Would you bring Fred in to talk to your receivers? Definitely.

Heck yeah, you will. Okay. Of course he can, but not just say, don't thank, don't thank your hands. Just tell Fred to tell the kids, do not thank your hands, but deliver like Fred X.

And did he say to you before that game, like, you know, we're going to win a couple. Okay. That's right. Freddie Mitchell. Fantastic. You have a player who throws a 61 yard touchdown pass like Freddie did to the row over there.

Then I think you'd be okay with him thanking his hands. Right. Okay.

See TJ bringing the noise and the information. And that was in the Rose Bowl. Remember Freddie broke his leg earlier that year, came back in the Rose Bowl and threw a touchdown pass to deeply. Fantastic.

I love it. What was it like running a 33 yard touchdown in the Superbowl though? Man, that was. Walk me through the play.

Mark me through it here. So it was a little two minute around a trap. You just fell down by two scores to start the second half too.

Yes. So that's why we were a two minute. We're in two minute, um, probably about eight plays that we have off top that we can just run all by numbers. We ended up calling a trap. I got the ball, came off the trap block, made a move on the linebacker and I was breaking to the left Smitty and safety are kind of running at each other. I didn't really want to make another lateral move. I kind of just ran through Smitty and him like split them. I didn't even use Smitty's block and then it was off to the race. Yeah. Look at Rodney Harrison trail in the play and you, you, you just dove in.

How cool is that? I believe I broke his forearm later on in the game. Oh, did you really just want to play? He went to tackle me and I think you can't, you can't one hand, you can't one arm tackle to Sean Foster. Come on now. That's just super, but I just knew that was Sports Illustrated.

I just knew I was about to be on the cover. That was it right there. If it wasn't for that guy named Tom Brady, that was our first field too.

We kicked it out of bounds. Oh my gosh. A few more minutes with you, man.

I appreciate the time. Tell me something else that happened in that Super bowl. Okay. Come on. Well, this is halftime. Janet, Janet.

No, no, no, no. Excuse me. Because that was big for us on NFL network to Sean. Cause we had our first ever commercial.

Okay. Ready to roll our first ever commercial for the super bowl, ready to roll. And the commercial was all the stars of the NFL. You know, that you could think of like Jerry rice and Tio and bill Parcells and Jerry Jones, all sap, all singing tomorrow from Annie, because the idea for NFL network, which was new, we were 11 weeks old was tomorrow. Everybody starts from scratch from the super bowl.

Everybody is O and O all 32 teams and NFL network will cover at three 65, 24 seven. We're not just an in season network. And we were all excited. We were all around the television set. Cause the commercial was going to air as soon as the halftime show was over. And then we saw what we saw the wardrobe malfunctioning.

And we were all like, what? And nobody saw the commercial. It was the most rewound moment in the history of at the time Tivo was the device. It was Tivo's most rewound moment in its history. Nobody saw the commercial.

So I didn't know you were referring to that. Were you, were you already out of the locker room for that? We didn't know what happened till after till after the game, after the game, nobody even saw this was even mentioning on a set of things.

Cause it's a super bowl, right? I remember the streaker. Somebody ran out right after half. And I remember, I think it was Chapman. Somebody tackled him.

One of the players for the Patriots. We were kicking off. I remember that that one I forgot cause that wardrobe, I imagine for the, for the families functioning as they wish. Beyonce saying the national anthem.

That was amazing too. Cause we were in the wardrobe malfunctioned super bowl. I really like to remember for Deshaun Foster's 33 yard touchdown. If you don't mind, we'll take a break and then just spend another couple of minutes on the present day for you at UCLA. I've got the head coach of UCLA football, Deshaun Foster here.

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Call click ranger.com or, or just stop by. I'm sitting with Deshaun Foster, the head coach of UCLA football, just chatted in the Roku channel only segment about one of my favorites that I get to work with. And Steve Smith senior, because again, he, he, he told a story once, um, about a coach in the NFL who is no longer a head coach with the time was a position coach for the pro bowl. He was in and he was a receiver coach for that pro bowl. And he told him he couldn't work out with the receivers cause he was only a pro bowl player as a special teamer. And that was my, I shook my head too. And I'm like, Oh, he did.

No, no, he didn't. And he goes, Oh yes. And that happened I think almost 20 years before he was still hot about it still right now. That's the sort of guy you want in, in a football player, right? Like you want that sort of aspect. I can channel that type of and unleash it on the field.

But how do you as a coach identify that? I mean, that's hard to dig it out, right? That's hard because he's the only person that I know that was actually trying to get completely pissed off and can still play at the top of his game. Pissed. Yes. Not many people can do that.

You start losing it and focus and losing meant you can't make real decisions. Huh? He's at the top of his game when he's cause he's trying to get there. Did you ever try and bait an opponent to piss him off? Oh, I might just tell, Oh yeah, he said something. He was, he's chirping. Was the guy really chirping or did you make that up?

Made it up. I don't want to keep digging into this cause I might be revealing stuff that you might do to some of your players, you know, on the sideline this fall. Tell me about hiring Eric Bienemy and, and, and what he brings to the equation for you. Just a, a real veteran coach that has real NFL knowledge.

Pedigree can help develop TC's young players, how to be pros. And then, um, just being in my first year, I wanted to like a real presence as my offensive coordinator, like somebody that can, you know, just command and really demand the, the kind of discipline that I want out of my players. When did you first meet him? I met him years ago, but I just reached out to him when, when the season ended. Okay. Once I got the job. Once you got the gig and, and, and he was going through a post commanders conversations for himself now, but I can see how a guy that once essentially MF'd Adrian Peterson while coaching him to be straight up, you know, to an 18, 19 year old who, you know, as transfer portal possibilities might just look at somebody like him hard coaching.

And that might not be a mix. How do you handle something like that? Well, my pillars are discipline, respect, and enthusiasm. So I think as long as the respect aspect is there, you can discipline and talk to guys, however, you know, and just what I've seen him do in a little bit of time, how you befriend them.

And it's not like he's attacking them. It's just what you're doing. You know, it's not the performers to performance. We're just trying to fix what you're doing. And for you to get to where you got to go, you got to get coached hard. Well, he that's, that's that guy. I mean, he is the guy on the screen is a excellent and an excellent, um, red ass. There's just, that's, that's the way that, that he is. I'm just concerned that maybe some kids in the 21st century just aren't accepting of that sort.

I mean, I'm pretty sure there are some kids that haven't, but we haven't had anybody hit the portal or no, I've noticed that, you know, and I'm kind of the same way. Okay. So there's a pod and there's two P's right there. It's the HC and the OC. Okay.

Fantastic. And then, uh, offensively, what, what is this team going to look like? Would you say after, after the chip Kelly era here? Well, we know that every Michigan fan is watching this, so right here, we don't play each other. I noticed, I noticed they didn't put us on the schedule against each other in year one, but you're just going to see just like my pillars, the team that's going to play with a lot of discipline, respect and enthusiasm. We're going to get out there. We're going to run the ball. We're going to throw passes.

We're going to score touchdowns and we're going to play hard. Okay. And that your quarterback competition, is there one, what do you think garbage is my starting quarterback? Okay.

So there is no, there is no competition. No, he finished a year. Last year came in the ball game, one MVP. Sure. And he's just been trending ever since I loved how the way he approached spring, picking up the offense really well commanded, you know, so I just really wanted to see him just take the full leadership of learning a new offense and still be able to command your teammates.

Okay. And big 10 play. This is wild, isn't it?

I mean that this is happening here. It's very sad that the Pac-12 is, it ended, you know, just the history of it. You know, a lot of great players, even this past year, you know, what do we have? How many first round quarterbacks came out of the pack? Yeah. Well, you obviously had Caleb and then you had Pennix and then you had Nix and, and well then there was Jayden Daniels and then there was McCarthy who was, you know, one in the Roseville.

And Jayden Daniels. Yeah, sure. One in one. So, you know, just having that type of conference and we're losing it, it's unfortunate, but being in the big 10, this is something that, you know, can really help our program and just the exposure that we can get playing these games and these different teams. Well, I mean, you know, and again, it's no denigration to Pac-12 football and I'm not saying this because I'm biased, it's just big 10, you know, there's a lot of people come run downhill and hit you in the mouth. And so that's the mentality that you're trying to instill, I'd imagine. Yeah, clearly.

Most definitely. We played Michigan in 2000. It came down to the Rose Bowl.

Yeah. And what happened in that game? They were number three in the nation. And then what happened in that game?

I think they got outscored by a UCLA team. That's why you're bringing it out. I also might have played in that game. I'm aware of what time it is Deshaun. I know, you know. I know it's happening here. I know it's happening here. You know? Yeah, I know. But, you know, we're excited for this change and it's just something that's needed in this new era of college football.

Okay. And what do you say to a UCLA fan that is excited for joining the Big Ten, but also concerned that the HC that was there decides, I really wasn't into being an HC anymore. And then you come along. What do you say to a UCLA fan right now?

Just come out here and keep supporting us. You know, I've done a lot of things. We had a Friday night lights. I was great at the stadium. We have probably had the most people we've had our spring game in years. So, you know, they liked the product that we're putting out there.

Just keep coming out and supporting us and you'll really enjoy it because that's what we need. We need to have the Rose Bowl really be a UCLA home field. You know, when I played in the Rose Bowl, it was packed with our fans.

It wasn't the opponents or whoever was coming into town. So I'm just excited to get back to that. And, you know, we're playing those teams that can actually that people might want to come see. And that's true. I think that's going to.

And, you know, there's a lot of transplants in this town that might want to buy tickets in the Rose Bowl and then not give you the home field advantage you're looking for. We might have to do like the was that the Sixers? Was that the? Yeah. Did he buy?

Yeah, buy. Yeah, right. You know, yeah, sure.

Tell Casey by a level by five thousand seats or something like that. But you know, I I hear what you're saying, but you're right. It's just you got to build up the enthusiasm.

You got to you got to tell everybody that there's, you know, a new Deshaun Foster in town and you have to win. Yeah, winning breeds all of it. It brings it all about.

It really does, for sure. Well, in the meantime, what a pleasure having you here on the program. I know you came in when you were the running backs coach with Susie and she wanted me to send my best to you. She always enjoyed knowing you all this time.

And we're both very excited for your ascension to the head coaching gig here. Thank you. No, I said hello.

I will. I think she she might already have heard that right there, but very good. She's watching. You think so? More than likely. Well, I mean, is she texted either one of you guys?

Not yet. Okay. So very good. Thanks for coming here. And I appreciate you coming down the 405 and coming down here and sharing your first couple of weeks and months on the gig stories with us. Appreciate it.

You know, come anywhere near the airport. That's important. Very good. I know that that's Deshaun Foster right here on the Rich Eisen show.

We're still here on the on the Roku channel. So you saw Susie parking at the Rose Bowl. She came with she she was the one who brought our kids to go to the game. Did she?

I'm going to go here. Did she just move right into the spot or did she cut through and make a left hand turn? And she had her blinker on. She had her blinker on.

Upset. I didn't know she knew where that was. Wow. Did she have both hands on the wheel, though? That's the question. She likes to drive her knees.

She had her blinker on to let people know I'm about to pull into this spot. Yes. Wow. I don't know.

She was driving. Okay. So it was all good. Yes. It was all good. Oh, yeah.

Real quick. Are you going to reach out to any of your the team's basketball players to join the football program? Because, you know, Austin Rivers says you can do that sort of thing.

I actually wanted to comment on that on Twitter. And? Well, I just want to know what 30 players can go and play in the NFL. Like, give me those exact like you want names. You want to list.

There's 30 players that can really play in the NFL. Like, come on. Like, really? You don't think so?

What's the number? Well, one sport if you if you touch them, there's a foul. Yes. The other sport is all about. Physicality is pushing people around.

So the number zero. So I don't see the mix at all. I don't I don't see the mix at all. Okay.

I mean, I'm not taking it away from people being athletic and stuff, but there's a lot more to just run it and do. Deshaun Foster here on the Rich Eisen Show, sending him back to Westwood with Ash. John brings his skewed sense of humor. Jeff brings tips to cut strokes off your next round. Together, it's those weekend golf guys.

They'll pay a lot of money to PXG and Tylus and Callaway and done and on and on. How many yards do you think you're going to pick up with that extra? I think I can get an extra five to ten. What if I give you fifteen to twenty? You pay me more. Jeff Smith teaches on a sliding scale. Those weekend golf guys. The podcast. The Believe Network. Just search BLEAV on YouTube or wherever you listen.