Pasadena, CA – UCLA has loss its first three games of the season and the last two were deemed subjectively as upset losses, with Friday night’s loss against New Mexico at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena considered possibly the program’s “lowest point,” after going down 35-10 to a team that hasn’t won a Power conference game since 2007.
“Everything that happens can fall on me. I’m the head coach. It can fall on me. You don’t have to try to word things differently. I’m the head coach,” coach Foster said. “But what I do know is that eventually this team is going to play with discipline. It’s going to happen… Pretty sure we didn’t think we would go on a run last year either when it happened. One thing that is going to happen is that those guys who are in the room are going to continue to believe and eventually it’s going to turn around.”
What appeared to be a momentum shift for UCLA who has still yet to lead in scoring this season after their third contest was when Mateen Bhaghani’s 51-yard field goal at the 3:34 mark in the third quarter reduced Lobos margin to 14-10 after Bruins trailed 14-0 most of the first half.
“Not the outcome at all that we wanted. It’s coming down to discipline and execution, coach Foster said to take full responsibility as head coach over this struggling historic program. “Not executing at a high level and not making plays when we need to. We’re not at our best when our best is needed.“
While Foster shared no doubt about being the right man for his coaching position, his players share similar support and belief while they hope to soon earn their first win to prove coach Foster as well as themselves are better than what has been shown this season.
“We just have to be at our best when our best is needed, UCLA redshirt senior defensive lineman Gary Smith III said to FI360news. “We get in critical situations, critical moments, and we just don’t perform to the level that we perform in practice. That’s something that we’re going to have to fix.”
UCLA redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava completed 22 of 34 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Anthony Woods finished as UCLA’s leading rusher, totaling 64 yards on 10 carries.
“I totally believe in Coach Foster. He gives me so much belief to get in the building and go to work, Iamaleava said. “He gives me that ‘want’ to go out there and practice, and practice hard. We’re doing him a disservice by not performing for him. He’s telling us everything we need to hear, he’s telling us everything we need to do, and we’re not executing as players.”
New Mexico players on the other hand came out unafraid and in complete execution mode for their first year coach, Jason Eck, by coming out early on the ground bulldozing over UCLA thin defensive line and continuing in the third quarter, with a 59 yard rush inside UCLA’s five-yard line. However, the Lobos fumbled the ball on a fourth-down play, allowing the Bruins to take over at their own three-yard line. Subsequently, the Bruins punted the ball after a short four play drive that resulted into a recovered fumble punt return, taking over at their own 41-yard line.
“That’s the thing about it. They respond in the correct way,” coach Foster said. “Everybody’s looking at me straight eye-to-eye, standing at attention, understanding what I’m saying, saying ‘Yes, sir.’ They understand what they’re doing. They get that they’re letting it slip away. It’s just unfortunate. This is not something that you would
anticipate to happen.”
New Mexico quarterback Jack Layne finished the game having completed 12 of 16 passes for 152 yards. The visiting Lobos (2-1) totaled 298 rushing yards, as two players registered at least 80-plus yards on the ground – led by Damon Bankston’s 154 rushing yards. D.J. McKinney had a team-leading 21 carries for 89 yards.
Friday’s game marked the Bruins’ third and final non-conference regular-season matchup before starting a bye week, followed by Big Ten play at Northwestern on Saturday, Sept. 27. The game time for UCLA (0-3) in Evanston, Ill., has not been determined and Bruins next home game will take place against Penn State on Saturday, Oct. 4.