Ben Bolch

He roams the practice field he once ruled, accommodating a malleable cast of characters. UCLA’s football-launching machine is on the fritz? DeShaun Foster flips balls into the air so his punt returners don’t waste any time in spring practice. A herd of recruits want to visit? Foster lingers to greet every one, the smiles genuine, the handshakes firm. Reporters want answers? Foster provides transparent injury updates, gives specifics about his plans, explains his thinking. It almost feels as if t…

UCLA’s newest transfer addition could start immediately for coach Mick Cronin and contribute in a variety of ways. In his first college season, Eric Dailey Jr. showed that he could handle the ball, drive to the basket, post up inside, pull up for three-pointers and make smart passes. The Oklahoma State freshman will take those talents from Stillwater, Okla., to Westwood after announcing on social media Tuesday that he was committed to the Bruins. “Bruin Nation,” Dailey wrote on the social media…

Hey, all you defensive backs about to enter the transfer portal. Offensive and defensive linemen getting antsy for a new school, listen up. Any tight end who is about to become a free agent, pay attention too. UCLA just might have a spot for you. Three days before the opening of the spring transfer portal window, Bruins coach DeShaun Foster identified his wish list in a bid to infuse talent and depth into a roster that could use a heavy helping of both. “I have six positions I want to address,”…

After two seasons in which he established himself as a shot-blocking menace who was as easygoing off the court as he was relentless on it, Adem Bona is moving on. The UCLA sophomore center announced Friday on Instagram that he was declaring for the NBA draft as part of a farewell message in which he thanked his coaches, teammates and fans. “These past 2 years have flown by,” Bona wrote. “Basketball has given me such an amazing opportunity to make memories with people I will cherish forever. But…

Officially, UCLA’s mantra under DeShaun Foster is discipline, respect and enthusiasm. Unofficially, a new slogan is emerging, one that will sound familiar to those who followed Pete Carroll across town. Always compete. “He just wants it all the time,” new Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe said of his boss’ get-after-it mind-set. “Like, he never wants to turn it off and that might be what you guys see in terms of — you can call it energy, whatever you want to call it, but it’s the head m…

UCLA’s defense could be living on the edge unless it finds a few good ones. Edge rusher might be the team’s thinnest position after coach DeShaun Foster confirmed Tuesday that Choe Bryant-Strother had entered the transfer portal, becoming the latest edge rusher to depart. Laiatu Latu and twins Gabriel and Grayson Murphy have declared for the NFL draft. Carl Jones Jr. and Jake Heimlicher have exhausted their eligibility. Bryant-Strother was the last remaining edge rusher on the roster who had pla…

Mick Cronin’s first offseason acquisition could find a spot alongside Dylan Andrews in UCLA’s starting backcourt. The Bruins snagged Louisville’s leading scorer Wednesday after sophomore combo guard Skyy Clark announced on the social platform X that he was headed back to his hometown. “Home is where the heart is!!” Clark, a native of Los Angeles, wrote atop a photo illustration showing him dribbling a basketball outside Pauley Pavilion and below the Hollywood sign and the words “I’m coming home.…

Keeping tabs on Eric Bieniemy during practice doesn’t require scanning the field. All one has to do is listen. “If you don’t know the … snap count!” UCLA’s offensive coordinator bellowed to a group of reserve players Thursday morning, adding a few choice words, “get the … off the field!” Later, when the offensive line wasn’t being as physical as he wanted, Bieniemy erupted anew. “Put a hat on a … hat, let’s play ball!” he shouted. Succeed or fail, the Bruins’ offense will not go quietly under it…

For a moment, it were as if nothing had changed. UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond walked onto the practice field Tuesday morning and found his new football coach in a familiar spot. “He caught me over there by the running backs,” DeShaun Foster said with a smile after the Bruins’ second spring practice and first that was open to the public. “It was like, man, if you had come out here a little earlier you would have seen me on the defensive field.” After going from running backs coach to hea…

Editor’s Note: The original version of this commentary did not meet Times editorial standards. It has been edited to remove language that was inappropriate and offensive. We apologize to the LSU basketball program and to our readers. On Monday, Ben Bolch offered an apology, which is appended to the bottom of this commentary. ALBANY, N.Y. — This isn’t just a basketball game, it’s a reckoning. Picking sides goes well beyond school allegiance. Do you prefer the team that wants to grow women’s baske…