LOS ANGELES — “Discipline” is the first of UCLA football coach DeShaun Foster’s three pillars in “D.R.E.,” and it’s also the pillar that the Bruins struggled with the most in Saturday night’s 21-17 loss to Minnesota.
UCLA was given 10 penalties for a loss of 105 yards in the game after getting only five in its previous game against Penn State.
“It wouldn’t be one of my pillars if I didn’t think it was really important,” Foster told reporters. “I had to continue to reiterate it to the team and have them truly understand what it means. It’s not just the word. It’s more action. We have to fix our actions out there on the field and stop getting in our own way.”
A delay of game penalty in the final two minutes of the game got Minnesota 5 yards closer to scoring a touchdown, for example. There were also two targeting calls. Defensive back Bryan Addison received one of the penalties, which was overturned, and receiver Kwazi Gilmer was handed the other.
“The one with Kwazi, that was close,” Foster said. “This last game, it was more shoulder to me.
“Ball carriers, you can almost call targeting on every situation if you really wanted to because that one they said that he led with the crown of his helmet. So any time a defender comes at you, if you’re a running back or whatnot, you’re going to put your head down. It’s kind of up to the nature of the ref on what he wants to do.”
The Bruins were also given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after pulling a player off the pile, which they were warned about earlier in the game. Foster said the fact that his team was told not to do it once, then attempted it a second time is a lack of discipline.
The coaching staff has been preaching discipline at practice by asking players to tuck in their shirts or be at meetings at a specific time.
“But a lot of stuff is happening to us towards the end of the game,” Foster said. “So when fatigue kicks in a little bit, they’re not exactly executing the way that they need to. These guys want to be coached and they want that tough love and we’re gonna just continue to preach to them the right stuff and hopefully, it resonates.”
GARBERS’ THREE INTERCEPTIONS
Quarterback Ethan Garbers threw three interceptions on Saturday evening but was granted grace by Foster after the performance, which also included 293 passing yards and a touchdown.
One interception was tipped, another was on a Hail Mary attempt on the last play of the game, and in the third, the ball might have hit the ground.
“It still goes on his stats, but I think he did a good job of responding,” Foster said “Moving in the pocket and coming back and just being a true leader. Guys still rally behind him. It was just unfortunate. The game, to me, really just came down to turnovers and penalties.”
INJURY UPDATES
Receiver Rico Flores, Jr. appeared to be a full participant in practice on Monday evening. He did not play against Minnesota and was dressed in street clothes for the contest.
Offensive lineman Reuben Unije, who hasn’t played since Sept. 28’s Oregon game, was not seen practicing on Monday.
Linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who leads the team in total tackles, was practicing with a taped right ankle and defensive lineman Siale Taupaki was practicing with a taped left ankle. Both played on Saturday.
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