UCLA's interim coach Skipper has energy to rebound

Call him Skip.

- BY BEN BOLCH

UCLA is hoping Tim Skipper can work the same magic he had at Fresno State, making the best out of a bad situation.

ROBERT GAUTHIER Los Angeles Times

That was among the first things Tim Skipper said this week, the interim UCLA football coach's opening remarks part introduction, part pep rally, part ritualistic cleansing.

The Bruins needed drastic change after an 0-3 start led to the dismissal of coach DeShaun Foster, and Skipper provided a promising start. He was engaging, energetic and about as insightful as one could possibly be only four days into the job.

It was a refreshing departure from a predecessor who displayed little of the enthusiasm that he preached.

In perhaps the most encouraging early sign, Skipper disclosed that there had been no immediate player defections, though that could change given that everyone on the roster has 30 days to enter the transfer portal. Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe’s mutually agreed-upon departure was certainly a blow, but the team is finalizing the addition of veteran assistant Kevin Coyle — a former longtime college and NFL defensive coordinator — to help coach the defense for the rest of the season.

The strain of the previous week was apparent in the words of offensive tackle Garrett DiGiorgio, who spoke glowingly of Foster and Malloe while discussing the players’ role in the struggles that led to the coaching change.

"I think he could tell that we all felt that way," DiGiorgio said, referring to the team’s brief farewell meeting with Foster, “like we knew we had responsibility as a team and we knew that it wasn’t all on him.”

Skipper acknowledged the need to change the style of play for a team that has been badly outperformed on both sides of the ball.