UCLA spring football day 4: DeShaun Foster comes home

It was an easy decision for DeShaun Foster. Westwood is home for the former UCLA running back, so when head coach Jim Mora called about an opening on the UCLA staff, Foster backed his bags.

The former UCLA and Tustin High star is instilling much-needed confidence in the current crop of Bruin running backs to help the team bounce back from its terrible rushing performance last year.

More on Foster’s return to Westwood.

Video interviews

Here are notes and observations for the day:

— UCLA’s second day in full pads went much like its first: defense won the day. Mora admitted that the high amount of learning in the first four days of spring practice “caught up to them a little bit” on offense. During the team periods, the offense got very, very few first downs (if any). In their competitive red zone period, no one scored touchdowns. J.J. Molson barely missed a 35-yard field goal (from certain angles, it looked good, but Mora waved it off). He came back to make a 37-yarder, both times capping off stalled drives for the No. 1 offense. Andrew Strauch made a field goal from 30 yards for the No. 2 offense that was quarterbacked by Devon Modster. The Matt Lynch-led red zone drive ended on a bad pass that should have been picked off, but was dropped by Octavius Spencer. In a non-red zone team period, Alex Van Dyke dropped a pass that Adarius Pickett then picked off on the tip drill.

— The defense came up with a number of good plays while stuffing the offense. Jaleel Wadood stopped Darren Andrews on an end-around run on third-and-4 that forced a field goal attempt. Darnay Holmes made a big tackle on Brandon Stephens near the sideline that stuck in Mora’s head after practice as the coach brought it up during his interview. Holmes later got a good pass breakup against Stephen Johnson III on second-and-14. The early enrollee from Calabasas High took some reps with the No. 1 defense in the nickel package. Working against Jake Burton, Jaelan Phillips dropped Nate Starks for a loss and then got to Lynch for a sack in the same drive. Phillips took a few reps against the No. 1 offensive line, going against Kolton Miller, and was held in check.

— Tempers flared a bit as several small shoving matches bubbled up during the team period. Josh Woods and Scott Quessenberry got tangled up; Holmes and Andrews went against each other; Jordan Lasley had a little bit of extra activity on the final play of practice (didn’t see who it was with).

Mossi Johnson’s move to defense seems to be pretty set for the spring. He stayed there for another full practice and he seems to be improving steadily. He said was encouraged by his progress as he’s trying to learn the ropes of both safety and corner.

Brandon Burton is starting to look more comfortable with the linebacker group. After Burton’s first day, when Scott White teased him for getting tired during position drills, the linebackers coach praised the former Serra star with “This is your world, Burton!” as the group ran through footwork drills.

Poasi Moala moved off the bike for the first time this spring, but was only in shorts and his jersey as he watched part of the walk-through period from the sideline.

— About an hour into practice, Austin Roberts went over to the exercise bikes, but I was unsure what sent him there. Whatever it was, it looked minor.

— The linebackers and running backs/tight ends had one-on-one drills in both catching and blocking. The offensive players for the most part got the better of the defensive players when it came to catching, but the linebackers got their licks in during pass protection. Soso Jamabo shook Kenny Young on their first catching rep with a swift stutter step, but the experience of Young showed on the next rep when Jamabo tried the same move. Young wasn’t fooled the second time and was only beaten by a well-placed throw from Austin Burton. Young then beat Jamabo easily in the pass protection drill. Nate Starks had a successful pass protection rep against Krys Barnes. Woods had an impressive turn while rushing the quarterback, freezing Bolu Olorunfunmi with a stutter step and going back inside for a sack as Olorunfunmi was barely able to get a hand on the linebacker.

—  Andrews took the first punt return, but muffed a short kick from Stefan Flintoft. Holmes got the second attempt and fielded a good punt from Austin Kent. Lasley, Damian Alloway and Johnson were also back to return punts.

— There was no field goal session at the end of practice.