This post was updated Aug. 26 at 9:38 p.m.

UCLA football is kicking off a landmark season Saturday. The Daily Bruin collected questions from Bruin fans about the upcoming season. Sports editor Ira Gorawara makes a run at answering a selection of questions in this edition of “Between Two Bruins.”

Should we be more excited about our offense or defense this season?

Let’s lay down what 2023 presented to us: A defense that kept the game within reach, and an offense that left much to be desired.

Quarterback turmoil and turnovers plagued UCLA, with 14 picks and eight lost fumbles. The red zone was no safe haven, with just 51.7% of trips ending in a touchdown.

Defensively, UCLA excelled with a fierce pass rush and stifling run prevention. It ranked among the top nationally in points allowed and sacks, and boasted the nation’s second-best rushing defense.

2024, however, may turn the tables.

Unlike last season, coach DeShaun Foster can rely on redshirt senior Ethan Garbers as his full-time starting quarterback. Despite just six starts last season, Garbers led the Bruins with a 153.24 quarterback rating and 67.1% completion percentage.

Carson Steele’s departure opened the door for running backs junior T.J. Harden and redshirt freshman Troy Leigber. Harden averaged 63.6 rushing yards through the season – second to only Steele – while Leigber appeared in just one game last season but has high school accolades galore.

That said, all eyes should be on the receiving corps – mine certainly are.

Veteran wideouts redshirt junior J.Michael Sturdivant and redshirt senior Logan Loya offer seasoned leadership while sophomore Rico Flores Jr. is indisputably the team’s most notable transfer after being Notre Dame’s second-leading receiver in 2023.

Talent would arguably swing in favor of the receiving unit, but with running back wizards Foster and associate head coach and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy coaching that crew, I’m comfortable saying both groups show promise.

Laiatu Latu’s absence will be all the more visible in the Big Ten. The NFL first-round pick provided standout figures and veteran leadership at the Rose Bowl. It’ll likely be redshirt junior defensive back Jaylin Davies’ shoes to fill.

Senior Jay Toia and redshirt freshman Collins Acheampong will form a veteran-newcomer duo to anchor the defensive line. Meanwhile, redshirt senior Ale Kaho leads a linebacking corps brimming with potential and versatility.

So pitting the two on a scale, I’ll have to say that the defense is taking a bigger blow this season, a dampened excitement compared to what surrounded the team last year.

Four key departures to the NFL and the loss of mastermind defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn have left uncertainty lingering around the defense.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bruins falter in the wake of Lynn’s departure to USC, given how he engineered a mediocre defense into the national spotlight.

Although key returners soften the blow and Lynn’s successor, Ikaika Malloe, aims to uphold similar systems, the extensive loss of defensive contributors – particularly in the secondary – is a hurdle that won’t vanish overnight.

Amid a makeover season, the offense may not grab headlines off the jump, but there’s plenty to promise excitement with the names on the roster and Bieniemy’s NFL-style play calling.

How much leeway will Foster get this season, especially with a tough schedule?

Foster has already rebranded UCLA football and sparked renewed interest in Westwood.

Off the gridiron, Foster has engaged fans, rejuvenated recruiting and name, image and likeness efforts, and earned strong backing from his team.

But from a coaching standpoint, it often eludes us that he lacks both coordinator and head coaching experience.

So while he may be given leeway there, I don’t think Bruin fans would want to settle for a 2023 repeat.

The truth is that whoever was going to replace former coach Chip Kelly was in for a steep challenge, inheriting a thinned-out roster and finding their work cut out for them in Westwood.

But what makes Foster’s case tougher is his ties to the failures of the past.

Before UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond summoned him to head honcho duties, Foster spent seven of the past 10 seasons on the Bruin coaching staff.

This familiarity might limit the leeway Jarmond gives Foster. With Foster’s knowledge of the systems and player personnel, fans won’t be patient in demanding results.

On the flip side, Foster is up against the challenge of a Big Ten transition.

He’s attempting to integrate a rigorous coaching ethos centered around “discipline, respect and enthusiasm” while adapting to harsh competition and travel demands.

And with Big Ten membership, UCLA is expected to cash in on the boost in national visibility. While transition struggles may be forgiven, consistent subpar execution could erode goodwill.

Foster has prioritized recruiting, talent development and NIL more than his predecessor, which is something to watch going forward. If he can capitalize on his backyard, it will buy him time, even if on-field results lag.

The Los Angeles fanbase and media are demanding. So while there might be some breathing room, Foster’s honeymoon period may not last long if the team stumbles out of the gates.

Do students get a student discount when buying tickets?

UCLA offers a Den Pass, a student ticket package that provides access to all home football and men’s basketball games at a discounted rate. It is non-refundable and non-transferable.

The UCLA Den Pass, which costs $185 per year, can be bought at the start of each school year as a ticket to the Rose Bowl and Pauley Pavilion. The pass also includes a free Den T-shirt and priority access to postseason games.

The 4s Up Den Pass, meanwhile, is for first-year students looking to buy a ticket to football and men’s basketball games for all four years. At $495, it costs 25% less than buying the one-year Den Pass all four years. Students still receive annual T-shirts and priority access to postseason games.

Students with a Den Pass are seated in the designated student section, “The Den,” which sometimes features fan activities or giveaways.