This post was updated April 10 at 8:47 p.m..

Forty-one names shed the Bruins’ roster after the 2024 season.

Whether through exhausted eligibility, the NFL Draft or the transfer portal, coach DeShaun Foster found himself in a rebuilding era less than a year after assuming the mantle for UCLA football.

Despite the gaping hole left by the 2024 squad, associate head coach and inside linebackers coach Scott White said after Tuesday’s practice at Spaulding Field that the team is embracing the challenge – eager to develop a new foundation through young, homegrown talent.

“Give me the young ones. That’s what I love,” White said. “We want to build through high school recruiting, so we don’t have the mass exodus we had last year. We’re feeling that a little bit right now, trying to replace 11 new starters. So give me all those young high school guys.”

Echoing Foster’s vision of restoring UCLA to the recruiting heights of his own playing days, White said two homegrown freshman defensive ends have already made noise in spring practice.

“We’ve got two youngsters right now that are doing a really nice job. Scott Taylor and JuJu (Jewelous) Walls,” White said. “JuJu Walls has flashed every single day, I think he’s got a really bright future in this program. So we’re really excited about those two young guys coming along.”

As new faces emerge, returning players such as redshirt sophomore linebacker Jalen Woods are also stepping into larger roles.

With significant turnover on the defense, Woods said he has taken on a leadership position to guide his younger teammates through the team’s transition.

“Just being able to be a leader and make sure everybody’s on the same page for this coming season,” Woods said. “It’s about discipline, respect, enthusiasm – all of that at practice.”

After primarily contributing in spot duty last season, Woods is expected to take on a starting role in 2025, the inside linebackers coach said. White said the coaching staff deliberately eased Woods into playing time last year to prepare him for a heavier workload in 2025.

After coming out of high school as a three-star recruit, the Compton, California, local played in all games across the 2023-2024 season, notching a season-high six tackles in the team’s loss against USC last season.

“He played more and more to get him ready for more front line duty this year, so we didn’t want to go from him not playing at all, and then all of a sudden, now you’re going to play 80 plays a game,” White said. “That would’ve been hard on him, so we set the table for him last year. He’s really done a nice job, he’s ready for front line duty.”

With experience in Foster’s system and a deeper understanding of the Bruins’ defensive scheme under defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, Woods said he is focused on helping the team build chemistry and trust – key components of White’s revamped defensive approach.

“Practice by practice, you’re going to see a progression of people being able to play together and be on one accord,” Woods said. “Just allowing the freedom for us to have within our defense.”

As for the newcomers, Woods said Oregon State transfer linebacker Isaiah Chisom and Taylor have proven standouts through four practices this spring, adding that Chisom’s quick adjustment to UCLA’s defensive style was impressive.

Woods added that Taylor’s “natural instincts” allow him to quickly identify the ball and make plays – a quality he believes will set the true freshman apart as he continues to develop.

“If you can run to the ball, you can coach everything else,” Woods said. “And he’s getting the basic concepts down. It’s showing up in practice.”