Sports
Tennessee Volunteers - English
UCLA Bruins - English
Tennessee used to feel like a serious threat on the West Coast. With former 5-star Nico Iamaleavaleading the charge from Southern California, the Vols built a strong connection in the region. For a while, it looked like they might reel in Irvine EDGE rusher Anthony “Poppa” Jones-one of California’s top defensive talents.
But that window closed fast.
In mid-May, Jones announced his commitment to UCLA, and in early June, he doubled down with a definitive post on X: “My recruitment is 1000% closed.” No drama, no second thoughts. Just a clear signal that he’s staying home and riding with DeShaun Foster.
The Bruins Are Building Something-and Recruits Are Noticing
Jones is the kind of player who can anchor a defense. As a junior, he posted 54 tackles, 8.5 sacks, and even picked off a pass. That production, paired with his length and burst off the edge, made him a national target. He had offers from Michigan, Washington, Arizona State, and Tennessee. But UCLA just felt different.
“I was at UCLA a few weeks ago and I love it up there,” Jones told 247Sports. “The staff has been on me hard, and it feels like home. They’ve recruited me for years, and they’ve built something real with me and my family.”
That family piece turned out to be a big factor. Jones’ parents connected with the staff, and the idea of staying close to home started making more and more sense.
And it didn’t hurt that Nico Iamaleava, once the face of Tennessee’s future, is now UCLA’s QB1.
The Nico Factor and the Foster Blueprint
Since stepping in as head coach, Foster has made his priorities clear-keep top California talent home. And Nico’s arrival helped reinforce that message. “When you get a quarterback like that, people start to look around,” Foster said on The Unafraid Show.“Guys were like, ‘Oh, he’s coming? Cool.’ It got more people thinking.”
That momentum is already paying off. Jones praised Foster not just as a coach, but as a Bruin legend who knows what winning in Westwood really looks like. “He’s bringing the program back,” Jones said. “He’s been there, done it. That matters to guys like me.”
The Vols gave it a serious run. But this one’s personal for Foster-and it shows.
As UCLA’s 2025 class starts to take shape, Jones’ commitment feels like more than just a win. It’s a shift. One that could signal the West Coast isn’t as open for poaching as it used to be.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
GLOSA: Na rozchod nazrál čas. Hapal ale v Baníku končí jako úspěšný trenér
Hapal z Baníku odešel sám a nelze se mu divit. K tomu, aby po třech letech zavřel dveře od baníkovské kanceláře, měl dva velmi pádné důvody a těžko říct, který nakonec převážil.Tak za prvé. Rodák z Kroměříže měl dostat velmi lákavou nabídku ze Sigmy Olomouc. V hanácké metropoli 56letý trenér působil v minulosti jako hráč, především je tam ale doma. Svou roli, a jistě velmi podstatnou, mohla v jeho rozhodování proto hrát i rodina.A za druhé. Hapal v Baníku (samozřejmě s pomocí práce sportovního manažera Luďka Mikloška a peněz majitele Václava Brabce) tři roky úspěšně budoval konkurenceschopný tým. A uspěl.Hapal ligový tým převzal po Pavlu Vrbovi v říjnu 2022 a po počátečních útrapách vrátil Baník na konci sezony 2023/2024 po čtrnácti letech ze 4. pozice v lize do pohárové Evropy. O rok později ligové postavení Baník pod jeho vedením ještě o jednu příčku vylepšil.Ambice rostly, místo dalšího posílení kádru mu ale vedení do jeho trenérské práce hodilo vidle.Sestřih z posledního zápasu Pavla Hapala […]
Oregon vs. Indiana prediction, pick, odds, spread: No. 3 Ducks welcome No. 7 Hoosiers for Big Ten showdown
No. 3 Oregon will be front and center for the first time since taking down Penn State in double overtime two weeks ago, as the Ducks are set to face another top-10 opponent with No. 7 Indiana making their first trip to Eugene as a conference member. Follow along with live updates, highlights and analysis from Oregon vs. Indiana on Saturday. The game carries huge Big Ten title race implications as the latest clash of the conference's titans, with both teams having claimed one ranked win in league play. Indiana's 53-point blowout win against Illinois was a warning shot to the rest of the conference that the Hoosiers were ready to be back in the Big Ten race again, but after taking down Penn State it's clear that the reigning champions in Oregon will be tough to knock from the top. Bet Indiana vs. […]
Indiana HC Curt Cignetti on QB Fernando Mendoza: ‘His Upside is Unlimited’
The Indiana Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten play) are rolling yet again, and transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza is an essential reason for that.Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana after spending the first two seasons of his college football career at California, has been arguably the best quarterback in the Big Ten this season. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who quickly turned the Hoosiers into a Big Ten contender in his first season, spoke highly of Mendoza during an appearance on Week 7's edition of "Big Noon Kickoff." He detailed what drew him to Mendoza in the transfer portal — and how the young quarterback has exceeded expectations ever since.Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza & No. 7 Indiana look to take down No. 3 Oregon "I'm a big tape junkie. I had seen Fernando on tape, and then when he went in the […]
Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza & No. 7 Indiana look to take down No. 3 Oregon
big noon kickoff Video Details The "Big Noon Kickoff" crew discussed why Fernando Mendoza, Curt Cignetti and Indiana are perfect fits for each other and how they can take down Oregon in Week 7. JUST IN・big noon kickoff・1:50
The incredible record John Cena achieved after his victory over AJ Styles at Crown Jewel
John Cena is on his retirement tour in WWE and month after month he delights us with an epic match. In a year where he has had historic rivals, this time it was the turn to face AJ Styles, one of the most beloved stars by fans of the industry and there was no doubt that in the PPV Crown Jewel, both wrestlers would deliver a historic match.The fight was full of intensity, epic moves and, above all, a lot of excitement for the fans who filled the arena. The victory went to John Cena, who performed several moves in honor of other wrestlers and by winning the fight, broke a new WWE record.Tyrese Haliburton shocks WWE fans with John Cena assistThe new record John Cena brokeWith the victory over AJ Styles, John Cena reached 100 wins in WWE during […]
The incredible record John Cena achieved after his victory over AJ Styles at Crown Jewel
John Cena is on his retirement tour in WWE and month after month he delights us with an epic match. In a year where he has had historic rivals, this time it was the turn to face AJ Styles, one of the most beloved stars by fans of the industry and there was no doubt that in the PPV Crown Jewel, both wrestlers would deliver a historic match.The fight was full of intensity, epic moves and, above all, a lot of excitement for the fans who filled the arena. The victory went to John Cena, who performed several moves in honor of other wrestlers and by winning the fight, broke a new WWE record.Tyrese Haliburton shocks WWE fans with John Cena assistThe new record John Cena brokeWith the victory over AJ Styles, John Cena reached 100 wins in WWE during […]
Related
GLOSA: Na rozchod nazrál čas. Hapal ale v Baníku končí jako úspěšný trenér
Hapal z Baníku odešel sám a nelze se mu divit. K tomu, aby po třech letech zavřel dveře od baníkovské kanceláře, měl dva velmi pádné důvody a těžko říct, který nakonec převážil.Tak za prvé. Rodák z Kroměříže měl dostat velmi lákavou nabídku ze Sigmy Olomouc. V hanácké metropoli 56letý trenér působil v minulosti jako hráč, především je tam ale doma. Svou roli, a jistě velmi podstatnou, mohla v jeho rozhodování proto hrát i rodina.A za druhé. Hapal v Baníku (samozřejmě s pomocí práce sportovního manažera Luďka Mikloška a peněz majitele Václava Brabce) tři roky úspěšně budoval konkurenceschopný tým. A uspěl.Hapal ligový tým převzal po Pavlu Vrbovi v říjnu 2022 a po počátečních útrapách vrátil Baník na konci sezony 2023/2024 po čtrnácti letech ze 4. pozice v lize do pohárové Evropy. O rok později ligové postavení Baník pod jeho vedením ještě o jednu příčku vylepšil.Ambice rostly, místo dalšího posílení kádru mu ale vedení do jeho trenérské práce hodilo vidle.Sestřih z posledního zápasu Pavla Hapala […]
Oregon vs. Indiana prediction, pick, odds, spread: No. 3 Ducks welcome No. 7 Hoosiers for Big Ten showdown
No. 3 Oregon will be front and center for the first time since taking down Penn State in double overtime two weeks ago, as the Ducks are set to face another top-10 opponent with No. 7 Indiana making their first trip to Eugene as a conference member. Follow along with live updates, highlights and analysis from Oregon vs. Indiana on Saturday. The game carries huge Big Ten title race implications as the latest clash of the conference's titans, with both teams having claimed one ranked win in league play. Indiana's 53-point blowout win against Illinois was a warning shot to the rest of the conference that the Hoosiers were ready to be back in the Big Ten race again, but after taking down Penn State it's clear that the reigning champions in Oregon will be tough to knock from the top. Bet Indiana vs. […]
Indiana HC Curt Cignetti on QB Fernando Mendoza: ‘His Upside is Unlimited’
The Indiana Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten play) are rolling yet again, and transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza is an essential reason for that.Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana after spending the first two seasons of his college football career at California, has been arguably the best quarterback in the Big Ten this season. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who quickly turned the Hoosiers into a Big Ten contender in his first season, spoke highly of Mendoza during an appearance on Week 7's edition of "Big Noon Kickoff." He detailed what drew him to Mendoza in the transfer portal — and how the young quarterback has exceeded expectations ever since.Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza & No. 7 Indiana look to take down No. 3 Oregon "I'm a big tape junkie. I had seen Fernando on tape, and then when he went in the […]
Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza & No. 7 Indiana look to take down No. 3 Oregon
big noon kickoff Video Details The "Big Noon Kickoff" crew discussed why Fernando Mendoza, Curt Cignetti and Indiana are perfect fits for each other and how they can take down Oregon in Week 7. JUST IN・big noon kickoff・1:50
The incredible record John Cena achieved after his victory over AJ Styles at Crown Jewel
John Cena is on his retirement tour in WWE and month after month he delights us with an epic match. In a year where he has had historic rivals, this time it was the turn to face AJ Styles, one of the most beloved stars by fans of the industry and there was no doubt that in the PPV Crown Jewel, both wrestlers would deliver a historic match.The fight was full of intensity, epic moves and, above all, a lot of excitement for the fans who filled the arena. The victory went to John Cena, who performed several moves in honor of other wrestlers and by winning the fight, broke a new WWE record.Tyrese Haliburton shocks WWE fans with John Cena assistThe new record John Cena brokeWith the victory over AJ Styles, John Cena reached 100 wins in WWE during […]
The incredible record John Cena achieved after his victory over AJ Styles at Crown Jewel
John Cena is on his retirement tour in WWE and month after month he delights us with an epic match. In a year where he has had historic rivals, this time it was the turn to face AJ Styles, one of the most beloved stars by fans of the industry and there was no doubt that in the PPV Crown Jewel, both wrestlers would deliver a historic match.The fight was full of intensity, epic moves and, above all, a lot of excitement for the fans who filled the arena. The victory went to John Cena, who performed several moves in honor of other wrestlers and by winning the fight, broke a new WWE record.Tyrese Haliburton shocks WWE fans with John Cena assistThe new record John Cena brokeWith the victory over AJ Styles, John Cena reached 100 wins in WWE during […]
Be the first to leave a comment