PASADENA — As players exited the Rose Bowl’s field, Bryan Addison remained, breathing in the nostalgia, chopping it up with faces he used to see on a daily basis before the safety transferred from Oregon to UCLA.
Among them, New York Giants defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, stood out. Not because of his broad shoulders or his shiny grill, nor his status as one of the NFL’s up-and-coming elite pass rushers. Nope. In that setting, posing for a photo with Addison atop the blue-and-gold logo at midfield, he’s a staunch symbol of a glaring issue.
The 6-foot-5 Thibodeaux, attended Downey High and graduated from Oaks Christian in 2019. As a senior he was a five-star, 99 out of 100 rated prospect, per 247 sports. He was one of the most highly-touted recruits out of Los Angeles, yet he means much more to the droves of Ducks’ supporters that cheered their team into the visitors’ locker room than the few scattered Bruins fans that stayed until the end of UCLA’s 34-13 loss to No. 6 Oregon on Saturday.
The same can be said for the 6-foot-5 Addison, who, out of Junipero Serra High in Gardena, went to Oregon for five years before transferring to UCLA for his final season.
The pair of L.A. natives remain close.
“Kayvon is one of my closest friends,” Addison told reporters at UCLA football practice on Tuesday.
They can certainly commiserate over one thing: UCLA’s inability to retain in-state recruits. Furthermore, losing them to conference foes like Oregon. Thibodeaux and Addison’s recruiting journies represent this problem, which has plagued the Bruins for some time. It was accentuated under previous head coach Chip Kelly, but in reality, was present before his arrival and predated the era of collegiate football where resources are king.
UCLA is surrounded by high school football powerhouses, but has lost its place as an established brand in that hotbed, and in turn, a popular destination for the talent. It’s vital the Bruins revive their standing in Southern California in order to improve the on-field product and attendance. Addison believes they’re taking strides to do so and that head coach DeShaun Foster, a Bruins’ running back in his playing days, is a capable figurehead to lead the mission.
His first step must be changing the distasteful impression his predecessor left in this department.
Kirk Bertrand, the Athletic Director at Serra, Addison’s alma mater, supports UCLA, but was disappointed as he rarely saw Kelly attend his school’s football games.
“I personally think Chip Kelly didn’t really recruit very hard in these areas,” he said about the Bruins’ head man from 2018-2023. “Everybody else comes to Southern California and recruits our kids.”
Just look at Oregon’s 2024 recruiting class, which consists of nine Southern California prospects, including Serra’s Sione Laulea and Dakoda Fields. The Ducks may have an excess of resources that UCLA struggles to contend with now, but go back to 2019, and 11 of their recruits, including Thibodeaux, were from this region, as well.
“A lot of guys would slip through the cracks,” Bertrand said.
Thibodeaux’s 247sports page has no mention of UCLA showing interest.
Addison, on the other hand, was originally committed to the Bruins before flipping to the Ducks.
If the Bruins want to string together wins on the field, they have to first focus on luring the recruits in their backyard. For all the inexperience Foster has as a football coach, he has an advantage in this realm.
It’s simple, really. He shows up. He relates. He cares.
“He’s trying to jump on it really quick, on recruiting and getting a lot of guys to stick around,” Bertrand said. “They’ve been around. They’ve been up here numerous times trying to recruit these guys here.”
Bertrand has seen Eric Bieniemy at Serra games, the Bruins offensive coordinator has reassured him they’re “targeting some of their kids.” UCLA has received commitments from seven players in the 2025 class from Southern California, an increase from four in 2024, per 247sports.
On Tuesday, Addison spoke to the importance of cultivating a strong local presence.
“Southern California has the best football around the world,” he said. “Keeping those kids that are coming from L.A. to UCLA is going to be a big thing for coach Foster.”
He sees a difference in Foster’s methods than previous coaches.
“Coaches actually do genuinely care about players here,” Addison said. “UCLA can use that as their recruiting tactics, showing how much coaches care and how much they do know about the game.”
That’s what ultimately convinced Addison to return home for his final year of eligibility.
He came through with a 96-yard score on a pick-six late in the first half and recorded eight total tackles against his former team.
“I knew he was going to play that way,” Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe said Tuesday. “It was a very emotional game for him.”
There could have been more where that came from had UCLA wrapped up Addison out of high school. He’s here now and as the Bruins look at him, dashing the length of the field to score their only touchdown on Saturday, they can gain a reminder of the positives that come from winning over Southern California recruits. Rewriting that effort begets future success.
