The UCLA football team was in a similar position close to this time last year.

With the Bruins’ pass rush struggling to get to the quarterback, playing three straight games without a sack, and a losing record sinking fan morale near the start of Big Ten action, Ikaika Malloe wanted to help create change in his first year as defensive coordinator.

Malloe, with tears in his eyes, attempted to find the answers for 2024’s early-season woes. He accepted blame for UCLA’s rough defensive start. The high-energy linebackers coach, who has been a part of the Bruins’ coaching staff since 2022, promised he would find ways to “outwork” opposing teams as he tried to assemble a defense that underwent a coordinator shift after D’Anton Lynn left for USC and saw a myriad of players leave for the NFL and t

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