UCLA football defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe likes what he sees in preseason camp. He shared his excitement about two defensive linemen who missed most of last season and a journeyman defensive back. Malloe offered some remarks to the media in Costa Mesa before practice on Wednesday.
Ikaika Malloe is entering his second year as the defensive coordinator of the Bruins. He has plenty of work to do to make up for the loss of talent from last season. When asked by reporters who he believed had emerged as playmakers, Malloe mentioned redshirt senior defensive linemen Gary Smith III and Keanu Williams and redshirt senior defensive back Key Lawrence.
“Well, the guys that really excited— I am really excited about are watching Gary and Keanu come back,” Malloe said. “They have been chomping at the bit since spring ball and those guys have really flashed in what we thought the inside guys should look like. And then for the secondary, Key Lawrence is doing a great job. His leadership skills are stepping up and you could see it carry over to the field as well as off the field. In the meeting rooms, he has taken a leadership role there and they are holding separate meetings by themselves. They really are taking the initiative to grasp this scheme.”
Smith and Williams both missed last season due to injuries. Smith was injured before the season had started and Williams played two games before he was injured and shut down for the season, according to UCLA.
During their time with the Bruins, the two interior defensive linemen totaled for 4.5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 44 tackles, one pass deflection and one fumble recovery. Missing two stout defenders, each with a stature over 6 feet and 300 pounds is tough for a defense to handle and should surely help clog up the middle of the line and help the linebackers fly to their gaps and help prevent any long runs.
As for Lawrence, the defensive back has played for three different collegiate programs (Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss) before joining the Bruins this year. He has racked up quite a career with 158 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 13 pass breakups, 3 interceptions and a whopping 6 forced fumbles, according to UCLA.
Lawrence could be an asset for a defense that is trying to put itself back together and to see that he is taking his previous experience and helping lead the secondary unit on and off the field is a major positive and as a Bruin fan, you can hope that it will transfer onto the field.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: UCLA defensive coordinator shares excitement for three players
Reporting by Ryan Lorenz, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
