For the first time since taking over as the UCLA Bruins’ defensive play caller, Kevin Coyle spoke to the media on Wednesday before the Bruins’ big matchup against Indiana on Saturday. Coyle has sparked a serious turnaround for the UCLA defense, with the Bruins’ defense leading the way for UCLA’s 20-17 win over Maryland last week.
The Bruins’ vast improvement under Coyle
It’s a far cry from how the UCLA defense looked to begin the season, with Utah, UNLV and New Mexico ripping the Bruins’ defense to shreds before Coyle joined the coaching staff following defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe mutually parting ways from the team.
Coyle puts UCLA’s goals into words
Coyle was asked what the defensive philosophy was for the new-look UCLA defense and he gave a detailed response.
“We’re going to try to give the offense multiple looks in our attempts to defend and stop the running game, like everybody talks about. We’re going to do that by changing up the front, changing up the coverage, having run blitzes that we call on first and second down, coupled with a really effective, I think, third down package that mixes everything,” Coyle said of his defense. “It mixes man coverage, zone coverage, different types of pressure. We can pressure every which way but loose.”
Less points against better competiton
The results have been there for UCLA, with the Bruins allowing 36.0 points per game under Malloe and just 21.0 points per game under Coyle.
It starts with the Bruins’ run defense
“I think our defense is multiple but we try to start with the premise that we have to stop people from running the football effectively,” Coyle said. “The players, I think, are in a mindset that they believe good things are going to happen.”
The road will only get tougher for Coyle and UCLA
Coyle and the Bruins’ defense have mounted a commendable comeback but their toughest challenge yet waits for them on Saturday against an Indiana offense that’s averaging 43.9 points per game this season.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Kevin Coyle lays out defensive philosophy for Bruins before facing Indiana
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
