(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
It’s something to check the NCAA statistics and see UCLA’s defense ranked so highly in so many categories after so much dreck in previous seasons under Chip Kelly.
The Bruins are No. 2 nationally in rushing defense (64.6 yards per game allowed) No. 5 in total defense (254.2 yards per game allowed) and tied for No. 8 in scoring defense (12.2 points per game allowed).
Remember, new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn gets a $50,000 bonus if UCLA finishes in the top 25 in total defense. He’s on track to snag a lot more than that — probably a new contract, at the very least, not to mention considerable interest from other college and NFL teams who will try to woo him away.
What’s most remarkable is that the Bruins’ improvement has come with largely the same personnel from last season. It’s just that everyone has elevated their play under Lynn, whose schemes have maximized his players’ talents.
UCLA held Washington State’s highly vaunted passing attack to 204 yards and while notching the first two interceptions of the season off Cougars quarterback Cameron Ward. Even in the instances when Ward eluded the pass rush, he was often unable to find a receiver because of the best performance of the season from the Bruins’ secondary.
“It was everything,” Washington State coach Jake Dickert said when asked what gave his team the most trouble. “It wasn’t just the top front seven. I mean, they just had waves of these guys coming in at you. I mean, their creatures — and I don’t say that in a bad way — these [guys] are big, long, they can rush the passer, they have aggressive schemes and they kept us off balance and we couldn’t offset it.”
This week presents a different challenge: an Oregon State ground game that has piled up 205.5 yards per game on the ground, No. 15 in the nation. If the Bruins shut down the Beavers, Lynn might be elected the next mayor of Westwood — even if he doesn’t run.