UCLA Unlocked: Bruins’ defense has nowhere to go but up under Bob Chesney
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Little went the UCLA football team’s way in 2025.
While the offense often was blamed for the Bruins’ losses, the defense struggled to stop a nosebleed.
Although defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe — a 2024 nominee for the Broyles Award, which honors the top assistant coach in college football — aborted the sinking ship after posting an 0-3 record, the defense’s problems were evident before his departure, forfeiting a combined 108 points across the first three games.
But with an entirely fresh defensive staff, fortified by new personnel and led by defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler, the Bruins could turn their defense from their Achilles heel into their greatest asset in just one year.
Let’s take a closer look at the changes new head coach Bob Chesney and his staff have made to UCLA’s offensive personnel.
The UCLA defense could not stop the run last season, giving up 190.4 rushing yards per game and ranking the 18th worst in the nation. The team also failed to generate pressure in the pocket, logging just 10 sacks in 12 games and ranking last in the country.
Chesney addressed the trenches via the transfer portal, landing a haul that included imposing James Madison transfer Sahir West.
The 2025 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year earned 14 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, four passes defended and a forced fumble last season and should immediately bolster the Bruins’ pass rush.
Sophomore linebacker Scott Taylor has anchored the defensive line opposite West throughout preseason camp. While Taylor totaled just 12 tackles, one forced fumble and one blocked kick in 2025, the Loyola High alum put on 12 pounds while increasing speed during the offseason and is poised to take on a hybrid linebacker role in Hitschler’s scheme.
When Taylor moved to inside linebacker at camp, JMU defensive end Aiden Gobaira took the edge spot opposite West. Gobaira tallied four sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss in 2025, largely playing behind West, but he could see an increase in production in a less-crowded defensive line group.
Between the pair of edge rushers at preseason camp has been a quartet of lineman in returning senior A.J. Fuimaono, Cal transfer Tyson Ford, Texas Tech transfer Amier Washington and Rutgers transfer Darold DeNgohe.
While there has been no clear pair of starting defensive tackles, Fuimaono and Ford have consistently taken snaps with starters. However, Hitschler will likely cycle through the four at least early on, given the lack of depth and influence at the position group.
Fifth-year linebacker Jalen Woods and Oklahoma transfer linebacker Sammy Omosigho have been backing up the first team defensive line. The latter, who went to Big Ten media days with Chesney, will anchor middle linebacker duties and help direct the Bruins’ defense.
Woods gives the Bruins familiarity in the center of the defense, while Omosigho provides elite athleticism that should allow him to create splash plays for a UCLA defense that desperately lacked them in 2025.
On the boundaries, there were some changes throughout preseason camp, with strong safety Cole Martin sliding into the nickel cornerback position.
Alongside him was 2025 All-Big Ten honorable mention selection Rodrick Pleasant, who returned to practice after recovering from a shoulder injury that sidelined him most of the spring, and JMU transfer Derrick Barksdale, who can play outside corner but was projected to start at slot corner for the Bruins.
“Everybody’s got to be able to do a little bit of everything,” Chesney said. “I don’t ever want to say, ‘This guy only does this.’ How versatile can he be?”
Senior cornerback Scooter Jackson — who was thought to start at outside cornerback across from Pleasant — was out for the majority of the spring because of academic eligibility issues and spent the start of preseason camp doing individual drills. While Jackson seemed to be more integrated into team drills in Irvine, there is still little clarity on whether Jackson will be ready by the season opener.
If Jackson were to return, Martin would likely slide back to strong safety and Barksdale would go back to his more natural position of slot cornerback, with Jackson manning the other outside corner spot opposite Pleasant.
Pleasant has been a welcome sight for Chesney during preseason workouts.
“You watch him and see the way he controls the field and the leadership he has, the knowledge that he brings and then also you know the demand he puts on other people,” Chesney said. “He knows his stuff inside and out. He is very robust mentally, and he gets a lot of people on the same page every single play, so it’s really good to see him out of the black jersey.”
On the backside of the UCLA defense, Utah transfer Tao Johnson was seen at his normal free safety spot, but Ohio State transfer Malik Hartford took first team snaps at strong safety with Martin, creating an opening with his slide to nickel cornerback.
With improvement in all facets of UCLA’s defensive scheme and personnel, the Bruins should be levels above a 2025 group that allowed 33.4 points per game, which ranked 10th worst in the nation.
Preseason MVP pick: Sahir West. He garnered seven sacks and 14 tackles-for-loss in his redshirt freshman season. There may be concerns about whether his production will translate to the Big Ten, but there is a reason he was a highly sought after transfer in the portal. If the Bruins want to compete with the upper echelons of the Big Ten, West needs to build on his success last season.
Breakout pick: Scott Taylor. He may not have been the Bruins’ most productive linebacker last season, but the flashes he produced as a true freshman were undeniable. Add in 12 pounds of muscle, increased speed and a full season under his belt, and he could be poised for a monster 2026 campaign. Add in the fact that he won a starting role over several more seasoned and proven players, and his Swiss Army knife role in Hitschler’s scheme and the sky is the limit.
Biggest question mark: The interior defensive line is definitely the least proven group. The four potential starters in preseason camp have yet to produce a highly influential college football season and the lack of a solidified starting pair indicates that there may be more question marks than answers.
Bold prediction: UCLA finishes the season ranking top five in passing yards allowed and interceptions.
Former Bruin Russell Westbrook retires
UCLA’s Russell Westbrook announced his retirement from the NBA last week with a farewell video narrated by Michael B. Jordan.
Westbrook, the NBA’s career triple-doubles leader with 209, the league’s 2017 MVP and a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team, played 18 seasons.
“Sometimes you don’t even know when you’ve already watched the end,” Westbrook wrote in a post accompanying the video. “You had to be there. And now it’s over.”
Westbrook played for the Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets after he was selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2008 NBA draft.
Westbrook played in 75 games during two seasons at UCLA, averaging 8.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while helping the Bruins reach the Final Four during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
Women’s soccer kicks off season
The No. 9 UCLA women’s soccer team was the first sport to kick off the 2026-27 academic year, opening with a loss and a high-profile tie.
The Bruins fell 2-1 to BYU on Wednesday. Junior forward Kara Croone scored the Bruins’ first goal of the season in the 38th minute off a quick pass just past midfield from Grace Shank. The Cougars, however, responded with goals in the 42nd and 57th minutes.
UCLA rebounded with a 1-1 draw at home against No. 3 Duke on Sunday. The Blue Devils scored off a free kick in the first half and Oruha Hayashi scored off a penalty kick in the 49th minute. Duke’s Jocelyn Travers was hit with a red card for hair pulling in the 72nd minute, reducing the Blue Devils to 10 women on the pitch, but UCLA could not convert its advantage into a game-winning goal.
Bruins on deck
Here are all UCLA games and exhibitions scheduled to be played this week across all sports:
THURSDAY, AUG. 20
- Men’s soccer at Virginia, 4 p.m.
- Women’s volleyball at CSUN (exhibition), 6 p.m.
- Women’s soccer vs. San Diego, 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 22
- Men’s water polo blue and gold exhibition, 1:30 p.m.
- Men’s water polo alumni game, 3 p.m.
In case you missed it
Derek Carr, UCLA football’s new special advisor, sees a winner in Bob Chesney
Why Bob Chesney is having UCLA practice in Irvine for part of fall camp
UCLA senior Rodrick Pleasant is driven to lead, pay forward help others gave him
UCLA coach Bob Chesney works to make Bruins uncomfortable as preseason camp kicks off
UCLA Unlocked: Breaking down UCLA’s offensive makeover under Bob Chesney
UCLA Unlocked: Maurice Jones-Drew hopes his son helps put Bruins on top
Have something Bruin?
Do you have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future UCLA newsletter? Email newsletters editor Houston Mitchell at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
