Ikaika Malloe named UCLA football’s defensive coordinator
UCLA football coach Chip Kelly has elevated Ikaika Malloe as the Bruins’ next defensive coordinator.
Malloe becomes the Bruins’ fourth coach hired at that position in four years. He fills the spot left open when D’Anton Lynn was hired at USC.
Malloe was the interim defensive coordinator and handled the defensive playcalling for the Bruins’ 35-22 LA Bowl victory over Boise State on Dec. 16.
The Bruins finished as a top-10 defense in 2023, allowing 301.5 yards per game. The Bruins allowed just 25 touchdowns, with only five of them coming on the ground. The Bruins finished as the second-ranked rushing defense in the country, allowing just 80.5 yards per game.
“Ikaika has a track record of developing NFL talent on the field and outstanding young men off it,” Kelly said in a statement. “I am excited to watch this next step for him and our team.”
The terms of the promotion weren’t disclosed. Malloe was paid $485,000 in 2023, according to USA Today. Malloe was hired as UCLA’s outside linebackers coach in December 2021 and was given the role as the Bruins’ defensive line coach a year ago when Chad Kauha’aha’a departed after one season.
Kelly told reporters in April that adding the defensive line to Malloe’s responsibilities was a “natural progression” and allowed for other coaching moves that would benefit the secondary.
Malloe joined Kelly’s staff with 20 years of coaching experience, including three as a defensive coordinator at Yale. Malloe was most recently the co-defensive coordinator at Washington, his alma mater, for the 2020 and 2021 seasons before arriving in Westwood.
Kelly had also spoken highly about sitting in the meeting room as Malloe was working with his position group, saying, “He’s doing a great job with those guys.”
The news was met with excitement from former, current and future Bruins on social media. Incoming linebacker Isaiah Patterson posted “Let’s work!!” on X as current defensive back RJ Jones posted “LETS GO!”
Former linebacker Shea Pitts posted “Love to see it!” as his reaction to Malloe’s promotion. Pitts also worked as a defensive graduate assistant alongside Malloe and the staff in 2023.
Malloe was responsible for recruiting talent such as the standouts Laiatu Latu and Gabriel and Grayson Murphy from the transfer portal to help anchor his defensive front ahead of the 2022 season.
Latu is projected as a first-round NFL draft pick in April after recording 13 sacks for UCLA. Latu’s sack total ranks third on the program’s all-time list for a single season, tied with Carnell Lake (1987). Dave Ball (16½ in 2003) and Anthony Barry (13.5 in 2012) are the only Bruins ahead of them.
Latu finished the regular season with 49 total tackles (21½ TFL), two forced fumbles and two interceptions. He won the Lombardi and Ted Hendricks awards in December.
The Murphy twins declared for the NFL draft in December, leaving Malloe to rebuild the defensive front again this offseason.
Malloe’s move to defensive coordinator may lead to another hire being made to fill the role of the defensive line and outside linebackers coach.
The Bruins still have openings on the staff with Kelly expected to hire a new quarterbacks and tight end coach this offseason.