How UCLA’s Colin Hitschler has transformed a defense sparking CFP run

There were times over the past decade when the names Jerry Azzinaro and Tom Bradley were as despised around UCLA as Tommy Trojan.

The Bruins’ defense – or lack thereof – was a major reason the team went nowhere, with the defensive coordinators primary culprits.

Enter Colin Hitschler, a former wrestler whose unit has embodied his brawler mentality.

Do it right or don’t do it at all is one possible mantra based on the defensive coordinator’s fiery approach Wednesday during an early portion of practice open to reporters.

Hitschler ordered one underperforming cornerback out of a drill before delivering some salty words for the entire position group.

“Come on, corners, pick your s— up!” Hitschler bellowed.

They appear to be listening.

UCLA’s defense is in lockdown mode for an unbeaten and eighth-ranked team that’s in position to make the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history.

“Just trying to get better on every given play,” Hitschler said when asked about getting on the cornerbacks.

That’s not often necessary for anyone on this defense.

Ranked tied for No. 5 nationally in scoring defense (allowing 13.4 points per game) No. 7 in total defense (allowing 260.8 yards per game), the Bruins (8-0 overall, 5-0 Big Ten) are on track to have one of the best defenses in school history.

It all stems from the guy calling the plays and calling everyone out when they don’t get it done.

“It’s the everyday standard that he holds them to and the desire to be the best,” coach Bob Chesney said when asked about Hitschler’s role in elevating the defense. “Every yard out there on that field, they take personally and he particularly takes personally, and when you have that mentality it makes it for an urgent practice every single day of the week, the standards are extremely high.”

It certainly helps that the defense features some high-end talent, including Sammy Omosigho – a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award that goes to the nation’s top linebacker – fellow star linebacker Jalen Woods and safety Ta’Shawn James, a midseason Associated Press first-team All-American after starting the season as a second-stringer.

The defense has thrived in large part by staying off the field.

UCLA leads the nation with 26 turnovers forced, including 16 interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries. But there’s improvement to be made in that department as well.

“You know we lead the league in dropped picks?” Hitschler said with a wry smile. “That’s part of the challenge, right, is catch the ones they throw to you, get the opportunities, stay aggressive, just keep challenging them.”

Opponent third downs almost always lead to fourth downs, the Bruins ranking second in the Football Bowl Subdivision by limiting teams to a 26.4% conversion rate on third downs. Since giving up 11 third-down conversions in the season opener against California, they’ve allowed just 17 over the last seven games.

The self-described Bruin Bullies also keep getting meaner – they’ve allowed an average of just seven points over the last five games.

Last week, UCLA logged its first shutout since 2015.

This defense will have a chance to muck things up again Saturday when it faces a Minnesota offense that’s averaging just 309 yards per game – No. 130 in the nation – and is particularly feeble on the ground, averaging 99.5 yards (No. 132).

The Golden Gophers (5-3, 3-2) will go up against a defense that believes it has something to prove despite already having done plenty. Getting constantly challenged will do that.

“Your natural inclination in sports if you have success is to relax,” Hitschler said. “You know, it’s hard to wake up every day whatever time these guys get up and grind at a meeting and grind at a practice, so any time you just catch it slipping, you’ve got to call it out and get it fixed, and hold them to the standard that they want to be held to so that they can overcome their internal nemesis and find a way to overachieve.”