UCLA’s defense has spent this season setting the standard, and Colin Hitschler is making sure nobody gets comfortable with it.
The Bruins’ defensive coordinator called out the group on Wednesday after questioning the focus of his players, including defensive back Osirus Gilbert. It was the kind of correction that lands differently when your defense is sitting atop the national leaderboard in several major categories and UCLA is heading into Saturday’s 9 a.m. game at Minnesota with a chance to move to 9-0 for the first time since 1998.
Hitschler’s unit enters the matchup first in the nation in forced turnovers and fumbles recovered, second in interceptions, passing efficiency defense and defense on third down, and seventh in total defense. With that kind of production, he said the message has to stay sharp.
“Everybody knows the right way to do things and the right way to train, especially in a game that is this hard,” Hitschler said. “When you’re trying to outplay your God-given ability and master techniques, it’s difficult.
Your natural inclination in sports is if you have success to relax. It’s hard to wake up every day at whatever time these guys get up to grind at a meeting and grind at a practice.
Anytime you catch it slipping, you have to call it out, get it fixed, and hold ’em to the standard so they can overcome their internal nemesis.”
He also said that approach applies to him, too. Hitschler said he welcomes being pushed by players, coach Bob Chesney, offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy or any of the assistants as UCLA tries to keep building on its 8-0 start, the program’s first since 2005.
“Any job of a coach is to help you maximize your ability, and the players appreciate coaches that are holding them to a standard to make that happen,” Hitschler said. “We all go through it.
They have to get hard on me when I naturally relax for something. Each week, each day, try to win the next play, and that’s what it’s about.”
One of the biggest reasons UCLA’s defense has been so effective is linebacker Sammy Omosigho, who was announced Wednesday as a Lombardi Award semifinalist. The award goes to the nation’s top lineman or linebacker.
Omosigho’s presence has reached beyond the defensive meeting room, too. Kennedy said the linebacker’s energy and work rate have influenced the offense during practice.
“I see his leadership,” Kennedy said. “I think with the way he practices, he prepares us.
But then you also see his leadership, and it’s not just about the defense; it’s everybody. You constantly see him talking.
He’s positive, he always has a smile on his face, and he practices so damn hard it’s contagious.”
That same standard is what UCLA is trying to carry into Minneapolis, especially after some sloppy moments with the ball. Against Michigan State two weeks ago at the Rose Bowl, Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas each lost a fumble in the first half.
Minnesota has made a habit of taking the ball away, forcing 14 turnovers this season with six fumble recoveries, and the Gophers are known for attacking the football in games.
Chesney said UCLA is about to face its most physical opponent yet, and that starts with senior fifth-year linebacker Maverick Baranowski. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound defender has two forced fumbles, one interception, two quarterback hits, one sack and 62 tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.
Minnesota also has a disruptive presence up front in senior defensive lineman TJ Bush Jr., who leads the Gophers with five sacks, seven tackles for loss and three pass breakups.
UCLA’s offense has its own issue to clean up: third down. The Bruins went 6 of 16 against Michigan State and 5 of 13 against Nevada, and Kennedy said those numbers are tied directly to how the team has practiced.
“Some of what we talked about in the first few offensive meetings is that practice matters,” Kennedy said. “You pull up some of the games where we didn’t do well, and you pull up clips in practice, and we didn’t practice as hard.
You pull up games when we did do well and go look at Tuesday and Wednesday shells; it matters. It’s proof when you come out, you execute and you practice hard, you’re going to have a good Saturday.”
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