Ikaika Malloe

Biography

COACHING ACCOMPLISHMENTS Malloe spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons as UCLA’s defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach, after serving as the defensive line coach in 2023 and outside linebackers and special teams coordinator in 2022. In his first season as defensive coordinator at UCLA in 2024, Malloe was selected as a nominee for the Broyles Award, which honors the top assistant coach in college football. Despite losing seven starters, including six who graduated to the NFL ranks, headlined by first-rounder Laiatu Latu, UCLA graded out strong nationally in rushing defense (96.2 yards per game, 6th), fourth-down defense (38.5%, 12th), and total defense (340.8 yards per game, 40th). Linebacker and former walk-on Carson Schwesinger blossomed into a First-Team All-American and Butkus Award finalist under Malloe in 2024, leading the Big Ten and ranking third nationally with 136 total tackles in the regular season. Defensive tackle Jay Toia also had a standout campaign in 2024, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention accolades. In 2023, when Malloe was the defensive line coach, UCLA led the Pac-12 and ranked 10th in the nation in total defense (301.5 yards per game). In addition, the Bruins ranked second in the nation in rushing defense (80.8) and limited opponents to 18.4 points per game, which rated as the 14th-best mark in the country. UCLA led the nation after opponents scored just five rushing touchdowns on the season. The Bruins were second in the nation allowing just 2.6