Chip Kelly explains how UCLA's defense has changed under new-look staff

For the third time in as many seasons, UCLA has a new defensive coordinator. D’Anton Lynn has now taken over the role after spending the last two years with the Baltimore Ravens, and it’s his first college coaching job after nine years in the NFL.

Despite his experience at the professional level, head coach Chip Kelly said Lynn hasn’t made any drastic changes at UCLA. In fact, he thinks the transition has been smooth thanks in large part to the staff already in place. Safeties coach Brian Norwood, inside linebackers coach Ken Norton Jr. and defensive line/outside linebackers coach Ikaika Malloe have all played key roles in blending the old with the new.

“Yeah, not an overhaul,” Kelly said of the changes Lynn has made. “Football’s football, so it’s 11 on 11. D’Anton did a great job of mixing with Brian and Ken and Ikaika of what we did, how we called it. There are some things that he did at Baltimore, that we do, that we kept the same terminology to make it easier on our players. He learned some new things, and then, he actually brought a lot of really good new ideas of what we’re doing.

“So I think the combination of the three existing guys — Ken and Brian and Ikaika being here — and with D’Anton, real collaborative effort with all four of those guys putting together what we’re doing defensively.”

Lynn, the son of former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, has a chance to get UCLA over the hump in the Pac-12 and make the Bruins a top defense in the league. In 2022 under former coordinator Bill McGovern — who has since moved into a new role — and interim UCLA ranked sixth in the league in total defense, allowing 403.8 yards per game. The Bruins also allowed 29 points per game, which ranked seventh in the conference.

Kelly and the coaching staff also hit the transfer portal to add to the unit, notably landing former Penn linebacker Jake Heimlicher. He checked in as the No. 44-ranked transfer to enter the portal during the 2023 cycle, according to the On3 Transfer Portal Rankings, and was the No. 4 linebacker transfer.

UCLA is trying to build off a 9-4 overall record in 2022, including a 6-3 mark in Pac-12 play. The Bruins will lift the curtain on the 2023 season against Coastal Carolina Sept. 2 in Pasadena.