Ikaika Malloe Named Defensive Coordinator for UCLA Football
January 03, 2024 | Football
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA head football coach Chip Kelly announced Wednesday he has elevated Ikaika Malloe to the position of defensive coordinator.
Malloe (ee-KY-kuh muh-LOY), who holds more than 20 years of college coaching experience, has spent the past two at UCLA. After guiding the Bruins' outside linebackers in 2022, his unit grew to include the defensive line in 2023. Malloe has five years of defensive coordinator experience, including two as co-leader for the University of Washington.
"Ikaika has a track record of developing NFL talent on the field and outstanding young men off it," said Kelly. "I am excited to watch this next step for him and our team."
UCLA's defense rated as one of the nation's best in 2023, sitting at second in rushing defense (80.8 yards per game), third in team tackles for loss (TFLs โ 8.1 per game), fifth in team sacks (3.31 per game) and 10th in total defense (301.5 yards per game). Each is best in the Pac-12. A UCLA team had most recently eclipsed the 2023 Bruins' 43 total sacks in 2012. Malloe was the defensive play caller for UCLA's 35-22 victory against Boise State in the Starco Brands LA Bowl Hosted By Gronk.
Laiatu Latu made history in his senior campaign, becoming UCLA's first winner of the Lombardi Award, given to the nation's top lineman, and Ted Hendricks Award, presented to the country's best defensive end. He was also tabbed winner of the Pac-12's Morris Trophy as the conference's premier defensive lineman and received consensus All-America acclaim. Latu ranked first nationally in TFLs (1.8 per game) and tied for fourth in sacks (1.08 per game). Gabriel Murphy and Grayson Murphy joined Latu โ who was also voted Defensive Player of the Year โ in earning All-Conference recognition.
Latu preceded his 13-sack 2023 by piling up 10.5 in 2022. The Bruins' defense limited opponents to 3.8 rushing yards per game, finishing third in the league. The 162 total yards given up to Bowling Green in the season opener marked the fewest surrendered by a UCLA team since 2008. The Bruins kept five opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards.
In Malloe's second season as co-defensive coordinator and first in charge of Washington's outside linebackers, the 2021 Huskies gave up the fewest passing yards per game nationally (143.3) and just six touchdowns through the air. Among Pac-12 teams, UW was first in team passing efficiency defense (106.7, third overall) and third-down conversion percentage defense (35.7%), as well as third in total defense (336.9). The 2020 Huskies, with Malloe at the helm of his alma mater's defensive line, paced the league in total defense (346.3) and passing yards allowed (185.0 per game) while posting the second-best sacks rate (2.5) over their four-game season.
Among Malloe's lauded pupils at UW were Levi Onwuzurike, who received All-Conference First Team recognition in 2019 for helping limit opponents to just 19.4 points per game. Vita Vea and Greg Gaines also earned First Team honors and each, Vea in 2017 and Gaines in 2018, was voted winner of the Morris Trophy. Vea was also the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 after the Huskies led the conference in rushing yards allowed (100.8 per game, fourth nationally) and yards per rush (2.86, second overall). Vea went on to star for the Super Bowl XL champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Gaines helped the Los Angeles Rams to a win in Super Bowl XLI.
From 2016-18, UW finished each season atop the Pac-12 in scoring defense and total defense. In 2016, Malloe's first on staff, the Huskies also led the country in turnover margin (1.29 per game) and takeaways (33) while pacing the Pac-12 in fewest first downs allowed (246) and third-down conversion defense (30.6%) en route to a 12-2 record and trip to the College Football Playoff. Joining Gaines and Vea in the trenches was Elijah Qualls, who earned All-Conference First Team recognition.
Malloe coached the defensive line at Utah State for two seasons, including one of the finest in program history in 2014. The Aggies went 10-4, capping the campaign with a win versus UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl. B.J. Larsen was a First Team All-Conference pick as the USU defense finished in the top 30 of 10 categories, leading the Mountain West Conference in scoring defense (19.7 points per game), rushing defense (130.7 yards per game), sacks (3.57, fourth nationally) and TFLs (8.1 per game, tied for fourth in the country).
As defensive tackles coach at Portland State in 2013, Malloe's unit helped hold seven opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards and piled up 91 TFLs and 27 sacks. He was also special teams coordinator, a role in which he guided All-America honoree and FCS leader in net punting Kyle Loomis. The Vikings blocked seven punts or kicks and were second nationally in kickoff coverage (14.9 yards per return). In 2012, PSU held five Big Sky opponents to 86 rushing yards or fewer.
Malloe earned his first defensive coordinator position in 2009 for Yale, a position he held for three seasons. The 2010 Bulldogs ranked ninth among FCS teams in rushing yards allowed (102.6 per game). In 2009, Yale finished second overall in red-zone efficiency defense (56%) and 10th in scoring defense (16.6 points per game).
In 2008, Malloe was special teams coordinator and defensive tackles coach at Hawai'i, helping guide the Warriors to a berth in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. From 2004-07, he was defensive line coach at UTEP, which made it to the 2005 GMAC Bowl.
Malloe began his full-time coaching career as special teams coordinator and defensive line coach at Western Illinois. The Leathernecks won the Gateway Conference title in 2002 and made the NCAA Division I-AA playoff quarterfinals twice during his stay from 2001-03.
Malloe was a student assistant, program coordinator and, eventually, a graduate assistant, at Washington. He earned his degree in sociology from UW in 1997. Malloe enrolled at UW from Kamehameha School in Hawaii, ultimately earning four varsity letters as a safety and outside linebacker. He started 11 games in 1995 as the Huskies won a share of the Pac-10 Championship. Malloe led UW in interceptions that season, with five. In 1993, he won the Bob Jarvis Most Inspirational Walk-On Award after having won the Brian Stapp Defensive Scout of the Year Award the year prior.
Malloe and his wife, Tara, have two daughters, Taylor and Sloane, and two sons, Jordan and Isaiah.
MALLOE'S COACHING CAREER
| Year | Team | Position |
| 1997-2000 | Washington | Student Assistant/Graduate Assistant/Program Coordinator |
| 2001-03 | Western Illinois | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line |
| 2004-07 | UTEP | Defensive Line |
| 2008 | Hawai'i | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Tackles |
| 2009-2011 | Yale | Defensive Coordinator |
| 2012, 2013 | Portland State | Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Tackles |
| 2014, 2015 | Utah State | Defensive Line |
| 2016-19 | Washington | Defensive Line |
| 2020 | Washington | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line |
| 2021 | Washington | Co-Defensive Coordinator/Outside Linebacker |
| 2022 | UCLA | Outside Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator |
| 2023 | UCLA | Defensive Line |
