L-r: Carson Schwesinger (49) and Kain Medrano (20)
Photo by: Isabella Serafini
Four Bruins on Defense Earn All-Big Ten Honors
December 03, 2024 | Football
ROSEMONT, Ill. โ Four UCLA football student-athletes earned All-Big Ten honors, the conference office announced Tuesday, Dec. 3. The results were determined based on a vote by the league's head coaches.
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Linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named to the first team and linebacker Kain Medrano was selected to the third team. Defensive tackle Jay Toia and defensive back Kaylin Moore each received honorable mention acclaim. The group helped UCLA put up the fifth-ranked rushing defense in the nation during the regular season, allowing an average of 96.2 yards per game.
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Schwesinger was also selected to All-Big Ten First Team by the conference's media panel while Medrano, Toia and Moore were picked as honorable mention.
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Schwesinger, a former walk-on who is a finalist for the Butkus Award, leads the Big Ten in total tackles (136), total tackles per game (11.3), double-digit tackle performances (nine), solo tackles (90) and solo tackles per game (7.5). His 90 solo tackles lead the FBS; the next best solo tackler trails Schwesinger by 14. Additionally, Schwesinger's 90 solo tackles are the most by a Big Ten defenseman during the regular season in the last 22 years. Schwesinger's 136 total tackles rank ninth-most in UCLA single-season history and are the most by a Bruin since Eric Kendricks in 2014, who won the Butkus Award that year. Schwesinger earned the first start of his career in week three at LSU on Sept. 21, and went on to lead the Bruins in tackles in 10 of 12 games. He finished the season with 4.0 sacks, two interceptions, 8.5 tackles for loss, one blocked punt and one forced fumble.
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Schwesinger had numerous standout performances throughout the season, including three games with 15-plus tackles versus Penn State (15), Washington (17) and Fresno State (15). Schwesinger also owned a streak of six straight double-digit tackle games running from LSU through Nebraska, which was the longest streak by a Bruin since Kendricks in 2014. The streak was snapped against Iowa on Nov. 8, a game in which he nabbed the first two interceptions of his career to earn him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. Against Washington on Nov. 15, Schwesinger recorded a career-high 17 tackles for the most by a Bruin since 2016. Against Nebraska on Nov. 2, he led UCLA with 13 tackles and recorded a pass breakup and sack on back-to-back plays late in the fourth quarter in the redzone to force a turnover on downs. Against Minnesota on Oct. 12, Schwesinger posted 4.5 tackles for loss, which were the most by a UCLA defenseman since Takk McKinley in 2016.
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Medrano ranked second on the Bruins' defense with 72 tackles (50-22-72), 11.0 tackles for loss and was tied for the team lead in takeaways (3) with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The three takeaways came in consecutive weeks against Nebraska (INT), Iowa (FR) and Washington (INT). Medrano returned his interception against the Huskers for a touchdown to open the second half, notching the first pick six of his career. Medrano's 50 solo tackles are tied for fifth-most in the Big Ten. He was UCLA's leading tackler against Indiana and Iowa, recording nine in each contest. Medrano capped his career with a season-high 3.0 tackles for loss in a win over Fresno State on Nov. 30.
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Toia drew double and triple teams from the opposition's offensive line, and was the centerpiece of UCLA's elite rushing defense which had lost seven starters from the year prior. For the season, Toia totaled 25 tackles (15-10-25), 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and three quarterback hurries. In UCLA's win against Iowa, Toia and the Bruins held the Hawkeyes to 265 total yards and just 80 rushing yards. Iowa entered the game 10th nationally and the Big Ten Conference leader with 222.0 rushing yards per game. UCLA allowed 72.3 total yards per game fewer in Games 6-12 compared to Games 1-5, with the latter stretch including sub-300-yard performances against Iowa, Minnesota and Fresno State. Toia was voted the Team MVP at the 2024 UCLA Football Awards Banquet.
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Moore totaled 33 tackles (24-9-33) and a team-leading eight pass breakups in UCLA's secondary. Moore's top play of the season came on a game-ending interception to seal a win at Nebraska's sold-out Memorial Stadium.
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Linebacker Carson Schwesinger was named to the first team and linebacker Kain Medrano was selected to the third team. Defensive tackle Jay Toia and defensive back Kaylin Moore each received honorable mention acclaim. The group helped UCLA put up the fifth-ranked rushing defense in the nation during the regular season, allowing an average of 96.2 yards per game.
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Schwesinger was also selected to All-Big Ten First Team by the conference's media panel while Medrano, Toia and Moore were picked as honorable mention.
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Schwesinger, a former walk-on who is a finalist for the Butkus Award, leads the Big Ten in total tackles (136), total tackles per game (11.3), double-digit tackle performances (nine), solo tackles (90) and solo tackles per game (7.5). His 90 solo tackles lead the FBS; the next best solo tackler trails Schwesinger by 14. Additionally, Schwesinger's 90 solo tackles are the most by a Big Ten defenseman during the regular season in the last 22 years. Schwesinger's 136 total tackles rank ninth-most in UCLA single-season history and are the most by a Bruin since Eric Kendricks in 2014, who won the Butkus Award that year. Schwesinger earned the first start of his career in week three at LSU on Sept. 21, and went on to lead the Bruins in tackles in 10 of 12 games. He finished the season with 4.0 sacks, two interceptions, 8.5 tackles for loss, one blocked punt and one forced fumble.
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Schwesinger had numerous standout performances throughout the season, including three games with 15-plus tackles versus Penn State (15), Washington (17) and Fresno State (15). Schwesinger also owned a streak of six straight double-digit tackle games running from LSU through Nebraska, which was the longest streak by a Bruin since Kendricks in 2014. The streak was snapped against Iowa on Nov. 8, a game in which he nabbed the first two interceptions of his career to earn him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors. Against Washington on Nov. 15, Schwesinger recorded a career-high 17 tackles for the most by a Bruin since 2016. Against Nebraska on Nov. 2, he led UCLA with 13 tackles and recorded a pass breakup and sack on back-to-back plays late in the fourth quarter in the redzone to force a turnover on downs. Against Minnesota on Oct. 12, Schwesinger posted 4.5 tackles for loss, which were the most by a UCLA defenseman since Takk McKinley in 2016.
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Medrano ranked second on the Bruins' defense with 72 tackles (50-22-72), 11.0 tackles for loss and was tied for the team lead in takeaways (3) with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The three takeaways came in consecutive weeks against Nebraska (INT), Iowa (FR) and Washington (INT). Medrano returned his interception against the Huskers for a touchdown to open the second half, notching the first pick six of his career. Medrano's 50 solo tackles are tied for fifth-most in the Big Ten. He was UCLA's leading tackler against Indiana and Iowa, recording nine in each contest. Medrano capped his career with a season-high 3.0 tackles for loss in a win over Fresno State on Nov. 30.
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Toia drew double and triple teams from the opposition's offensive line, and was the centerpiece of UCLA's elite rushing defense which had lost seven starters from the year prior. For the season, Toia totaled 25 tackles (15-10-25), 2.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack and three quarterback hurries. In UCLA's win against Iowa, Toia and the Bruins held the Hawkeyes to 265 total yards and just 80 rushing yards. Iowa entered the game 10th nationally and the Big Ten Conference leader with 222.0 rushing yards per game. UCLA allowed 72.3 total yards per game fewer in Games 6-12 compared to Games 1-5, with the latter stretch including sub-300-yard performances against Iowa, Minnesota and Fresno State. Toia was voted the Team MVP at the 2024 UCLA Football Awards Banquet.
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Moore totaled 33 tackles (24-9-33) and a team-leading eight pass breakups in UCLA's secondary. Moore's top play of the season came on a game-ending interception to seal a win at Nebraska's sold-out Memorial Stadium.
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