Football
- Title:
- Inside Linebackers
Don Pellum joined the Bruins staff in December, 2017 after accumulating more than 30 seasons with his alma mater, the University of Oregon, as a player, administrator and assistant coach.
UCLA ranked second in the Pac-12 and 23rdย in the nation in rushing defense in 2021 (124.2). Jordan Genmark Heath was second on the team in tackles (55) and in sacks (3.5) while adding an interception and a couple of fumble recoveries. UCLA rated thirdย in the Pac-12 in both turnovers gained andย turnover margin. The Bruins wereย also second in the league in sacks (2.17). The defense held five opponents under the 100-yard rushing mark - each wins.
In the 2020 season, UCLA led the Pac-12 by allowing just 3.6 yards per rushing attempt. The Bruins ranked eighth in the nation and led the Pac-12 in sacks per game (3.29). The Bruin defenseย improvedย to second in the conferenceย in rushing defense and sixth in total defense. Caleb Johnson, who earned second-team all-league honors,ย led the team in tackles and finished third in the Pac-12 in sacks (0.79, also 27th in the nation) and 10th in tackles for loss (1.0).
In 2019, linebackers Krys Barnes, Lokeni Toailoa and Leni Toailoaย each produced career-best numbers in tackles for loss and tackles --- combining for a total of 161 stops and 23.5 tackles for loss. The trio also totaled 8.0 quarterback sacks to help UCLA up its sack total from 11 to 26 in a year's time. Freshman linebacker Carl Jones developed into a solid contributor, addingย 25 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss on the year.
In 2018, the Bruin defense produced improved numbers in average gain per rush allowed (down over a yard per carry), total offense yards allowed per game (down by almost 40 yards per game), turnovers forced (+5) and points per game allowed. Inside linebacker Krys Barnes finished second on the team in tackles (85) tackles for loss (10.0) and pass breakups (six). Tyree Thompson was fourth on the squad with 55 stops, six for loss. Lokeni Toailoaย tied for second on the team with 3.0 sacks.
During his four years on Chip Kelly's staff at Oregon, the Ducks played in BCS bowls each season and in the BCS National Championship Game following the 2010 campaign. Oregon also won conference titles in each of the first three seasons and posted an overall record of 46-7. In 2014, his first season as defensive coordinator, Oregon once again advanced to the BCS National Championship Game.
Pellum, who served 24 years as a Ducks' full-time assistant, spent time overseeing virtually all phases of the program's defensive side of the ball, tutoring its linebackers for 18 years (2000-2015; 1997-98), as well as its outside linebackers (1993-95), safeties (1996) and defensive line (1999). Pellum's teams played in bowl games 20 times during that period, including four Rose Bowl games and a couple of BCS Championship contests, while winning or tying for seven league championships.
Possessing 38ย years of expertise in the realm of collegiate athletics, Pellum completed his playing career with the Ducks in 1984. The former starting linebacker continued his association with his alma mater through the 2016 season, with the exception of a one-year stint as defensive line coach, strength coach and academic coordinator at Willamette University (1987) and three years coordinating the recruiting efforts and serving as assistant athletics director for student services at the University of California (1990-92).
In 2014, the Ducks boasted one of the nation's top defensive units in his first year as a defensive coordinator, ranking 30th in the country in scoring defense (23.6), allowing more than 20 points in only one of the last six contests prior to their CFP National Championship appearance. In addition, Pellum continued the program's emphasis on making "big plays" as the Ducks led the country in turnover margin that season (+23).
No team was better against the run in conference games during the Ducks' 2009 Rose Bowl run, thanks in part to an outstanding group of linebackers. Pac-10 foes averaged just 118.6 rushing yards per contest in addition to Oregon's league-best mark in total defense in Pac-10 play (316.0 avg.).
His linebackers keyed many of Oregon's post-season successes as witnessed by Kiko Alonso and Michael Clay being voted as the Defensive MVP in the 2012 Rose and 2013 Fiesta Bowls, respectively. In 2012, his group was instrumental in Oregon ranking 12th in the country in scoring defense (18.69 ppg) during its BCS National Championship Game run, as well as 13th nationally (20.5) in the 2013 season.
Yet few of his accomplishments could be any more rewarding than in 2005 when he transformed a unit which included only one returnee with any significant playing experience at the major college level. What resulted was a group that helped Oregon top the Pac-10 Conference in total defense and pass defense, in addition to finishing third in scoring defense. While his trio of 2005 starters began the season accumulating only 89 tackles during their Oregon careers, they tallied 207 among them that year alone.
In all, Pellum has seen his players earn 27 Conference all-league honors in his last 23 seasons.
After returning to coaching on a full-time basis in 1993 following six years as a recruiting coordinator in the Pac-10, Pellum was responsible for assembling outstanding recruiting classes with both Oregon and California, and has been credited with directing some of the Ducks' best recruiting efforts over the years. In 2007, his recruiting talents helped land him on the list among the nation's top 25 recruiters by Rivals.com after Oregon's 2007 recruiting class was ranked 11th in the country. He was also named the 2011 Sporting News Recruiting Coordinator of the Year.
The 56-year-old Banning, Calif., native double-majored in rhetoric and communication and telecommunication and film, and also minored in sociology. Heย earned a master's in speech while he was a graduate assistant at Oregon. Pellum also has completed work toward his Ph.D.
