Bruins Delivered Another Defensive Masterclass vs. Iowa Run Game

The UCLA Bruins executed to perfection on defense in their task of stopping the best rushing attack in the Big Ten against the Iowa Hawkeyes last week. They have only gotten better as the year has progressed and it showed once again on Friday night.

Nov 8, 2024; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Kain Medrano (20) strips the ball from Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Brendan Sullivan (1) giving the Bruins possession in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins could not have played better on the defensive side with their performance on Friday night against the Iowa Hawkeyes' top rushing attack in the Big Ten. Their game plan worked to perfection, limiting one of the nation's top running backs to under 50 yards.

Hawkeyes junior running back Kaleb Johnson was the conference's leading rusher and second in the nation with 1,279 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns coming into the game. He had not been held to less than 85 rushing yards all season and the Bruins defense kept him to his lowest total of the year.

Johnson was only able to muster 49 yards on 18 carries. He would score a touchdown, but the Bruins completely took him out of the game for the majority of the contest.

Bruins senior linebacker Kain Medrano led the team with nine tackles, half a sack, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. He was flying all over the field and made Johnson very familiar with him throughout all four quarters.

For a Hawkeyes team that averaged upwards of 200 yards on the ground, no team in the Big Ten had more success against Johnson this season than the Bruins. First-year head coach DeShaun Foster spoke early in the week about gang tackling and swarming to the football. They did just that.

Foster had a great game plan as he was very familiar with defenses stopping him when he was an NFL running back with the Carolina Panthers.

"You just got to find a way to get him down, and it's more of swarming to the ball and not just one guy doing it," Foster said last week. "Anytime I was playing running back, and I knew I was playing a good defense, it was when I made a move, and then there was another defender right there. That's when you're playing against a good defense because that means that guys are running to the ball."

The Bruins will prepare to face a different running game, traveling to play the Washington Huskies next Saturday. The Huskies are in the bottom half of the Big Ten, averaging just 141 yards per game on the ground. Another stout performance will be required for the Bruins to win their fourth straight.

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