Bruins Prepare For Big Ten's No. 1 Pass Defense

The UCLA Bruins are seeking to keep their winning streak alive as they travel north to battle the Big Ten's best passing defense.

Nov 2, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies linebacker Carson Bruener (42) returns an interception against USC Trojans wide receiver JaKobi Lane (8) during the third quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

The UCLA Bruins (4-5) will face yet another stout defense this week as they will travel to play a road conference game against the Washington Huskies (5-5). The Bruins did well against a strong Iowa defense last week and will need to follow it up with another strong showing this Friday night.

The Huskies rank atop the Big Ten in terms of passing defense, allowing just 149.8 yards per game through the air. They are middle of the pack in the conference in total interceptions (8) but their ability to cover opposing receivers has been incredible with 42 pass deflections, third best in the Big Ten.

The ability to stop the run is a completely different story for this Huskies defense. They are the third-worst run defense in the conference, giving up 162.3 rush yards per game. This bodes well for Bruins running back T.J. Harden, who just had 125 yards against the Hawkeyes strong run defense.

In terms of quarterback pressure, the Huskies are not the strongest among Big Ten teams. They have only been able to earn 14 sacks through 10 games this season, which is the third-worst in the conference. The Bruins allowed zero sacks for the first time all season in last week's win.

Sophomore edge rusher Isaiah Ward leads the team with three sacks. There has not been a dominant presence across the roster that has frequently gotten home on opposing quarterbacks. That is a major key for Bruins senior quarterback Ethan Garbers having time to throw in the pocket.

The Huskies' best defensive player overall is senior linebacker Carson Bruener, who leads the team in solo tackles (41), total tackles (78), and interceptions (3). He is a pass coverage linebacker who is able to wrap up in space and defend the pass game well. In turn, he has not recorded a sack all season.

If the Bruins are able to take advantage of a struggling rush defense with Harden having a similar performance to last week, it will help open up the passing attack for Garbers who will be required to make some big throws to get a third-straight conference road victory.

The fact that the Huskies' pass rush is so weak will give Garbers an opportunity to sit more comfortably in the pocket. It will greatly benefit the run game as well with multiple rushers failing to get in the backfield, leaving Harden to bounce out for big gains.

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