UCLA Football: Bruins CB Coach Given Prestigious Honor
The UCLA Bruins may have lost defensive coordinator D'Anton Lynn to the USC Trojans, but there are plenty on the staff who are highly praised. One such coach is the cornerback's coach Kodi Whitfield.
Whitfield previously played wide receiver and safety before transitioning into to a coaching career. He was hired by the Bruins back in January 2023 to be cornerbacks coach, previously working as a graduate assistant at UCLA before heading to coach safeties at Sacramento State.
The Bruins brought him back, and he transformed the cornerback unit into one of the best in the nation.
Whitfield coached up two of the top four cornerbacks in coverage according to PFF. He also coached two of the top five corners in total defense, the top cornerback in passer rating, and the interceptions leader.
That is a long list of accomplishments for Whitfield, especially after he has only been coaching the CBs for one season.
Whitfield will be a crucial part of the defensive plan in 2024. He will work in tandem with defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe, who was promoted to the position after serving as interim DC in the LA Bowl.
The hope is that the Bruins can return to proper defensive status in 2024. The unit was in the top 10 in multiple categories with Lynn at the helm. Hopefully, Malloe can replicate the same kind of success to lead the team to greater heights in the Big Ten conference.
