WATCH: Carl Jones Jr., Kenny Churchwell III Talk UCLA's Aggressive Defense

Two of the standout defensive performers from the Bruins' win over Stanford made the most of their extra snaps.

The players made available to the media following Tuesday's practice both stood out in increased playing time against the Cardinal.

UCLA football linebacker Carl Jones talked about being labeled as a "dog" by his teammates and what it's going to be like controlling the edge against a mobile quarterback in Jayden Daniels. Safety Kenny Churchwell spoke on his decision to opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 and starting in the place of Quentin Lake on Saturday against Stanford.

CARL JONES JR.

Up-downs contribute to accountability?

Honestly, when we do those up-downs, it’s really, like you said, accountability. As a team, we try to run to the ball because we all know when it might fit back to you, you know what I’m saying, so the whole team, as many people as we can getting to the ball, that’s what we do.

When did up-downs start? This year?

Last year as well.

Coach Azz's suggestion? 

Yes, sir – honestly, it was a defensive idea, you know, it’s not as a punishment but it’s a learning experience, you know loafs, if you’re not running to the ball, you count those up and they give it to you at practice and we do up-downs afterward, so it’s really accountability.

Easier to execute defense in year two?

That’s a good question. Honestly, the game’s slowed down now that I know the plays and I know my assignments, the game has slowed down like 10 times more than last year, so I’m able to read everything, I’m more comfortable with where I’m at, so it’s been a big key for this year.

How many up-downs have you done?

I’ve been trying to keep mine down to a minimum, so I’ve just been trying to fly to the ball.

Jayden Daniels' mobility?

Jayden is definitely different than the other quarterbacks that we’ve played, but we just have to continue to do our scheme, do nothing different than what we were doing, continue to run to the ball and we’ve just got to make plays.

Odua called you a 'dog' for being so disruptive and hard-working?

I mean, I just try to do it at practice—practice makes perfect and luckily the plays came to me on Saturday and I just had to do my job, but I’m glad that I had a good game Saturday, but it’s just all the hard work.

How much weight on your shoulders at the Bruin/Raider vs. mobile QB?

Honestly, it’s just go-go-go. You know, he might want to run a lot, so we’ve just got to close the gaps, do our assignments, continue to do our plays within, so we’ve just got to do our job and everything will be fine.

Healthy competition for production with teammates?

It honestly – it's always amazing to play on the field with each and everybody. I know right before Datona made that big sack, right before, we were on the sideline, we were saying who was gonna get that sack first, who's gonna get that sack first. So we have those little games that we play right before we hop out on the field cause we know something's gonna happen, somebody's gotta make the big play, just a matter of who. So we keep that on our heads.

Turnover chain equivalent?

No, we just celebrate with each other. Just part of the game.

KENNY CHURCHWELL III

Decision to opt out last year? Returning this year?

How you doing, Ben Bolch? I would say, the last couple years, with the COVID going on, it was unprecedented so I had to talk to my family. And I feel like it was just a business decision when it comes to things that was going on. We never knew that COVID would ever spring and it went from everybody was having a great day to now everybody's in lockdown. So it's just taling to my family and seeing the best decision for myself. And being back, it's amazing. I can't – it was just crazy of not just being into football, so just being back with my brothers and coaches, they spread love, they welcomed me back with open arms and just happy to be here.

Stay connected with the team?

How'd I stay connected? Calls. Teeter, AKA Shea Pitts, he used to call me all the time. Quentin Lake always went over the playbook and at the time I was a striker, so I got some calls with Shea Pitts, Q Knight. And just regular calls, random calls and just me seeing something and being proud of the team going through the course of the football season. And going to Colorado, I called, rang people, being happy for them, cheering them on because they was doing something compared to me, to being at home.

Watching the games?

It was amazing. Like, I can actually be a fan, but I was still stressed out. So it was amazing just seeing my teammates and just being there, it's like, 'Let's go Carl! Let's go Q Knight, good hit!' It's just amazing, best time even though I was not able to play.

Thoughts on scheme being so aggressive?

I was 100%, that's what I gotta say. Just effort, fast, we play fast, we play strong, we just gotta finish. I would just say even if it's aggressive, it's not on me to play the call, whatever we call, it's on the coaches. So we just gotta believe, trust the process and just have effort, just run to the ball and just have fun and congratulate the teammates and players that are making the plays.

Next man up mentality?

During practice, we have a lot of reps. And I would say the process with me, just going from third team, to second team, to first team, is just like, we have enough reps for each of the teammates, the safeties to be able to participate in the game. I was already ready, but at the same time, it's ... you never know when you're going to be called. Like you said, 'Next man up.' It's just being ready, honing into the calls, honing into the everyday plays, practicing one play at a time, one day at a time. Your name gets called, and you just got to push through it and have fun and congratulate your brothers when you make the play or they make the play.

Advantage of having two practice fields?

Well, yes sir.

Thoughts on Aaron Lowe and team meeting?

I try to ??? go to the Utes. I have one of my best friends that went to Mountain Pointe, La Carea Pleasant (Johnson), a corner, so just being and hearing that first hand is extremely disappointing. Through the conversation, it's always emotional, we just spoke together, hugged it out and just loved each other. Because you don't know – we don't know because at the end of the day, tomorrow, something might happen. Today, something might happen. So it's just loving one another, trusting one another to do good things and just being there for that person when something happens or being together. So we're just together and just my tragedy all – goes out to the Utes and I'm praying for them.

Q Lake say anything to you before game time?

I would say he says something every single day. Because, in the game, little things matter. So it's always the simple things, the little things. So he's like 'Hey watch this, Hey watch this.' So it's just...having a guy like Quentin Lake and just like being that guy and helping me a lot, so just seeing an extra vision or extra view, like I see this and he'll come to me and say 'What did you see, I saw this.' It's just like small little things till Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and me coming to him like 'Why did you call this?" So, it was not just game day, it was throughout the whole (week).

Freshman and transfers from last year, weird knowing them as a fan before knowing them as a teammate?

No, not weird at all. I was just very like, 'Congratulations on being a Bruin.' I welcome them with open arms. No worries.

Past injuries to now, treasuring every moment out there?

Like, just so much. Coming from a small town and don't know what the next big thing is, to now, being at the No. 1 public university was just a great thing, an eye opener even. In 2019 I believe, when I played my first game, started for Colorado, it was just like going into that place and looking around like 'I'm actually playing here,' is being truly blessed and I'm happy to be here. 

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