UCLA Defense Seeks More Sacks Despite Colorado's 'Dirty' Line Play

Seeking to improve its sputtering sack production, the UCLA defense responded with three sacks of Cal quarterback Jared Goff.

The No. 25-ranked Bruins will try to continue the positive development of its pass rush this week at Colorado, but defensive end Takkarist McKinley explained Wednesday why he sees that as a unique challenge.

"They're dirty," McKinley said after UCLA's practice Wednesday at Spaulding Field.

The second-year junior college transfer, who joined UCLA's roster four games into the season, left no ambiguity about his assessment of the Buffaloes' offensive line.

"They try to chop-block you," McKinley said. "They try to tear your ACL. To me, that's dirty. But to them, they're just trying to do their job."]

Colorado offensive line coach Gary Bernardi issued a response on Thursday, via Tom Kensler of The Denver Post:

"

We try to teach our kids aggressiveness within the rules. We would never teach them to ‘high-low’ a defender. Generally speaking, that’s what injuries result from. We don’t teach it, and we haven’t been called for a penalty for it all year.

"

Whatever the means employed, the Buffaloes have been effective in their job of keeping quarterback Sefo Liufau upright for much of the season. Colorado has allowed just 12 sacks through seven games.

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Offensive line play is one facet in which Colorado has undergone a wholesale transformation under second-year head coach Mike MacIntyre. The Buffs gave up 20 sacks a season ago, 30 fewer than in the 2012 campaign.

"They've given up the least amount of sacks as a unit in the Pac-12, which is saying a lot considering they've had a lot of reps and they throw it a lot," UCLA defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich said.

While Colorado has cut down the number of sacks it allows, UCLA has seen the number of sacks it generates dwindle.

The absence of All-American linebacker and first-round NFL draft pick Anthony Barr is glaring at times. Barr registered as many sacks individually in 2013 as the Bruins have as a team thus far into 2014.

UCLA's lack of sacks is partially attributable to easily rectified miscues. One of Barr's replacements at outside linebacker, Deon Hollins, has regularly been in opposing backfields and has a team-high three sacks.

Hollins has been fractions of a second away from getting several more sacks, however, and it seems like only a matter of time before the floodgates open for him.

The same is true for defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa, who gained his second sack on the year last week at Cal.

McKinley played a more prominent role, lining up on the outside in the position Odighizuwa previously manned—fitting, considering McKinley referred to himself as "a little Owa."

McKinley's presence allowed Odighizuwa to play on the interior of the defensive line, which Ulbrich said produced results.

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"They affected the quarterback," he said. "They were getting in the backfield and in the run game, too. Started playing on [the offense's] side of the line of scrimmage a little bit more, a little bit more knock-back. They were a little bit more aggressive."

Both increasing its sack total and pressuring Liufau are contingent upon UCLA continuing to improve against the run. The Bruins are allowing 4.07 yards per rush—not a bad average by any means, but a slight jump from 2013's output of 3.95 yards per carry.

Stymieing Colorado on first and second down to create 3rd-and-long situations is key, McKinley said.

However, UCLA's best bet for shaking off Colorado's cut-blocking style and getting to Liufau is to avoid a down-and-dirty game in the trenches—no pun intended.

"If we get off [the line of scrimmage] with speed, we can beat them," McKinley said. "Use your hands, use your speed, club, rip and dip, beat them with speed."

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise cited. Statistics via cfbstats.com.