Given the struggles of a defense that finished the 2022 season ranked 89th overall and owned the nation’s 12th-worst pass coverage, it was hard to envision that UCLA would be one of the more stingy units this year like inside linebacker Darius Muasau declared in late August during the week leading up to the season opener.

“We’re thinking of wowing all our Bruins fans and everyone, everyone that watches college football,” Muasau said that day. “We want to be the best defense in the nation and I think we have the talent to do that and accomplish our dreams and our goals of that.”

At the time, it sounded more like a player excited about the upcoming season, when aspirations are sky high and everyone in the country is undefeated.

Well, so far, the 4-1 Bruins have backed up Muasau’s bold claim.

“When I said that before the season, I wasn’t saying that jokingly,” Muasau said when reminded of his comments after Tuesday’s practice. “I really meant that from my heart.”