UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster is putting it on the offense to support the defense and help save its legs.

Bruins defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and safety Bryan Addison instead decided after Tuesday’s practice to make no excuses.

Malloe, in a 11 1/2-minute media gathering, passionately shouldered all of the responsibility for the defense’s part in a 1-3 start to the season heading into Saturday’s game at seventh-ranked Penn State.

“I love this defense,” Malloe said, with his voice starting to crack while answering the last question. “They work so hard to try to give me what I want. You know, and so, on the flip side just, man, I can’t — I mean, I’ve been up since 3 o’clock on Sunday because I just don’t want to let down this team. These kids fight hard, man, and so I think the love for each other, that’s what keeps us going. But fundamentally, technically, that’s my job. I just got to get these kids better so we can win.”

It was one of seven different occasions Malloe held himself accountable for a defense that has failed to produce a sack in each of the last three games and owns the nation’s worst allowed third-down conversion rate at 58.2% (32 of 55).

After the loss to then-No. 8 Oregon, though, Foster said the defense performed well enough after shutting out the Ducks in the third quarter of a 34-13 loss.