UCLA cornerback Jadyn Marshall jumped a route and intercepted reserve quarterback Chase Griffin for a pick-6 to end Thursday’s practice.

It was the big highlight of another strong day for the defense, which won the practice 21-14 against the offense in a scoring system that awarded either side a point for winning a play.

It’s a defense that will need its secondary and inside linebackers, coordinator Ikaika Malloe said after practice, to help make up for the loss of significant pass-rush production headlined by Lombardi Award winner and projected first-round NFL draft pick Laiatu Latu.

Malloe said transfer additions Bryan Addison (Oregon), K.J. Wallace (Georgia Tech) and Ramon Henderson (Notre Dame) have helped make up for the departures of safeties Kamari Ramsey (USC transfer), Alex Johnson (graduated), Kenny Churchwell III (graduated), Jordan Anderson (graduated) and cornerback John Humphrey (USC transfer).

“I thought they’re doing a great job,” Malloe said of the newcomers. “As soon as they get off the field, they’re up in a room and they’re watching film. They’re watching film together, they’re watching film with coach because they understand that once I put ‘em between the white lines they have to control our defense.

“We might need a corner to create a pick, to help out the pass rush or to cover for seven, eight, nine seconds if we need to so we can help out the pass rush. But they kinda know that we’re in a different world here, but this will be our new identity and we’ll move forward.”

That different world is one without the services of Latu, Carl Jones Jr. and twins Gabriel and Grayson Murphy coming off the edge to terrorize opposing quarterbacks.

Together, the quartet produced 52 of the team’s 105 tackles for a loss and 28 of 43 sacks as part of a defense that ranked 10th nationally in total defense (301.5 yards allowed), fifth in sacks (3.31) and third in tackles for loss (8.1) per game.

Currently, the Bruins have Devin Aupiu and Navy transfer Jacob Busic handling unofficial first-team snaps on the edges to start the spring. Earlier in the day, UCLA offered Indiana transfer Anthony Jones in the portal and he’s expected to visit “first thing next week” while targeting others at the position when it opens next week.

As for what UCLA currently has in place, Malloe is realistic in understanding there’s really no replacing what was lost in Pac-12 defensive player of the year Latu and the rest of the standout group. There’s even some experimenting this spring, with inside linebacker Oluwafemi Oladejo taking some repetitions on the end.

Still, though, Malloe said the edge rushers “have the heaviest load on their back.”

“They know the shoes they’re trying to fill and they’re taking it seriously,” Malloe said. “Will they look like the twins, Laiatu, CJ? Not necessarily, but they can bring something else to the table so we kind of know what their characteristics represent and they’re staying in that world, so that’s good.

“Now, with myself as a coordinator, I just gotta find how to reproduce the twins and Latus and Carl Jones, trying to get the pass rush going.”

Prior to Tuesday’s practice, Bruins head coach DeShaun Foster announced reserve walk-on freshman cornerback Kanye Clark earned a scholarship.

Malloe, a former walk-on himself as a player at Washington, was happy for Clark and said he has “a heart for walk-ons” who put in the work and see it pay off.

“It filled me with pride more than just Kanye,” Malloe said, “because it just showed the hard work — regardless of scholarship, walk-on.

“I felt for him because I know the gratification you get from all the hard work you put in, and now you can be recognized in front of the team. That was really, really cool.”

Thursday marked the first time Clark had a chance to address the local media and share his thoughts on the news.

For starters, like Malloe admitted he forgot to do when he was in that position as a player, Clark said his first phone call was to his parents.

“It felt great,” Clark said. “They were the first ones to know. They were pretty proud, they are very proud of me. They said they had some tears coming out. So, that was nice. That was a nice moment.

“At first, I didn’t, I was in front of the team. So I didn’t want to let my emotions out. But eventually, I was by myself and I realized the hard work had paid off, so the tears came out.”

Below are Malloe and Clark’s full interviews after practice:

As noted above, for the first time this spring there was a running score kept from the ninth period of practice, a 7-on-7 period, to the 13th period and 11-on-11 red-zone reps at the end of the two-hour session.