When UCLA shuffled around its coaching staff in the offseason, head coach Chip Kelly appointed Ikaika Malloe as the defensive line coach in addition to his duties as outside linebackers coach.

Malloe, who took over in January after Chad Kauha’aha’a and the program parted ways after one season, was brought in last year to improve the pass rush. Now, there is a bit more synergy with the defense.

“There’s a lot of work that the (defensive tackles) and the outside ’backers do in terms of rush games,” Kelly said Tuesday before the Bruins’ fourth practice of the spring. “(Malloe) is just such a great teacher. It was kind of a natural progression to have him handle all those guys, and the interior guys really take to his coaching very well and enjoy being around him.”

Star edge rusher Laiatu Latu, last season’s comeback player of the year after racking up 10.5 sacks, and fellow outside linebacker Carl Jones Jr. both said the defense is now more “on the same page” with Malloe’s move and the early messaging from new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.

“Everybody knows what we’re doing and (Lynn) is really like a technical guy,” Latu said. “He brings the D-line in to go over coverages and stuff like that, so everybody knows what everybody’s doing. … That’s what I love about him.”

Latu, a transfer from Washington recruited by Malloe during their time together in Seattle, also has been a help to other players going back to his first season with the program last spring.

Jones Jr. said the interior linemen and pass rushers on the edge are “all doing the same things.”

“We can work off each other,” he said.

Kelly added that Malloe’s additional responsibility allowed the staff to bring in cornerbacks coach Kodi Whitfield, who was the safeties coach at Sacramento State in 2022.

That allowed Brian Norwood, previously the defensive backs coach, to focus solely on the safeties.

“I always felt that with this day and age in college football, you’re playing so many (defensive backs),” Kelly said. “At times, you’ve got six DBs on the field, you’ve got one guy coaching six guys, and then you’ve got three other coaches coaching one or two guys. So, it really was just to split up the secondary more than anything because we’re going to play with five DBs most of the time and you’re going to play with six DBs a lot of the time.”

Whitfield also is a familiar returning face after serving as a graduate assistant for the program for two seasons from 2020-21.

Kelly said Whitfield had “a huge impact” during his first stint coaching the strikers in the defense under former coordinator Jerry Azzinaro.

“I always felt that Kodi was going to be a real star in this profession,” Kelly said. “He’s sharp, he’s articulate. He relates well to our players. He does a great job and we were really excited to get an opportunity to get him back here.”

Among the offseason additions to the defense is Oregon transfer defensive tackle Keanu Williams. Unlike some of the others who arrived in the winter, Williams arrived prior to last week for the spring quarter.

Yet, he already has shown flashes through four practices, including a batted down pass at the line of scrimmage Tuesday.

“We do have depth,” Kelly said of Williams’ addition. “I’ve been in that meeting room with Ikaika and he’s doing a great job with those guys. He’s a big body. He’s really sharp, he’s picked things up very quickly.”

Here are the full media sessions with Kelly, Latu and Jones Jr.: