According to UCLA coordinator, defense is still a work in progress

In his first season as defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich has seen the ups and downs that come with leading a young defense.

The team scored three defensive touchdowns against Virginia, but then gave up 35 points to Memphis. In UCLA’s last game, against Texas, the defense forced a three-and-out possession late in the fourth quarter after an offensive fumble.

On Monday, Ulbrich said that he’s still not satisfied with his unit.

“I think we’ve always known what we wanted to be,” Ulbrich said. “Have we showed that on a consistent basis? No. Not yet. Not in the games, not in practice. So we have to keep working. We’re far from a finished product.”

Arizona State, UCLA’s next opponent, is going to be missing star quarterback Taylor Kelly but still has one of the better offenses in the Pac-12 Conference. The Sun Devils are averaging 47 points per game and are first in the Pac-12 in rushing, averaging 304 yards per game.

So while the Bruins defense has improved as the season has gone on, there’s going to be another big test Thursday.

“This doesn’t just happen on Thursdays and Saturdays,” Ulbrich said. “It happens right out here. We have to commit to that every day.”

For more Bruins observations, follow Everett Cook on Twitter @everettcook