UCLA Football: Longtime Bruin Assesses Team's Rapidly Improving Defense

6'1" redshirt UCLA Bruins senior defensive back Alex Johnson enjoyed a huge game on Saturday during the football club's 35-10 drubbing of the San Diego State Aztecs. The 190-pound Carson native snagged two huge picks while helping hold the other side to just one touchdown.

During a postgame interview with gathered journalists, Johnson spoke at length about his team's collective defensive effort, per Tracy Pierson of Bruin Report Online/247Sports.

The Bruins' defense has forced six turnovers in its last two games and remains a consistent threat in the backfield for opponents. 

"I think it starts with our effort, it starts upfront with our D-line, and goes back to our linebackers," Johnson reflected. "I think we have one of the greatest front sevens in the country, and as a secondary player, that makes our job easy." 

"We just need to be in the right spots and great things will happen because those guys up front are hunting, our linebackers are getting up to the quarterback, the coverage underneath is great," Johnson continued. "So everything starts with our effort, and it's just been building from there."

Johnson has been a consistent presence on the UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll, having made the cut for the last four consecutive quarters, plus Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Winter 2021, Spring 2020, Winter 2020 and Winter 2019.