For the rest of the season he’s tapping trusted allies to support Steady’s soccer team.
The interim coach has completed his employment as a member of the defensive staff of veteran assistant Kevin Coil in a move that could strengthen his team, according to someone close to a situation where he is not allowed to publicly discuss because the employment has not been completed.
The hope is that Coyle will be able to join the Bruins before opening a Big Ten conference play at Northwestern on Saturday.
This is the familiar pairing.
When the skipper served as interim coach for Fresno State last season, Coyle ranked third in total defense and fourth in scoring defense at the Mountain West Conference, helping the team reach the Idaho Potato Bowl.
With the Bruins (0-3), the challenge ranked worst defense in major college football could be much bigger, giving up 36 points and 431 yards per game. Coil is expected to assist staff as part of what Skipper described as a collaborative approach to implementing defenses.
Coyle, 69, started this season as a senior defense analyst for Syracuse. He created multiple stops as a defensive coordinator for the college and NFL, and served in his capabilities for Holy Cross, the US Merchant, Maryland and the Miami Dolphins. In 2019, Coyle was head coach of Atlanta Legends of the American Football after winning the national title last season against Louisiana as a defensive analyst under manager Ed Orgeron.
Coyle spent two stints as Fresno State defensive coordinator. Initially under Coach Pat Hill from 1997 to 2000, he returned to the 2022 season before the 2022 season and remained in his final game of 2024.
Coyle replaces Maloe, a universally beloved and respected assistant who left the team last week as part of what was described as a mutual breakup of the team’s unfortunate post-start method. Filled with end-of-the-middle NFL players such as Laiatu Latu, Carson Schwesinger, Oluwafemi Oladejo and Jay Toia, UCLA’s defenses have been a force to experience a sharp decline early this season in 2023 and 2024.
