Gary Smith III Stepping Up as Leader Following UCLA Loss

The defensive tackle is making sure his voice is being heard after a lackluster defensive outing.

Sep 3, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Gary Smith III (58) drinks water and cools off at a misting station during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

When backs are against the wall, which one of UCLA's tenured leaders is going to step up?

After a troubling defensive outing in their 43-10 loss to Utah on Saturday, Bruins veteran defensive tackle Gary Smith III is someone you'd most expect to take charge. And so he did.

Oct 29, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Laiatu Latu (15) and defensive lineman Gary Smith III (58) celebrate after a sack of Stanford Cardinal quarterback Tanner McKee (18) in the first half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

"You can tell he was a guy that was really focused on talking to the defense and making sure that they're operating at a certain level," said UCLA head coach DeShaun Foster on how Smith responded to the loss, being an already prominent voice on the defense. "He was somebody, after I brought it up, he wanted to talk to the guys. Gary's a leader on the field and of the field, so I appreciate the stuff that he brings to the table."

UCLA's defense was its main pain point in the Utah loss. Utes quarterback Devon Dampier got pretty much whatever he wanted on any given down. The defensive struggles were magnified by the Bruins' extremely poor tackling.

Jalen Woods on Emphasizing Tackling

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Utah Utes tight end Hunter Andrews (10) runs the ball against the UCLA Bruins during the second half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Utes were able to extend plays almost on command because it often took multiple UCLA defenders to bring a player down. Never mind not being able to contain the dynamic mobility of Dampier, who was reaping off subpar edge protection to extend plays on the ground.

Bruins linebacker Jalen Woods detailed the efforts the team is going through to improve on that portion of their defense.

"We emphasize tackling every week with the drills that we do," Woods said during Tuesday's media availability. "It's just the little fine details. Like get one step closer to the person, or two steps closer. Little stuff like that. And that separates between a tackle and a missed tackle. We're just all, collectively as a group, getting better at tackling and all the other fundamentals that come with winning a football game."

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; Utah Utes quarterback Devon Dampier (4) runs the ball against UCLA Bruins defensive back Croix Stewart (22) during the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Despite the lulls, UCLA linebackers Isaiah Chisom and JonJon Vaughns finished the night with 17 and 15 tackles, respectively, two totals that put them within the top five in the nation after Week 1.

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