There are times Jaelen Phillips slips into the backfield so easily and causes so much disruption that it feels like he’s the only player UCLA needs on defense.
Once, when Phillips was in high school, he actually was the only player standing between the offense and a touchdown. Even then, no one got past him.
Frustrated with the effort of every defender besides Phillips during a midweek practice, Chalen Tessitore, the defensive coordinator at Redlands East Valley High, ordered the other 10 players off the field. Phillips was told to line up at his usual spot at outside linebacker and go against the offense, one on 11.