There’s still room for improvement for Pac-12 Conference’s top-ranked pass defense

The mandate for the Pac-12 Conference’s top-ranked pass defense: get better.

Finishing games would be one area UCLA’s secondary could improve. The Bruins allowed Washington State to score on a touchdown pass with three seconds left last season to pull out a victory at the Rose Bowl.

“That’s the step we have to take in my opinion — close things out,” UCLA Coach Jim Mora said Saturday. “That’s the step we have to take in my opinion to really reach that elite status.”

The Bruins led the conference and ranked 36th nationally by allowing 203 passing yards per game last season. Mora had previously dismissed the statistic by saying it was a result of teams mostly running against UCLA before discovering that they had attempted the third-most passes against the Bruins in the conference, lending legitimacy to the ranking.

Advanced statistics also backed the Bruins because they led the Pac-12 and ranked 26th nationally in pass efficiency defense.

Defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin has a new goal in mind for his group that he said was the most experienced by far during his time at UCLA.

“No touchdown passes,” Martin said. “Has anybody ever done that?”

It helps that UCLA’s secondary is fully intact from last season with the return of cornerback Fabian Moreau, who played in only three games in 2015 because of a broken foot suffered against Brigham Young. Moreau somehow finished the game against the Cougars.

“It was definitely a 10 out of 10,” Moreau said of the pain level. “I wanted to be out there with my friends and my teammates and I just wanted to win.”

Moreau and safety Randall Goforth are both preseason All-Pac-12 picks by several publications and will be surrounded by a deep supporting cast that includes safety Jaleel Wadood and cornerbacks Marcus Rios, Tahaan Goodman, Nate Meadors and John Johnson, all of whom have starting experience.

Moreau and Goforth showed some teamwork in practice Saturday morning when Moreau tipped a pass toward Goforth, who intercepted it.

“You can leave him on the island and let him do his thing,” Goforth said of Moreau.

He’s not here

Linebacker Mique Juarez, the Bruins’ most highly touted freshman, missed a second consecutive day of practice. Mora became a bit repetitive when asked about Juarez’s absenteeism.

“He’s got an excused absence from us,” Mora said.

Was there any chance Juarez had left the team?

“He’s got an excused absence from us,” Mora said.

Did Mora have an expectation for when Juarez might return?

“He’s got an excused absence from us,” Mora said.

Juarez was widely considered the top player at his position coming out of North Torrance High. He enrolled at UCLA early so that he could participate in spring practice, though he was limited by a concussion, and was competing for immediate playing time with far more experienced teammates.

Juarez had composed a series of cryptic tweets in recent days, including: “There’s things I can control & and it’s definitely my time to take control of things I’ve wanted to stop” and “Can’t control my life. Smh.”

UCLA returns three starting linebackers from last season in Jayon Brown, Kenny Young and Deon Hollins. The team has such good depth at the position that it was able to move Hollins to the defensive line.

Quick hits

Hollins walked off the field holding his head in discomfort during the afternoon practice and did not return. … Mora said freshman Lokeni Toailoa was pushing Young, a junior, and senior Isaako Savaiinaea in the competition for the starting middle linebacker spot. “For a young guy, he has tremendous awareness, a tremendous grasp of the defense,” Mora said of Toailoa. “He came in and immediately established himself as somebody the guys could depend on, which leads to being a leader.” … Freshman receiver Theo Howard, who has been sidelined since Tuesday because of a strained hamstring, is expected to return Monday when the Bruins begin the San Bernardino portion of their training camp.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch