LOS ANGELES — UCLA receiver Rico Flores Jr. has managed to fit in early with the football program and made an early impression among his peers while positioning himself to compete for a starting role this year.
The sophomore had a strong showing in the spring for the Bruins and is working toward having an early impact on the field like he did for Notre Dame in 2023.
“He’s mature,” UCLA receiver Logan Loya said of Flores. “He acts like an old dude, acts like he’s been here … a very hard worker and competitor and that’s something that I’m glad we brought in because it just makes the whole room better, having people like that.”
The Folsom High graduate believes he found a “better situation” for himself when he decided to return to his home state and commit to then-coach Chip Kelly and UCLA in December.
Kelly departed the program in February, leaving the receiver nervous about the decision he made.
“I just had to wait and see,” Flores said. “I was praying on it when that happened too … a little nervous, but in life, you are going to be nervous and you have to prepare for the worst.”
Flores doesn’t have those same reservations after sticking with his commitment and arriving in Westwood with new head coach DeShaun Foster and offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy at the helm.
“As of right now, it seems like it’s paid off and I made the right decision,” Flores said. “I left it all up in God’s hands and prayed on it very hard and shoot I’m here at UCLA and proud to be a Bruin.”
Unlike several other Bruins preparing for a busy travel schedule this season, Flores already has experience with a long college trip after making his Notre Dame debut against Navy in Dublin, Ireland.
Flores rounded out the season as the Fighting Irish’s second-leading receiver while playing in 12 games (two starts). He finished with 27 receptions for 392 yards and a touchdown.
Despite his early playing time at Notre Dame, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound receiver decided to enter the transfer portal in December and committed to UCLA.
“Rico has been phenomenal,” quarterback Ethan Garbers said about his early impressions of Flores. “He’s a really explosive guy that has great hands and he has a very wide range. He’s a really smart guy and he’s always in my ear about what he can do better … he’s a very feedback-oriented guy. I love that.”
STATUS UPDATE
Foster wasn’t willing to commit to a timetable for defensive lineman Gary Smith III or running back Deshun Murrell’s return for the upcoming season.
Smith missed the final three games of the 2023 season and was not available during spring camp in recent months. He finished the season with 21 total tackles (three for a loss) and two sacks.
The redshirt senior was spotted on crutches in the weight room during practice on Monday.
Murrell has had a delay in his recovery from ACL injuries each of the last two years with another surgery. Foster said Murrell has “continued to progress well” despite recently having surgery to remove scar tissue.
The redshirt junior’s injuries have kept him limited to just one game since arriving in 2021.
Foster also wasn’t willing to put an official timeline on running back Jalen Berger.
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Berger has yet to participate with the Bruins after being the latest addition from the transfer portal.
“He’s doing a great job,” Foster said. “He’s strong and … I don’t want him to get in shape with practice, I truly want him to be back when (he’s ready).”
Berger, a redshirt senior, ran 1,165 rushing yards throughout his career playing at Wisconsin (2020-21) and Michigan State (2022-23). He led the Spartans in rushing with 683 yards and 148 carries in 2022.
His 2023 season with the Spartans was cut short due to a season-ending injury suffered against rival Michigan.
“Injuries are not the issue,” Foster said about Berger. “It’s just more of getting into (shape). He can run, he’s conditioning. He’s doing a good job. … But putting the pads on and going at the tempo that we want him to go at, we’re just trying to take it day by day.”
Berger will add depth to an experienced backfield led by junior T.J. Harden and redshirt senior Keegan Jones.
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