COSTA MESA — Gary Smith III exploded off the ground, forcing a sled upward, causing it to crash back to the grass.
Defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe chuckled as he watched off to the side, appearing giddy over the redshirt senior’s effort. Ramsen Golpashin, a senior defensive analyst, couldn’t help but speak up.
“Now, that was good,” Golpashin remarked at the defensive lineman group Friday, one that included less-senior players, A.J. Fuimaono and Ashton Sanders.
There’s good reason head coach DeShaun Foster and Co. have pointed to Smith as a player who could lift the defense this year. Before suffering a season-ending injury ahead of the 2024 opener, Smith was supposed to take a step up from his campaign two years ago in which he worked his way into rotations with 21 tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.
Up to 340 pounds from 315 a year ago, the mass he provides the front four – in lieu of Jay Toia, who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in April – could be a difference maker should his agility also improve to get past opposing offensive lines.
Across two series of plays that the media could view Friday, quarterback Nico Iamaleava led first-team reps again, while Luke Duncan and freshman Madden Iamaleava split second-team reps (with the former taking three of the four plays).
Notable plays included a designed run for tight end Jack Pedersen, as well as a pass breakup from Ole Miss transfer Key Lawrence on a Nico Iamaleava pass. Freshman tight end Dylan Sims was also involved in the second-team series – although likely below Hudson Habermehl and Pedersen on the depth chart – catching a screen pass from Duncan.
Eligibility in limbo
Near the end of the media-viewing session Friday, wide receivers Rico Flores Jr. (undisclosed injury) and Carter Shaw (labrum) wandered out to the practice field together to watch practice.
Foster told reporters at Big Ten Media Day that Flores would be out until at least October. Shaw’s status is still uncertain. Both players could make Appalachian State transfer Kaedin Robinson’s case for a fifth year of eligibility increasingly vital for team depth.
On Tuesday evening, Judge James Selna of the United States District Court for the Central District of California dealt a blow, rejecting Robinson’s temporary restraining order as part of the receiver’s lawsuit against the NCAA.
Selna set a hearing for the injunction for Aug. 18, which will ultimately decide Robinson’s eligibility status, less than two weeks before UCLA’s opener at the Rose Bowl against Utah on Aug. 30.
“We kind of anticipated that happening, that part, but we’re just looking forward to this next ruling that’s coming forward,” Foster said Wednesday, adding that he’s about 90% positive the injunction will go in Robinson’s favor. “He’s still training, and we’re looking forward to finding out if we can get him here and be a part of our team.”
Robinson, who announced his intentions to play in Westwood in January, is hoping to receive a fifth year of eligibility, a precedent set by former Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia after he successfully argued that his junior college career should not count against his NCAA eligibility.
In Robinson’s lawsuit against the NCAA, filed July 15, he claims he was to receive $450,000 in a “once in a lifetime” name, image and likeness contract while playing at UCLA.
The 6-foot-2 wideout was an All-Sun Belt first-teamer last year, leading the Mountaineers with 53 receptions and 840 receiving yards.
More transfer news
UCLA received a commitment from Rice graduate transfer Jalen Hargrove on Friday morning. The 6-foot-4, 308-pound defensive lineman will likely be a depth piece, having mainly played on special teams for the Owls over the past two seasons.