WATCH: RB Jalen Berger provides early impressions of UCLA training camp
Jalen Berger had to work through an ankle injury last season. He said the injury impacted him for the rest of the year. However, the UCLA running back is healthy and part of a deep unit this season.
Berger played in eight games in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Michigan State. The New Jersey native rushed for 178 yards on 48 carries.
His hope this year is to be part of the combination of players at running back who contribute.
“It feels good,” he said Saturday following UCLA’s latest practice. “My body changed a lot compared to last year. I came in late fall, fall camp last year, so it was kind of hard for me to adjust. But, just being around the team this whole year, it made everything better and easier.”
Berger and his teammates on offense are in the first year of a new system. Tino Sunseri continues to install his scheme ahead of his first season as offensive coordinator. Balance is what Sunseri hopes to accomplish when the Bruins take the field later this month.
That is music to the ears of a running back like Berger, who has been impressed with the offense has looked like already. He notes that having an “elite” quarterback like Nico Iamaleava makes a difference for what the Bruins want to accomplish.
A deeper running back group, which includes the addition of Cal transfer Jaivian Thomas, also matters for the team. Berger sees all the pieces already coming together just a few days into training camp.
“Our running back room is deep,” Berger said. “And, our receivers, I see them getting extra work with Nico after practice. So, I feel like the whole offense is clicking, and we’re all on the same page. We’re gonna be dangerous this year for sure.”
Jalen Berger training camp post-practice media session
Video recorded by BruinBlitz staff writer Tracy McDannald.
