Receiver Perry Is Back After Difficult Journey

Senior receiver Tab Perry, who was dismissed from UCLA in January, rejoined the Bruins on Tuesday after spending the last several months working to regain his academic eligibility.

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride from the get-go,” said Perry, who will participate in his first practice today after being out of football since spring 2003. “I have always been really proud to call myself a Bruin and it hurt to leave like I did.”

Perry, who was academically ineligible last season, still needs to be cleared to play by the NCAA, but that is considered a formality because he had to meet all NCAA requirements to rejoin the Bruins.

Perry said he thought about enrolling at a Division I-AA school after he was dismissed from UCLA. With one year of collegiate eligibility remaining, Perry would have been able to play immediately and then pursue a professional career.

Instead of following a ‘football-first’ roadmap, he became a full-time student and overloaded himself with courses. Perry took three correspondence courses at Brigham Young, one correspondence class at Adams State, one class at San Jose State in the spring and three summer school classes at UCLA.

At one point, Perry was taking six classes.

“There were plenty of times when I wanted to quit,” said Perry, who caught 62 passes for 1,172 yards and had 1,262 yards in 56 kickoff returns in three seasons with the Bruins.

“There was one stretch, for about 2 1/2 weeks, I slept in the same bed with one of my best friends at San Jose State. Because I was broke and did not have any other place to stay, I stayed with him and we commuted to school together. We slept head to foot. Two 22-year-olds. It was brutal.”

Perry left UCLA on good terms with Coach Karl Dorrell, who told Perry that he’d keep a door open for him if he got his grades together. Perry made sure that he notified the Bruins about his progress.

Watching UCLA struggle last season was not easy for Perry, who said that he felt as if he let his teammates down. Perry’s motivation to return only increased once Dorrell started to make changes with the program, particularly the addition of Tom Cable as offensive coordinator.

Perry has been a Cable fan since high school. As a Colorado assistant, Cable came close to signing Perry as a recruit before he took the head coaching job at Idaho.

“I really like what [the Bruins] are doing offensively,” said Perry, who probably will compete with Junior Taylor for the starting split end position. “I like Tom Cable so much. He’s so smart and such a good coach. I know USC has Norm Chow, but we now have Tom Cable and he’s a better coach than Chow.”

Getting Perry back in the lineup is not like adding a hotshot freshman with strong prep credentials. Perry is a proven commodity for the Bruins, who need playmakers.

Maybe the happiest Bruin to see Perry is quarterback Drew Olson. Perry, 6 feet 3 and 220 pounds, provides an additional threat to an offense that already has running backs Maurice Drew and Manuel White, receiver Craig Bragg and tight end Marcedes Lewis.

“We’re getting a ballplayer back,” Olson said. “He’s a tremendous competitor and great team leader. It’s huge to have him back.”

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Cornerback Jebiaus Brown, who was taken off the field on a stretcher Monday because of a neck injury, attended practice and said he hoped to return before the end of the weekend.

“I feel a lot better than they said I would feel,” said Brown, who was unconscious for 15 to 20 seconds after being hit. “My neck is kind of sore, but it feels like the first-day-of-hitting sore.”

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Taylor did not finish Tuesday’s practice because of a hip injury.... Defensive lineman C.J. Nuisulu, who has not practiced this week because of post-concussion symptoms, said he planned to return today. Receiver Marcus Everett, tight end J.J. Hair and White have been struggling with the same symptoms and are day to day.... Offensive guard Eyoseph Efseaff did not practice because of a groin injury.... Drew will not practice today to attend the funeral of former high school teammate Terrance Kelly, who was shot two days before he was to leave for Oregon on a scholarship. Both played at Concord De La Salle High.