Malcolm Jones had a couple of strikes going against him as he attempted to wedge his way into meaningful playing time in UCLA’s backfield.
First and foremost, Johnathan Franklin rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns in a season-opening win, further solidifying the senior as the bell cow of the Bruins’ running game. Secondly, Jones found himself buried fourth on the depth chart this early in the season.
Rather than take a called third strike, Jones has reportedly decided to take a walk instead.
According to multiple reports, the junior has taken his leave of UCLA and is transferring out of the football program. The school has yet to confirm the move as Jones’ paperwork is currently in the process of being, um, processed.
Jones was a four-star member of UCLA’s 2010 recruiting class, rated by Rivals.com as the No. 9 athlete in the country and the No. 12 player at any position in the talent-rich state of California coming out of Oaks Christian.
During his two-plus seasons at UCLA, Jones rushed for 313 yards on 83 carries and scored a touchdown. He carried the ball three times for 10 yards in the Bruins’ season opener.