LOS ANGELES_UCLA opened spring practice Tuesday and linebacker Mique Juarez officially returned to the field.
Juarez entered training camp in August as a prized freshman recruit from North Torrance High but practiced only a few days before he walked away from the team because of a "mental breakdown," he told the Los Angeles Times in February.
Juarez, 6 feet 2 and 255 pounds, participated in every drill Tuesday and took repetitions mostly with the backups through the 2{-hour morning practice.
"He took his first step today, his first practice, and it was good to see him," senior linebacker Kenny Young said. "He's a very competitive guy."
Juarez participated in offseason workouts and his presence at the first spring practice was a non-event for Coach Jim Mora.
"It was good, but he's been with us all winter," Mora said. "It's not like weird to see him because we see him everyday."
Juarez, a redshirt freshman, will try to earn playing time in a unit that featured Young and Jayon Brown last season. Young returns, but Brown, the team's leading tackler, exhausted his eligibility.
Junior Josh Woods, sophomores Krys Barnes and Lokeni Toailoa and redshirt freshmen Breland Brandt, Josh Chambers and Leni Toailoa also are competing for a spot.
"He's still trying to find his way, but he's a hell of a player," senior defensive back Jaleel Wadood said of Juarez. "We're happy to have anybody who wants to be a part of what we're trying to do."
Juarez's departure last season disappointed a few Bruins teammates who took some of their frustration onto social media, but Young said Juarez would be treated the same as any player.
"He's not different than anybody else," Young said. "We had a lot of reps today and he got a chance to get a lot of reps and got a chance to learn a lot."
