Receiver Alex Van Dyke eager to contribute after burning redshirt

Through UCLA’s preseason training camp, Alex Van Dyke looked the part of a starting receiver — if you imagined him two years into the future.

The true freshman looked bigger than his listed 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, a frame that could easily carry more weight. Also an All-Metro basketball player at Elk Grove (Calif.) Cosumnes Oaks, Van Dyke already had the genes (son of a former NFL player) and the nickname (“Bambi” for his wobbly gait).

He just didn’t always look like he knew what to do. After two weeks in San Bernardino, Van Dyke seemed destined for a redshirt — especially considering that the Bruins returned nearly every receiver from 2013, including four who had double-digit receptions.

So it was a bit of a surprise when, with UCLA already up by three touchdowns in last Thursday’s 62-27 win at Arizona State, the true freshman stepped onto the field for a handful of plays.

“I felt good,” said Van Dyke, who is still looking for his first catch. “Wasn’t really nervous until I stepped onto the field. That’s when a lot of the adrenaline started pumping. … My plan was to compete for a spot. If I got the opportunity, I’ll take it.”

Head coach Jim Mora said the original plan had Van Dyke sitting out this season and learning on the scout team, but that the four-star recruit played himself back into a spot in the rotation. Quarterback Brett Hundley had praised Van Dyke’s work ethic back in August, a thought that Mora echoed this week. He added that he also liked the freshman’s size and willingness to block.

“Early on, he looked really good,” Mora said. “Then, like a lot of young guys, he hit a little bit of a lull. Things catch up to him. So we thought, ‘You know what, we’re going to redshirt him.’ Then all of a sudden, he spiked again. He looks like a guy that can help us.”