LOS ANGELES – UCLA’s Eddie Vanderdoes can barely form the words to describe how he feels. The defensive lineman just lets his shoulders drop and he just breathes a sigh of relief.
He’s back.
The fourth-year junior returned to football activities this week after a nearly 11-month absence. He strapped a brace on his left leg to protect his surgically repaired knee, the one he played more than a half of football on with a torn ACL and meniscus.
Vanderdoes tore his ACL and meniscus when he jumped toward Virginia quarterback Matt Johns a few minutes before halftime of UCLA’s 2015 season opener.