The Jerry Rice Jr. Era dawns on an unsuspecting Pac-12

Remember the big UCLA-Arizona brawl just before halftime last Thursday in Tucson? The NCAA suspended 10 players for their parts in the kerfuffle, among them four Bruins receivers. Bad news for them, but good news for one certain Jerry Rice Jr.

The son of the 49ers legend and struggling celebrity golf regular has been on the Bruins’ scout team, but since they’re a little, ah, thin at that position now, Rice Jr. has been promoted to the big time. He should see action on Saturday when UCLA meets Cal at the Rose Bowl. Los Angeles Times:

“I’ve played a lot of different guys, now I’m getting my shot,” Rice said. “It’s kind of a crazy feeling.”

“Jerry finds himself with a golden opportunity,” UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel said. “He knows what to do. We’re going to find out about him. It’s exciting for me to get a chance to watch him.”

“I want to get into the end zone,” said Rice, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound sophomore. “Maybe get three or four catches. Anything else would be a bonus. I’m overwhelmed, I’m excited, I’m very nervous.”

Rice Jr. was already scheduled to receive a scholarship next quarter.

Fun facts: Rice considered walking on at Cal, but decided it was too close to home. He played high school football (and basketball) at Menlo School in Atherton, Calif.

This means that a future UCLA passing combination could be Bono-to-Rice, which should bring back memories for 49ers fans. Only this QB will be Christoph Bono, the son of former UCLA and 49ers quarterback Steve Bono, who is a freshman for the Bruins. Christoph Bono attended Palo Alto High, which is just a few miles from Menlo School on the San Francisco Peninsula. He was coached by Earl Hansen, who also coached Jim Harbaugh when he played QB at Palo Alto.