PASADENA — There was almost no better way for it to end for Adarius Pickett.
The redshirt senior opened his UCLA career in 2015 with an interception in his first game and finished his tenure the same way Saturday as he picked off Stanford quarterback K.J. Costello on the first drive of Pickett’s final collegiate game.
But unlike his debut — a win over Virginia — Pickett didn’t walk out of the Rose Bowl with a win his finale.
The Bruins (3-9, 3-6 Pac-12) finished the year with a 49-42 loss to Stanford, saluting nine seniors before the game. Pickett, punter Stefan Flintoft, running backs Soso Jamabo and Bolu Olorunfunmi, receivers Christian Pabico and Stephan Johnson III, cornerback Nate Meadors, kicker Andrew Strauch and quarterback Wilton Speight were honored with their families prior to kickoff, running through a tunnel of their teammates to midfield, where they each embraced head coach Chip Kelly.
The seniors have provided the young Bruins leadership during a difficult first year under Kelly.
“Adarius Pickett is definitely one of my role models, Nate Meadors is a role model,” sophomore Darnay Holmes said. “They just showed me how I should walk around in life and have faith about everything.”
Johnson, Strauch and Jamabo participated in the ceremony despite still having eligibility. Jamabo was ruled out with concussions early this year after appearing in just three games and could still redshirt. Johnson, a redshirt junior, hasn’t played this season.
Strauch, a walk-on redshirt junior, was suddenly thrust into a big role Saturday as he took over punting duties for Flintoft. Flintoft, who entered the conference’s leader in 50-yard punts, was unavailable for the game, Kelly said, but the head coach declined to give specifics. Flintoft, a fifth-year senior, watched the game from the sideline in full uniform.
Meadors also missed his final collegiate game as he suffered an injury last week against USC. He was limited in practice this week and warmed up in full pads, but when the Bruins ran out of the tunnel for the game, the senior from San Bernardino was dressed in a gray track suit with a white cap. In his final game action, Meadors grabbed an interception against USC.
Grad transfer Justin Murphy was not honored before the game. The offensive lineman said this week he was in the process of appealing for a sixth season. He suffered two season-ending knee injuries at Texas Tech and got arthroscopic knee surgery earlier this season to repair a meniscus injury, but returned for the final two games of the year. He said the compliance department is hopeful his waiver will be granted.
Quick hits
Defensive lineman Rick Wade and defensive back Mo Osling III were not seen on the field Saturday. Wade missed this practice this week due to an undisclosed injury.
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