Former Post Falls Star Signs On With Ucla

Gene Waters has resurfaced. The former Post Falls High School offensive lineman, who signed with Idaho following the 1990 football season but never made it to the Moscow school because of poor grades, will begin classes Monday at UCLA.

The 6-foot-7, 305-pound Waters finished his two-year community college degree at Walla Walla in late November and signed with UCLA three weeks ago.

Four years ago, it appeared Waters’ career would never start. After losing his opportunity at Idaho, Waters headed to Wenatchee Valley College. But he quit after a couple practices and returned to Post Falls for a job in construction.

So Waters’ collegiate eligibility clock had yet to start because he hadn’t attended a class.

“He was always a bright kid, but other things had gotten in the way,” said Waters’ prep coach, Jerry Lee of Post Falls.

Finally, his focus readjusted, Waters headed to Walla Walla two years ago. He started on the defensive line half his freshman year before moving to the offensive line.

UCLA linebackers coach Tim Hundley, a former Vandals assistant, was impressed when he watched Waters in the spring.

Waters visited Arizona State and UCLA. He was in Los Angeles the final weekend of the season, when the Bruins upset Southern Cal.

“I knew then that I wanted to go to UCLA,” Waters said. “It was a great weekend.”

So Waters canceled final recruiting visits to Arizona and Oregon.

Waters, one of three JC recruits, will play right tackle. Hundley said UCLA rarely recruits JC players.

“We think he can play for us,” Hundley said. “He’s a motivated kid and wants to do well and be successful. We had a little bit of a void between older and younger players at his position. He’s a winner. He made a big change in the classroom. He knew he had to step up the tempo academically.”

Lee is as proud of Waters’ accomplishments.

“The biggest thing I’m proud of is he made a commitment to better himself in the classroom and a goal to make it to a major college to play football, and he’s attained that..’

The work, though, is just starting for Waters, Lee said.

“He’s going to have a real challenge - it’s not Walla Walla Community,” Lee said. “But he’s got unlimited potential. The size and potential is there for him to play (in the NFL). But he’s got some challenges ahead of him now.”