Elijah Rushing’s official visit to UCLA over the weekend was one part to get a feel for the team culture and another part strengthening a relationship with Bruins outside linebackers/defensive line coach Ikaika Malloe.

Rushing, a four-star 2024 defensive end from Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe, has a connection with Malloe going back to his time coaching at Washington. Malloe offered him a scholarship on behalf of the Huskies in October 2021.

The Bruins hired Malloe last spring and Rushing said the contact “fell off for a little minute” after he was offered a scholarship last September. But a visit from Malloe to his school “rekindled” the bond.

“Coach Malloe is one of the strongest relationships I have, and I came out there because of him and the relationship we had before when he was at Washington,” Rushing told Bruin Blitz following his official visit late Sunday evening.

“But it works for me because with this whole (recruitment process) everyone is kind of bombarding you. It was good to have space and for him to come back and reach out and make sure everything was well.”

It was Rushing’s second visit to campus after previously attending an Under Armour camp and visiting both UCLA and USC last spring.