Dorian Thompson-Robinson is 22 years old.

He has not seen UCLA win a Rose Bowl in his lifetime. According to The Los Angeles Times’ Ben Bolch, the fifth-year Bruin quarterback thinks about what it would be like to be the guy who ends the Bruins’ Rose Bowl drought. “I do, every day,” he told Bolch. “I envision being that guy.”

UCLA won eight games a season ago, representing the highwater mark of coach Chip Kelly’s tenure, which has coincided with Thompson-Robinson’s career in Westwood. The duo, if they’re going to produce a Rose Bowl team, has perhaps the perfect opportunity in 2022.

Utah is looking to replace some key contributors on defense and on the offensive line. Oregon is starting over again after Mario Cristobal left for Miami. USC reloaded, but will still be in Year 1 under a new coaching staff. The Pac-12 changed its conference championship game this season to allow two teams from the same division to play for the title. And, oh, by the way, UCLA has just four road games all year and gets Utah and USC at home.

Thompson-Robinson is entering into his fifth year as a starter in Kelly’s system. Throughout his head coaching career, Kelly might not have another quarterback who knows his scheme as well as DTR. The hope is that Thompson-Robinson, who finished 13th nationally last season in total QBR, can power the Bruins to a special year in his final season.

It’s one thing to play in the Rose Bowl in October. It’s an entirely different experience to do so in January. Thompson-Robinson has experienced one, and it sounds like the thought of checking that second box drives him daily.