Dorian Thompson-Robinson says UCLA is right where he expected it to be
The unbeaten and ninth-ranked UCLA Bruins have a top-10 matchup this week with Oregon. All eyes will be on coach Chip Kelly, quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and a UCLA team that has roared to a 6-0 start.
UCLA dispatched then-No. 15 Washington with relative ease, and followed that victory up with a 42-32 win over then-No. 11 Utah. The Bruins are the Pac-12’s only remaining unbeaten team.
“This is right where I thought we’d be coming into this point in the season,” Thompson-Robinson said this week. “Go into a bye week 6-0, coming out of the bye week you’ve got a really good team on the national spotlight, so you couldn’t ask for anything more. I think this is where I personally envisioned this team being and I couldn’t be more grateful to be here right now.”
Given the Bruins’ lack of early success under Kelly, many entered into the year with questions about how real the Bruins’ 8-4 record was in 2021. A hot close to the year offered momentum. Some thought the Bruins would ride that momentum into the new season. Others questioned Thompson-Robinson.
Those questions have been answered in earnest.
With a fifth-year senior quarterback and grad students all over the roster, UCLA is one of the most experienced teams in the country. Throughout the season, that veteran knowledge has shined through in all manner of spots. Specifically with Thompson-Robinson, a fifth year in Kelly’s system has him operating at peak efficiency.
He’s fifth nationally in Total QBR. He leads the league in adjusted completion percentage (per PFF) and in yards per pass attempt. He also has 19 touchdowns in his first six games.
“Going back to my freshman year, we went (to Eugene), got our butts kicked and that wasn’t fun,” Thompson-Robinson said. “I remember the crowd being loud, really into the game. … And then last year we lost to them, so again, I haven’t beaten Oregon. Just like Utah, I have a bad taste in my mouth and so I think we’re just going to come out here and go to work and see where it takes us on Saturday.”
Thompson-Robinson said after the Utah he win he wanted more. Saturday offers an opportunity for exactly that.
“I think it’s going to be a special moment for everybody,” he said. “We live for games like this. You get a sold-out crowd. It’s on College GameDay. Anything and everything you could ask for, it’s going to be at this game. We live for moments like this. It’s going to be really fun.”
Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. PT on FOX.