UCLA Football Practice Report: October 27

Running through some final updates on the Bruins' health and personnel before their upcoming game against the Utes.

The Bruins' biggest star took a few steps forward Wednesday.

UCLA football (5-3, 3-2 Pac-12) quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was throwing passes with the rest of his position group for the first time all week. Thompson-Robinson spent Monday moving around the field with the quarterbacks but not throwing, and he made just a single throw Tuesday during the first portion of practice open to the media.

Thompson-Robinson left the Bruins' previous game against Oregon with an undisclosed injury, and he showed up to practice Monday with a glove on his right hand. As of Wednesday, Thompson-Robinson has lost the glove but still has his hand taped up quite a bit.

Coach Chip Kelly wouldn't say anything on Thompson-Robinson's status for this weekend's game against Utah other than that he was simply available Wednesday.

Thompson-Robinson was catching and cradling the ball with his off-hand, so although he was throwing, he does not seem to be fully back to normal. The throws he made looked pretty sharp for someone who isn't 100% though, so at the very least, he's progressing and could certainly still appear Saturday.

Third-string quarterback Chase Griffin was in the same role he had been all week, in pads and a helmet following around the quarterbacks but not actually passing the ball. Thompson-Robinson, Washington transfer Ethan Garbers and walk-on Chase Artopoeus were getting seemingly equal reps as the top three quarterbacks available.

Parker McQuarrie shed his scout team jersey, instead donning his blue No. 8. That left true freshman Kajiya Hollawayne as the only signal-caller in a red scout team jersey, and he was wearing No. 7 to stand in for Utah's Cameron Rising.

The injured players included usuals like defensive lineman Quintin Somerville, linebacker Kobey Fitzgerald, offensive lineman Thomas Cole and offensive lineman Patrick Selna. There were also two unidentified scout team players on the stationary bikes and stretching with the rest of the injured cohort.

Cornerback Mo Osling III was back as a full participant, but linebacker Caleb Johnson spent the full opening six periods open for viewing over on the side in the injured area. Johnson didn't look particularly hobbled, so the severity of his injury is undetermined, as is his status for Saturday.

With Johnson doing individual work with the training staff, the linebacker rotation was shortened up a bit in position drills. Jordan Genmark Heath and Ale Kaho made up the pair running with the 1s, while Kain Medrano and JonJon Vaughns played with the 2s. Jeremiah Trojan got some looks as well.

Other than those updates, it was much of the same for the opening 30 minutes of practice for the Bruins on Wednesday – kickoff returns, position drills, simple route trees, etc.

With this being the final look we'll get at the team before they go behind closed doors to prepare for Utah, however, don't expect much more news to come out on the Thompson-Robinson front before UCLA takes the field for warmups in Salt Lake City this weekend.

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