WATCH: Dorian Thompson-Robinson on Hurdle Strategy, UCLA's Offense

UCLA football quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson spoke with the media following Monday morning's practice session at the Wasserman Football Center. Thompson-Robinson talked about his big-time rushing performance against Arizona State, how the Bruins were able to rack up over 400 yards on the ground, what goes into his decisions to hurdle defenders, a possible lack of exposure due to late kickoff times and Kazmeir Allen's ability to move between wide receiver and running back.

What does it say about the team that Zach couldn't play and you still got over 400 yards rushing?

Yeah, it just speaks to the level of maturity and the talent that we have behind him as well as around him and like I said, we have full confidence in everybody on this team and I have full confidence in everybody on the offense that they can go in there and execute the job that needs to be done, you know there’s, you could put any of these guys in different spots and they’ll do a bunch of different things and make it work for you, so I think that goes back to coach Kelly’s recruiting and getting smart guys in here that can just play football and don’t really have to be robots out there.

Feel good about Saturday despite the injuries at running back?

Yeah, smooth sailing, smooth sailing for sure, so we’ve got all the confidence in the world in the guys behind them too as well as Kaz coming in there and joining the mix. We’ll be all right.

Does Kaz jumping back and forth between RB and WR affect you at all in practice?

Yeah, no, obviously I would like him out there at receiver and catching the ball that way, but I think it’s good for him to get work at running back, he’s going to be used in many different positions when he gets to the next level, so this is good practice for him to be able to sustain that and being able to execute at a high level at both positions is something that he can do really well, and he has a lot of background at being a running back, so it’s an easy transition.

You had so much success running the ball the other day – has any team effectively spied you?

[Laughs] Not to my recollection, I would say. I know there have been teams in the past that have accounted for me in both the pass and the run game, but I have yet to think it’s worked out well for people, so.

Are you surprised when you don't see a spy out there?

Um, no, not really, I mean, teams kind of want to keep everything in front of them and zone coverage is a big part of that and making sure everybody has eyes on the quarterback at all times, but when guys get deep drop zones and they still get yards downfield and stuff like that, I can still scramble through, so I personally think zone is better than a spy, but who am I to say?

Lack of exposure for you, Zach and the team all trying to do big things with another 7:30 start time?

Um, you know, I think we don’t focus or think about any of that stuff, I think more so we want to wake up and play right away, wake up and touch our toes and go play because we’re a morning practice team, but we love it, though, I’m just thankful to get another opportunity to go play—it’s going to be one of three that I have left here, so just trying to make the most of every opportunity I have to come out here, it’s rainy, just enjoy the rain, enjoy being out here in Westwood and just enjoying being where I’m at, so.

What goes into your decision-making process of hurdling a defender?

Yeah, so, that’s actually a really funny question because me and my teammates talk about it all the time, so the night before every game—I don’t know if I told you guys this, but the night before every game I watch tape and I only watch tape on tackle tendencies, so how guys tackle, especially open field, and especially when some teams play mobile quarterbacks, so how they tackle the quarterback and so that kind of gives me an idea of how guys in the field are tackling and who’s more of an ankle-biter than not and who has more of a solid tackle technique, so I definitely know who to kind of pick my spots at when I’m on the field and know who to attack if I am going to hurdle, but I think it’s something pre-planned for sure.

So you recognize a guy's number and know that's someone you might be able to hurdle?

Yeah, if you watch on my hurdles, I always do a move before to set it up, so I’ll square them up right away or I’ll do something to make them drop their hips and as soon as I see the hip drop, it’s over with.

So you have a hit list of guys to hurdle?

[Laughs] I wouldn’t call it a hit list, but I for sure have some names on the list pregame of who to watch out for when it comes to tackling in the open field.

Is it ever tough to decide who to go to when you have so many weapons, or is it just a matter of what the defense presents?

Yeah, I think that’s a really good question, I think with coach Kelly’s scheme it makes it easy for me just because things are based off of coverages, things are based off of different looks and fronts of where guys are on the field defensively, so besides man coverage, I really don’t have to make a decision on who I’m going to pick over the other, it’s more so just based off of coverage.

What benefits do you see to non-tackling practices?

Uh, benefits of non-tackling practices? Keeping guys healthy, not getting guys hurt, but also you lose the fact that you don’t get to tackle on defense and you don’t get to break tackles on offense until game time. I’d say just keeping guys fresh and making sure that everybody’s staying safe, so.

Not to put you on the spot, but was Zach able to do anything today?

Uh, yeah. He did some a little bit of stuff here and there—I don’t want to give away too much information because it’s not my business to tell but yeah, he’s good. He’s good for sure.

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