WATCH: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Bo Calvert preview UCLA-LSU matchup
Two of the Bruins' seniors were selected as the team's media representatives to kick off LSU week – quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and linebacker Bo Calvert.
While both players talked about the momentum UCLA's win over Hawaii provided and what they expect from their home crowd on Saturday, Thompson-Robinson touched on his subpar day Saturday and the upcoming duel with the Tigers secondary. Calvert talked about his position change to the outside and his relationship with his former high school teammate, running back Zach Charbonnet.
DORIAN THOMPSON-ROBINSON
Words to encourage fans to come out for the LSU game?
I think it doesn't get any bigger than this. I heard they're handing out free tickets, so free tickets, come watch the Bruins play is definitely a blessing so I'd say to take advantage of it.
Thoughts on LSU secondary?
They've got a bunch of first round guys, it's gonna be our toughest matchup probably all season and so we've got our work cut out for us but I think we'll be prepared and be ready come Saturday.
Talk to Chip about failed hurdle? Value protecting ball and body?
Yeah, definitely. Obviously ball security is job security so definitely protecting the ball is the first thing and then obviously availability is your best ability so being able to stay on the field for as long as possible and finishing the game is important and definitely something we talk about throughout the game.
What stands out the most about Derek Stingley?
Yeah, very physical, ball hawk, has very good ball skills, cover real well and just knows how to play defensive back pretty well. Like I said, we've got our work cut out for us, him and Rex on the other side, probably gonna be the best secondary we play all year so if we stay with our assignment and execute on the ball, we'll be alright.
Learn most from watching postgame Hawaii film?
Yeah, obviously our run game is great, I think everybody in the country knows that. It's been great for years and just keeping that rolling is something heading into this week that we'll definitely be on again. But just getting on the same page as our receivers. A lot of our offense, passing game wise, is based on option routes, so that's where you see a little bit of inconsistency this past Saturday, with just not being on the same page and the ball being behind a little bit and not really knowing where guys are gonna be at certain times. But just cleaning all that stuff up during practice starts on days like today, on Monday. We'll carry it all the way through the rest of the week.
Timing with receivers at practice today?
It was really good, coach Kelly's done a really good job game-planning so like I said, just getting on the same page, we're out throwing after practice and stuff like that too so doing anything possible to really get on the same page and I'll be with those guys later tonight watching film.
Confidence after big win?
I'd say we're as confident as ever. We also know the team that's coming in and the type of opponent in LSU. And so we know we got our work cut out for us, we're gonna take it day by day, coach Kelly's not gonna let us slip by and look ahead and not worry about the past as much now. We watched the Hawaii game, we're on to LSU, we're gonna take it day by day.
Caught looking ahead at 2019 Utah game? How do you fix that mindset this time?
Yeah, I think it all comes back on the leaders. We have a bunch of them on this team, a bunch of veteran guys, super seniors, my class are now seniors. So being able to keep everyone's head straight from that standpoint and leaning on each other, not letting anybody look to far ahead or stay behind. We're gonna keep everybody on track from a player standpoint and the coaches will do their job too, so I'm not worried about anything.
Expect LSU to put bodies on the line to prevent you from running?
Yeah, they got new coordinators on both sides of the ball so it's just like Hawaii where we're not really gonna know what to expect based on last year's film and everything. We're always prepared for anything that they throw at us. We're gonna execute on our side of the ball and do what we do.
Happy you got first game jitters out before LSU game?
Yeah, definitely.Would much rather have it then than now. So like I said, we watched that game, we're past it, working hard to clean up all those mistakes and we'll be ready on Saturday.
Kaz and Kam enhance passing game?
Yeah, just two more deep threats, we needed that downfield threat to really stress the defense and stuff like that and keep them on their toes. So having two speedsters like that on the outside will be keeping them on their toes this week.
Yankoff?
Man of all trades, we can put him anywhere and he knows the offense as well as anybody on this team and he's very athletic and he can throw the ball too. So coach Kelly's gonna whip something up for him and I can't wait to see it.
Relationship with receivers impact conversations after miscommunications? Apologetic? Encouraging?
Yeah, a little bit of both, as well as getting in the the cuts a little bit even though obviously I want them in the right spots and I gotta put the ball in the right spot, so it's a little bit of back and forth of I'm saying sorry, they're saying sorry. So we're correcting it and trying to get on the right page at the same time too. So it's just a coaching thing and getting through it.
BO CALVERT
Words to encourage fans to come out for the LSU game?
Last week we had a really exciting game and we’re looking to roll that forward to this week. We’ve got a team with a lot of energy, a lot of playmakers, a lot of older guys who know the game and I had a lot of fun last week, I think the rest of the team had a lot of fun and I think these fans can have a lot of fun this coming next game, we’ve got a lot of home games this year and I think every week is just going to be more and more fun. We’re going to put on a show and come out and watch, I’m excited for the amount of people who are going to come out this week against LSU.
Former HS and current UCLA teammates Zach Charbonnet?
Yeah, I’ll start with Zach. Zach and I obviously played together in high school at Oaks Christian, so last week’s last week’s showing was kind of an every-week think for me; I’m not really surprised at how great he did, he was doing that every week at Oaks, so now it’s just kind of the rest of the nation seeing what I saw for the other four years in high school and now coming on here at UCLA, but the kid’s a beast, obviously, he’s just going to run through people’s faces. To be honest, you can just run a zone read and the kid’s going to find a way to get to the end zone. I think he had six carries, three touchdowns, so that’s unheard of, the kid’s nuts. Excited to have him here on this team, obviously, and he’s just warming up. Trust me, the kid hasn’t shown you everything he’s got yet, there’s some things that he’s done on the field out here that I can’t wait for him to show at the Rose Bowl and he’s a young guy who plays like he’s been playing for four years, so just excited for him and it’s just awesome to see him make plays on the same team with me. I just love to have him as a teammate—great guy, great team player.
What else can he show?
[Laughs] I mean, obviously you saw his power, you saw his agility. I think he’s also a great route runner—people don’t really see that as much coming out of the backfield. He’s got breakaway speed and you saw that in his running game but in the passing game I think he’s also a deep threat that people don’t give him as much credit for. He’s got great hands and just has a knack for the ball. He’s also a great blocker too, he can pass pro, I think, just an all-around back. So pretty much, Zach Charbonnet for Heisman, is what I’m saying.
Your position switch?
Yeah, I think it was a good first live look at coming off the edge for myself. Obviously, going into this week, another week of trying to get better, so I’m trying to work on my pass-rush game, keep going off the bat, I think I left some money out on the table and had a couple of sacks that I could have had that ended up just being QB hurries that I could have just finished and gotten the sacks. I obviously had my pass disruption that I had, but the whole D-line was doing great. I think we’ve got a great group that’s just dialed in and we work really well together and we’re just excited. We’ve only had a couple of weeks to work in fall camp as far as that starting D-line but talk about the rotation we have with the amount of guys we’re putting in and out and the energy level of this D-line is great with the front seven, really, and I’m just looking forward every week to showing you guys and showing ourselves what we already know—it’s a great group. I’m excited to keep putting pressure on quarterbacks, putting in different looks and just having guys confused—you saw that last Saturday and offenses are often confused by the looks we’re giving them simply by the amount of movement we’re doing and the different pressures and zone and whatnot we can provide, it’s just going to confuse quarterbacks and we love that as a defense.
Different aggression from different areas with this defense?
Yeah, we’re obviously running pretty much similar things to what we were running last year. I think the different aspect you’re probably keying on is just guys being able to do their job 100%. Guys feel a lot more comfortable in the positions they’re at on defense, they’ve obviously been running it for longer and just being able to understand how the whole defense works together puts guys in position to kind of be free in their disguises that they’re going to put up and then also just their execution of the play call, I think you saw that with our production as far as the defense was pretty incredible but it was also spread out, so a lot of guys were making plays, so we’ve got linebacker positions getting sacks, we’ve got edge rushers getting sacks, interior D-linemen getting interceptions, we’ve got Datona Jackson, so all around I think it was a great showing and excited to keep building and the defense is really showing what it’s capable of now and obviously coach Azzinaro and the supporting staff around him have done all a great job of getting everybody on defense to be on the same page and just excited to keep moving forward with it.
Max Johnson starting for LSU, a few big games last year?
Yeah, I see an electric quarterback, but just excited to get after him. You know, LSU is LSU. That’s the team we’ve got this week, that’s the way we’re coming at it and the opponent we have, so to be honest with you, we’re going to say it’s just another game and that’s what it is, it’s just Week 2 for us. We’re excited. We’re going to attack them, we’re going to run what we’re going to run and they’re going to run what they’re going to run and the best-prepared team is going to win on Saturday and I honestly believe that, that’s not just to say it, you know what I mean? So we worked really hard today in practice and tomorrow we’re going to get after it again, we’re going to watch some film and we’re going to have a great game on Saturday.
Left things in the playbook you were saving for LSU?
I mean, as far as the defense, we’ve run the same thing we’ve been running for the last year and everything, so what you see is what you’re going to get—obviously there’s different blitzes and different ways you can mold [?] things, but I think what we’ve been doing has been working so far, so as far as the pressures, Hawaii wasn’t able to figure it out, understandably it was going to be how it was going to be [?] but LSU is going to show us some different looks, we’re going to come at them in different waves and I’m excited. This defense knows what it’s doing and it’s exciting to be able to play with smart guys who know how to move on the run and call different plays and dial up—there’s no perfect defense, but when everybody’s playing on the same page with each other, the defense works pretty good.
Missed on getting home because of nerves? Mobile QB?
I think that’s just going against a live quarterback for the first time, is my opinion, honestly. You don’t tackle the quarterback in camp ever and it’s just kind of a finish thing you’ve got to do, but it was a good first look. We won last week’s game against Hawaii and I think that all you’ve got to do—you’ve got have that first game, kind of get those jitters out, get back in the groove of tackling a quarterback, et back in the groove of being in the backfield and finishing on a guy, but I think we did a really good job for the most part and I think every week is going to get better and like I said—I keep saying it over and over again, it’s going to sound annoying, but I am very excited for this next game and this group both offensively and defensively I think is going to have a great game this Saturday.
Felt any buzz like this game since you've been at UCLA?
Yeah. Obviously, like I said, it’s Week 2 and we’re attacking this game like we would with anybody else. We’re going to dial in on the playbook, dial in on film and everything, but every week’s an exciting week. Football is fun and when you know what you’re doing it’s even more fun and this team really does know what it’s doing with a lot of veteran guys defensive and offensively, a lot of really talented football players athletically and just mentally understanding the game and I think it’s going to be a great game and hopefully we get a ton of people out there in the Rose Bowl and it’s loud and we can have a lot of production on both sides.
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