WATCH: Chip Kelly, Qwuantrezz Knight, Dorian Thompson-Robinson Talk Fresno State Loss
For the first time in 2021, the Bruins had to step up and field questions after a loss.
No. 24 UCLA football (2-1) coach Chip Kelly, quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and safety Qwuantrezz Knight were made available for the postgame press conference following their loss to No. 22 Fresno State (3-1). Bulldog quarterback Jake Haener was a big topic of discussion, as was how the Bruins plan to bounce back with Pac-12 play right around the corner.
CHIP KELLY
Jake Haener?
I thought they did a good job of protecting [him]. You’ve got to tip your hat to Jake. That is as good of a performance as I’ve seen a quarterback make in my career. I’m not sure if he ever threw a bad ball. He had great command of everything we were doing. He did a good job, looking at some of the disguises, the protections, knowing to get the ball off. I saw him after the game just to congratulate him, and he was really banged up, but that is a heck of a competitor and a heck of a football player, so you’ve got to tip your cap to him.
Surrendering 455 passing yards to Fresno State?
We just look at this one game, and we’ll go look at the film tomorrow and make the adjustments and start back with our players on Monday, which is our normal schedule, and get ready for Stanford.
Change of momentum in the game and Fresno State’s final drive?
Yeah, we have to make plays when it’s our turn. We didn’t. Give Fresno State credit because they did make plays. You might look at that [drive] and say, 75 yards, that's a tough task for them. But they made more plays than we did. That is why we ended up in the L column and they ended up in the W column.
Fresno State’s defense trying to take away UCLA’s rushing attack?
They really packed the box. Their safeties were really down in there tight, and there were a lot of people around the ball. We felt like we had some playaction passes. We got the ball thrown to the top a couple of times [in the first half], had some big plays that way. That helped get us back in the football game. I thought Kyle [Philips] did a really nice job to take advantage of those matchups. If you’re going to play everybody that close at the line of scrimmage, you going to play man. So we tried to get one of our best guys isolated a little bit. I thought Kyle did a really nice job and it was one of those cliché games, where whoever had the ball last was going to win it. Unfortunately, they had the ball last. You’ve never going to think that you had scored too soon. I’m not going to tell Kyle to take a knee, when it is 54 seconds. But again, I think that quarterback was a special player who really made some plays that were impressive today.
Defensive game plan against Haener?
I think we ran everything against Jake Haener, you know, we blitzed him and played cover zero. We rushed three and dropped everybody into coverage. I think that we threw the whole kitchen sink at that young man. I think he handled everything. Again, you’ve got to give him credit. We ran everything that was in our defensive repertoire at that guy, and he just continued to make plays.
Sam Marrazzo back?
I think Sam gives us a lot of stability. He’s such a smart player. And really, he’s one of the leaders of that group up front and I think that everybody was really happy for Sam. They have seen him just work so hard on his rehab. He didn’t participate in spring practice. And then over the summer and as we got into preseason camp, he started to work his way in. But he wasn’t really ready to play when we played Hawaii. It was nice to see Sam back out there – really happy for the kid.
Offsets any momentum from UCLA’s first two wins?
We’re not the momentum guys. It doesn’t work that way. If it was momentum, then we would have won this game tonight. It’s about going to work on Monday and having a really good week of preparation as we go into league play, and not letting this game define us just like we should have not let the first two games define us. I thought our guys had a really good approach to practice this week. They knew how good Fresno was, I had said to just put the tape on. This team was really close to playing Oregon, so we knew what this group was. But we did not make enough plays today to win the football game.
Qwuantrezz Knight
Tough loss?
Well, first of all, I’m just proud of how our guys fought. We fought to very end. We were down and these guys showed they were resilient. What we need to do is get back to the drawing board and try and fix this, move forward to Pac-12 play. Right now, we’ll be 0-0 in Pac-12 play, so that’s what’s we’re looking forward to. Fresno State was a great team. Their quarterback made some great plays, pretty good guy. Just proud of how we finished and I’m ready to get back to work.
Adjustments made during the second half?
Just pre-game jitters. It just took a while for our guys to calm down and get in flow. Once we got in flow, I thought we moved pretty well. Of course, we made some adjustments after the first half. Like I said, I’m just proud of how my guys finished.
Injuries to Quentin Lake and Otito Ogbonnia affect the defense?
Of course, Otito and ‘Q-Lake’ going down was huge, but our guys are prepared. They’re ready to be the next man up. We always sub at practice. We all make adjustments like that to be ready for this time. Kenny Churchwell came in and he held his own. He made great plays. Tyler Manoa made great plays filling in for Otito, as well.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
How stunning was the late-game loss was?
Definitely very tough. Looking back at the whole game, we made a bunch of mistakes to put ourselves in a bunch. When you play a team like that you’ve got to clean that stuff up.
Say something to teammates in the locker room?
I told the older guys to pick these younger guys up. It’s not the end of the world. And then again, to the younger guys, it’s not the end of the world. This loss isn’t going to define us. We’re starting next week of Pac-12 play at 0-0, and we’ll move on from there and keeping our heads high.
What was going through his head after the game ended?
Definitely in shock. Obviously heartbroken, more so for the guys and how hard we worked as a team. Just really heartbroken for my team.
Adjustments made at halftime?
They stayed in a base look, a two-high quarters look. Just utilizing our guys on the inside trying to create some mismatches with Kyle and Greg so I think coach Kelly and coach Frye did a great job scheming that up and that’s what we did in the second half.
Loss offset two early impressive wins?
It shouldn’t. I think the leaders on this team won’t let it. Like I said, it all starts next week when we start Pac-12 play and we start off 0-0.
Slow start offensively?
I think just not executing and trying to do too much. Guys trying to play other guys’ positions and not playing their role and getting outside of their role and what they’re supposed to do on each play. I think it bit us in the foot just a little bit as well as just some mistakes and stuff like that too.
Sam Marrazzo back?
It was great. Like I said, Sam brings all the knowledge and all the technique and stuff to the offensive line room. So, it’s definitely great having him out there. We have that chemistry and that connection already from the years before so it’s definitely great having Sam back out there for sure.
Cheering each other up in the locker room?
“This doesn’t define us. It doesn’t help us or hurt us in the Pac-12 play and trying to get our main goal which is a Pac-12 Championship in the Rose Bowl. Just keeping that perspective and ready to come to work tomorrow on Sunday.”
Fresno State keeping you from running?
They play quarters and that’s a heavy run-stopping defense. They load the box and giving us some funky looks to try to get us out of our run game.
Designed to run so much?
We had some read zone in the playbook this week so that’s just going of my reads and taking what the defense is giving me. They made me pull the ball a lot tonight.
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