The UCLA Bruins kicked off the 2021 season against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors this past weekend. The young Bruins team is reloaded with 42 Freshman on this year’s roster. It was a very positive atmosphere as fans were allowed in the stadium for the first time since 2019. The Bruins completely dominated this game and look focused as they prepare for their next game against LSU.
Defense Came Out Strong
Early on, the UCLA defense looked energized and came out furious as they put pressure on the Hawaii offense. They held them to only a field goal in the first half, allowing the offense to take care of business and get them back on the field in a hurry. Those 3 points came from two costly penalties in a horse-collar tackle and holding which got them into field goal range. They also got two interceptions that just kept setting up the offense for big plays.
Offense Set the Tempo
We’ve already hinted at how well this offense performed over the weekend, so let’s really get into it. UCLA quarterback, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, threw for 130 yards and one touchdown for a QBR of 41.8 for his first game of the season. UCLA ran the ball a lot in this game, with the biggest contributor being running back Zach Charbonet, who had 106 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns. Charbonet, a transfer from Michigan, spoke with media after the game stating “My line put me in great situations when I did have an opportunity. It allowed us to be one-on-one defenders, and that’s all as a running back you can ask for.”
UCLA head coach, Chip Kelly, also praised RB’s Zach Charbonet and Brittain Brown for their steady performances. He stated “It’s comforting to know there is not much of a transition between either of those guys. Brittain and Zach are very similar in terms of body types and the types of runs that they can do. When you play the schedule that we play, where you need to have multiple running backs, I was very happy with how those guys played today.”
A Different Kind Of Animal
The Bruins will have to face an opponent they’ve never faced before, the team that helped produce Joe Burrow in the LSU Tigers, who are coming off a mediocre 2020 season. The Tigers finished last season with a 5-5 record and their looking to change the script with Max Johnson at quarterback. Their offense looks to give the Bruins some serious competition and it should be a real test for their defense. If we get the kind of display the defense put up against Hawaii, then the Bruins should stand a chance.
As for the offense, that was UCLA’s strength last game and should look to factor in here. But if the Tigers looked at Saturday’s game, then they should expect the run game and try to shut them down, leading the Bruins to throw the ball more. It should be a testing point for Thompson-Robinson as he didn’t get to throw much last game. Either way, it should be an exciting match-up that the Bruins should look to dominate in again.
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