TEMPE, AZ. — Dorian Thompson-Robinson ties or sets a record every time he rolls out of bed at this point of his fifth season at UCLA.
The latest came at kickoff Saturday night when he made his 44th start at quarterback, equaling Cade McNown’s school record set from 1995-98. Thompson-Robinson can pass McNown at home against Arizona on Nov. 12.
Thompson-Robinson started eight games in 2018 as a true freshman out of Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High School and hasn’t relinquished the job since. He made 11 starts in 2019 and 2021 and five in between in the 2020 COVID-shortened season. Saturday was his 46th game overall.
McNown started in 44 of his 47 games including the final 43.
Thompson-Robinson went into Saturday against Arizona State with 11,012 career total offense yards, 273 behind McNown for second in school history. Brett Hundley leads that category with 11,713 (2011-14).
In school career passing yards before Saturday, Thompson-Robinson stood third (9,512) behind Hundley (9,966) and McNown (10,708). At his current passing yardage average and with at least five games remaining, including ASU, Thompson-Robinson is on pace to edge past McNown in that category too.
MCGOVERN OUT
Bruins defensive coordinator Bill McGovern did not make the trip, missing a second straight game due to illness. He again was replaced in the coaching booth by analyst Clancy Pendergast, who also assisted the defense in a 38-13 win over Stanford.
McGovern is in his first season at UCLA after primarily coaching in the NFL since 2013 including with Bruins head coach Chip Kelly on Kelly’s Philadelphia Eagles staff. He was at Bruins practice this week but did not feel well enough to travel.
Pendergast has been a defensive coordinator in college and the NFL.
STREAKING BRUINS
Running back Zach Charbonnet went into the ASU game with streaks of at least one touchdown in his last nine Pac-12 games and at least 100 yards rushing in his last seven conference games. He is third nationally and the Pac-12 rushing yards per game leader (137.7) but did not play in the first quarter.
Charbonnet had bandages on his arm and leg on Saturday, similar to the bandages he wore throughout the week at practice.
UCLA scored 30 points or more in 11 consecutive games going into Saturday. Over that stretch, Thompson-Robinson threw just six interceptions, but he started Saturday’s game throwing a pick on UCLA’s first offensive play.
Saturday’s already late kickoff was bumped back slightly to 7:45 p.m. The Bruins won their two previous 7:30 p.m. kickoffs over Washington and Stanford.