UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson displayed poise and accuracy during the Bruins’ spring showcase Saturday at Drake Stadium. (Kyusung Gong / For The Times)
Minus the food, marketing booths and roughly 1,500 fans who showed up at Drake Stadium on a cool Saturday morning, it really was just another UCLA football practice.
Coach Chip Kelly put his team through its usual array of individual drills, seven-on-seven periods and team competitions during the Bruins’ annual spring showcase, even completing eight minutes of special teams work in the middle of it all.
None of this was unexpected, Kelly having previously explained that he was going to stage a practice after the Pac-12 Network told the school it wanted to televise whatever the team was doing this weekend. With three spring practices remaining next week, Kelly opted for another practice over a game.
Some introductions were made, the team’s transfers and new assistant coaches displayed on a video board with pictures and background facts. Fans also got a live look at what all those newcomers could do on a wet, slippery field.
UCLA coach Chip Kelly watches his players Saturday at Drake Stadium. (Kyusung Gong / For The Times)
Here are five takeaways from the showcase:
Dorian Thompson-Robinson appears poised to become a legendary Bruin
After engineering a historic beatdown of rival USC and moving onto the school’s career top-five lists for passing yards, total offense, completions and touchdown passes, Thompson-Robinson could do something no other Bruins quarterback has accomplished since Cade McNown at the end of the 1998 season: lead his team to the Rose Bowl game.
On Saturday, Thompson-Robinson displayed the poise and accuracy he’ll need for that kind of history-making season, throwing crisp passes to a variety of receivers while also making his usual slippery runs. He noted that the day marked the fifth anniversary of his verbal commitment to UCLA.
“It’s been fun,” said Thompson-Robinson, who will…