Zach Charbonnet, UCLA Football News: Draft Scout Player News

08/28/21 - RB Zach Charbonnet, Sr/2023, UCLA

The mother of UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson echoed the thoughts of many Bruins fans during the first half of Saturday's game against Hawaii after Zach Charbonnet scored his third touchdown. Melva Thompson-Robinson tweeted "Thanks @UMichFootball" as Charbonnet rushed 106 yards in his UCLA debut and the Bruins rolled to a 44-10 season-opening victory at the Rose Bowl. Charbonnet - who was at Michigan the past two seasons before transferring - also became the first Bruins back since Johnathan Franklin in 2012 to run for three TDs in a season-opener. "My line put me in great situations when I did have an opportunity," Charbonnet said. "It allowed us to be one-on-one defenders, and that's all as a running back you can ask for." UCLA scored on its first five possessions and roared out to a 31-3 halftime lead as it snapped an eight-game losing streak to nonconference teams dating back to 2017.

It is also the first time that Chip Kelly has won an opener in four seasons as UCLA's coach. "We're just excited as a team. I thought our kids played with great energy," Kelly said. "There is an idea with what you think you can do in all three phases of the game (coming into the season), but until you actually play another opponent, you're not sure." Charbonnet scored UCLA's first touchdown midway through the first quarter on a 21-yard run after great blocks from the right side of the offensive line to extend the lead to 10-0. The junior's best run of the day came with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter when he broke four Hawaii tackles before turning on the speed for a 46-yard touchdown to make it 24-3. He then went over 100 yards on his sixth carry with a 21-yard score on the next possession. - UCLA/AP College Football

Sr/2023