WATCH: Zach Charbonnet, Jon Gaines II talk UCLA's run game dominance

The Bruins rushed for 244 yards Saturday against the Rainbow Warriors, with 106 coming from Charbonnet

UCLA football running back Zach Charbonnet and interior offensive lineman Jon Gaines II talk to reporters after racking up nearly 250 rushing yards against Hawaii in their season-opening victory.

3 TDs and 106 yards in first game with UCLA?

Zach Charbonnet: Yeah, it was a great experience and I just gotta give it all to my O-Line, just putting me in great situations when I did have an opportunity. And just allowing us to be 1-on-1 with defenders. That's all, as a running back, you can ask for.

Take pride in never giving up re: 47 yard TD?

ZC: Yeah, in practice, every time we're done with our rack of plays, we always finish in the end zone. And that's something that coach Foster has made us do and I feel like that's been a really good thing for us.

DTR's mom's tweet, happy for a new chance at UCLA?

ZC: Yeah, I'm just thankful that they let me come in with open arms and that I'm just one of their brothers now.

Nice having offense so similar with you or Brittain in?

ZC: Yeah, I think it's a great tool. Just having me be with Brittain, we challenge each other every time we're in practice and even in the games, we're gonna continue to challenge each other. So I think it's a great experience for us two.

Thoughts on blocking for two similar, physical backs?

Jon Gaines II: Thank you for the question. We have a lot of great running backs in this room, Brittain and Zach especially, you just saw. They run angry and we love that as an offensive line, to be able to have that opportunity in terms of getting to the second, third level to see what they can do. We all just watch it and it's a great experience for us and we love to have them here.

Feel like you've settled in at UCLA?

ZC: Yeah, I think the spring was a big thing and just the preparation that we take as a unit, it's very prideful and we're always just gonna be the most team to come out there, the most disciplined and the most focused.

More hungry after close losses last year?

JG: One mantra we've had on this team, this entire offseason, is we wanna be tough, we wanna play faster and we really wanna finish because that was something we really lacked last year and that's something that we're gonna – it's a standard we're gonna hold ourselves to. So we're definitely hungry, we know we have to win every single day to be able to be able to perform on Saturdays.

Blocking such big holes for Zach?

JG: I think, honestly, it's about we have to learn from every play, good or bad. So we take those, we want to replicate those plays because we love getting this guy and all the running backs in open space. So we have pride in it, of course, but that's an expectation, that's a standard that we hold ourselves to.

Anything you want to improve on?

ZC: Just continuing to prepare. I think that's one of the biggest things, just study them hard and continue to come in every day and give it my all.

First time in Jordan uniforms?

JG: It's great, simple answer. Everybody grows up loving Michael Jordan, so it's great.

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