WATCH: Dorian Thompson-Robinson on Return to UCLA Football, Roster Turnover

The Bruins' starting quarterback decided to run it back for a fifth year in Westwood while Kyle Philips, Greg Dulcich, Sean Rhyan and Alec Anderson left for the NFL Draft.

UCLA football quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson spoke to reporters Tuesday morning on the first day of spring practice. Thompson-Robinson talked about coming back for a fifth season, what it felt like to be one of the top veterans on the teams and what he thought of fresh faces like quarterback Justyn Martin and receivers Jake Bobo and Titus Mokiao-Atimalala. 

Good to finally see you in person again

I know, I was just saying 'No more Zoom?' So this is good.

Prefer Zoom?

Oh no, much more prefer in-person, much more prefer in-person

How does it feel to be back for spring number four?

Four? Yeah, spring number four. It feels great, feels great. Guys are looking really good, obviously we've got a lot of new faces with a lot of older guys being out, so it's been good. I really like where the team is at right now, obviously it's only day one, we've got some things to clean up, but in terms of the overall focus and energy at practice, it's like it's been for years.

Feel confident and experienced for a day one? Looked like second nature throwing the ball today

Oh, appreciate it. No, for sure, definitely more confident. Again, it's between looking at J Mar and me, you can definitely see a difference between what a freshman looks like and what I was as a freshman to what I am now. So it's cool to be able to teach him, as well as some of the other younger guys, but it definitely feels good to be the older guy and know what you're doing and definitely being able to get all the kinks out early.

Thoughts on Justyn Martin?

Oh I love him, I love him. He's just like how I was as a freshman, a sponge for knowledge, a sponge for workouts, always loves football. Any and everything he wants to learn about, he's gonna ask the question, so I love people like that. I love people that really care about their craft and that's something he does.

What went into your decision to come back? Not a lot of QBs who stick around for so long

No, exactly. Obviously a lot of things went into it. My teammates leaving, that I was so close with last year, had to think about that as well as I hadn't gotten my degree yet, I wanted to get my degree. And just a whole bunch of other things, as well as talking with coach Kelly. I think that was the biggest part in me returning, listening to what he had to say. And he was actually the one encouraging me to leave, too, so that was pretty awkward at times, trying to talk to him about it. But it ended up working out, I love coach Kelly and the plan that him and Gundy have for me, as well as KB, so I think the decision's worked out well for me so far.

Dulcich, Philips and Cota gone – thoughts on Titus or Jake or other new guys you're throwing to now?

Oh yeah, the transfers have been outstanding. Both Bobo and Titus have been great teammates as well as on the field, working out and stuff. Bobo is really amazing when it comes to the neck up, in terms of leadership, knowing the playbook, learning how to study a playbook, just being an adult. So he brings that aspect to the team, as well as to the position group that's so young and inexperienced. So I think those guys are doing really good right now.

Will it be hard to integrate some of these new guys?

Oh no, definitely not. Me and all the new guys, as well as all the guys here, we all work out every day and we all train every day and stuff, build chemistry on and off the field. I think it won't be hard – again, that's up to coach Kelly and what he wants to do with them, and I just make the pieces work. So I think we'll be alright.

What's left for your last year in terms of team accomplishments?

Oh I think there's a lot left, I think we left a whole lot on the table last year. Definitely those four games we lost, plus the bowl game, is definitely hurting and definitely left a bad taste in our mouth. So we've got some things we wanna prove still. And I haven't got a ring yet, as well as the rest of the guys, so that's definitely a big goal of ours and we're working towards it every day, for sure.

How do you process when your coach is the one telling you to move on?

Yeah, well he let me know from the beginning that he wants the best for me, as well as everybody on the team, obviously. And so that's where I knew he was coming from and me having to really take a look at that next step and really evaluate all my options was really big. And so hearing that from him, as well as some of the other people I really look up to, kinda saying some of the same things and stuff like that, really made me consider wanting to leave, but ultimately I feel like this is the place for me.

It's not like Chip was saying you're not good enough to play here anymore

Oh yeah, no, exactly. Definitely not, definitely not.

Feel good to have Charbonnet coming back next to you?

Exactly. Again, another big reason why I came back too. As soon as he told me he was coming back, it was kinda almost set in my mind that I was gonna come back and join him too. So I love Zach, we've gotten so closer over this offseason. And I can't wait to see what he's gonna do this year. It's gonna be a special one, for sure.

Offseason process when people are deciding to stay or leave, are you talking to each other about it?

Every day, every second of the day. And obviously that's a dream and aspiration of mine, as well as the other guys. So when you're very passionate about something, you always wanna talk about it, so that's what we were dealing with, going through their process. Even when I see Greg and Kyle and tall hose guys walking around the facility and stuff, I'm always asking them questions about the process, how it is and what they're going through and how they feel and all that stuff too. So I'm trying to get as much of an insight as you guys are, for sure.

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