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Second straight win highlights UCLA football’s progress in performance

Sophomore running back Martell Irby reached the 200-yard mark for career rushing yards in Saturday’s matchup against Arizona State. Irby picked up 31 total yards from scrimmage against the Sun Devils at the Rose Bowl in his first appearance since Sept. 14. (Kanishka Mehra/Assistant Photo editor)

By Ryan Smith

Oct. 28, 2019 10:57 p.m.

The Bruins are winning football games.

UCLA football (3-5, 3-2 Pac-12) claimed its second straight victory with a 42-32 upset of then-No. 24 Arizona State on Saturday night, giving the Bruins control of their own destiny in the Pac-12 South heading into the final month of the season.

Coach Chip Kelly – who entered Saturday’s contest with a 5-14 record with the program – rejected the idea that UCLA is in the midst of a turnaround and instead said a tough schedule early in the season masked the progress his team had been making since camp.

“Maybe if we played easier teams before we got into league play, then our record would be different,” Kelly said. “But I don’t look at it that way or compare it that way or say, ‘How come it took a while to get going?’ Every season expresses itself in a different manner.”

Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Alec Anderson echoed a similar message when describing the recent uptick in production from the offensive line – a unit that has helped produce 220.6 net rushing yards per game during conference play.

“It wasn’t any part of the season where (the offensive line) really clicked, it just naturally has happened,” Anderson said. “It doesn’t happen just in the game. We’ve been grinding all practice, all camp, all spring ball for this to happen, and we knew it was going to happen, we just didn’t know when.”

The Bruins’ rushing attack has proven to be the team’s backbone this season, but UCLA had been operating shorthanded in the backfield with just redshirt senior running back Joshua Kelley and redshirt junior wide receiver-turned-running back Demetric Felton splitting all the carries.

However, the Bruins received reinforcements at the Rose Bowl on Saturday with the return of sophomore running backs Kazmeir Allen and Martell Irby.

Irby – who appeared in 12 games for UCLA last season as a true freshman – caught three passes for 29 yards against Arizona State, while Allen carried the ball eight times for 22 yards.

Despite only getting one carry in a backfield with four healthy running backs, Irby said he and the entire group are ready to contribute in any way possible.

“We just always prepare. … Whenever (Kelly) needs us, we’re going to go in there and we’re going to make a play,” Irby said.

With the Bruins getting closer to full strength and wins starting to stack up, Irby said it is important that the team stay focused on the week at hand.

“We’re just taking it one day at a time. We know what we’re capable of, and we know what we can do,” Irby said. “But once we get caught up in three weeks down the line, four weeks down the line, possible bowl weeks, that’s when we mess around and slip up and lose a game.”

Dorian Thompson-Robinson injury update

Sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson practiced Monday with a brace on his left knee just two days after he left Saturday’s game without being able to put any pressure on the injured leg.

Thompson-Robinson took a helmet to the injured knee at the end of a long scramble before being replaced by redshirt sophomore Austin Burton.

Kelly said although UCLA held a 32-point lead at the time of the injury, he felt as though Thompson-Robinson made the correct play running with the football. However, the coach added the second-year signal-caller could’ve done a better job protecting himself near the end of the run.

“He made the right read,” Kelly said. “And then one thing we try to preach all the time with our quarterbacks is that your concept is touchdown, first down, get down, so maybe he took off a little bit more than he could – and we’ll talk to him a little bit about that – but he made the proper read on the play.”

Kelly gave no updates on Thompson-Robinson’s availability for the team’s upcoming matchup against Colorado.

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Ryan Smith | Alumnus
Smith joined the Bruin as a freshman in 2016 and contributed until he graduated in 2020. He was the Sports editor for the 2018-2019 academic year, an assistant Sports editor for the 2017-2018 academic year and spent time on the football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's water polo, baseball, men's golf and women's golf beats.
Smith joined the Bruin as a freshman in 2016 and contributed until he graduated in 2020. He was the Sports editor for the 2018-2019 academic year, an assistant Sports editor for the 2017-2018 academic year and spent time on the football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's water polo, baseball, men's golf and women's golf beats.
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