When wide receiver Jake Bobo was on his visit to UCLA in December, the Duke transfer was also taken to Pasadena to check out what would be his future home stadium.
Bobo, originally from North Andover, Mass., remembers watching games and seeing the Rose Bowl on TV while growing up. To see it in person was something else.
“That was the first time and only time I’ve been up there,” said Bobo, who arrived in the spring. “You go up there and see that, it makes [the decision] a little bit easy.
“I’m ready, ready. It feels like I’ve been here five years, waiting on this Saturday. I got here in January so I’m ready to go.”
Bobo added that he hopes to take one more particularly special visit in the postseason.
The surroundings are more than familiar for starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The fifth-year senior looks to continue his climb in the record books in several categories.
Among them, Thompson-Robinson is 10 starts away from overtaking Cade McNown (1995-98) for the most by a quarterback in program history.
He also sits in the top five in career passing yards, total offense, completions, touchdown passes and yards rushing by a quarterback.
“Couldn’t be more excited,” Thompson-Robinson said of the start to his final season.
With a new top target in Bobo, as well as the likes of fellow receivers Kam Brown, Kazmeir Allen and tight end Michael Ezeike stepping into larger roles, the signal caller is most looking forward to “putting it altogether” with the new pieces in place.
“On a consistent, play to play basis,” Thompson-Robinson added. “Being able to go from the first quarter all the way to the fourth.
“Our mindset and mission is to win it all this year.”
On defense, safety Stephan Blaylock returns as the most consistent presence in the group. He leads all Bruins with 31 consecutive starts going into the opener against Bowling Green.
What he hopes won’t carry over is the Pac-12 Conference worst-ranked pass defense (260.2 yards allowed per game). Sophomore Devin Kirkwood will move into a starting cornerback role after spending last season as a key reserve. Opposite Kirkwood will be Wyoming transfer Azizi Hearn, another fifth-year senior joining Blaylock and Mo Osling III in the secondary.
Hearn, who also went through spring practice with the Bruins, has the ability to line up in a number of areas aside from just cornerback.
Like Quantrezz Knight previously, Blaylock said, Hearn brings a vocal presence to the secondary—particularly off the practice field.
“Great communication,” Blaylock said. “[Hearn] is more on the field with us—coverage-wise, in the DB room. Last year, Q-Knight was more with the linebackers when we was in meetings. So now, the nickel and them are all with the DBs. So hearing his input in meeting room is great for us. It gives us another perspective for certain situations.”
