After two seasons in Michigan, Zach Charbonnet transferred to UCLA. The California native had a great homecoming debut and started his 2021 campaign with a dominant performance against Hawaii.

Zach Charbonnet carried the ball six times for 106 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 17.7 yards per carry.  He ran with a physical and violent temperament. As a result, his 47-yard touchdown run embodies the term “Angry Run”. He absorbed multiple shots from Hawaii’s defenders. Consequently, his contact balance paired with incredible desire and will makes this run special.

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Zach Charbonnet was effective and efficient for his offense. Half of his rushing attempts resulted in touchdowns. The junior running back showcased quick and decisive footwork to evade defenders. At 6-foot-1 and 220-pounds, Charbonnet ran with good burst and speed to pull away from defenders down the field.

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UCLA’s offense has been dependent on dual-threat quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. As a result, there has been more pressure on him to shoulder the load. Adding Charbonnet provides stability and power to their rushing attack. Therefore, their RPO and read-option play calls will provide defenses with two explosive runner threats.

With this extra layer of talent to their running game, UCLA can be the sleeper team out of the PAC-12. After a dominant performance against Hawaii, their real test will come next Saturday night at 8:30 pm ET, when LSU visits Pasadena. This is a tough match-up. Therefore, more onus will be placed on DTR, Charbonnet, and their offense to find rhythm earlier in this contest.

For the moment, Zach Charbonnet’s coming-out party was worth the price of admission. Tune in next week to find out if he has a repeat performance in store.

Next quarterback to rise up draft boards? Check out my piece on Liberty’s Malik Willis.