REDBIRD COACH LEAVING AFTER HIS MASSIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CLUB
Kelly left the NFL in 2018 after four seasons as head coach, finishing with a 34-34 overall record and a 26-26 record in Pac-12 play. Athletic director Martin Jarmond released a statement, saying, “Coach Chip Kelly informed me of his decision to depart UCLA earlier this morning.” “I want to sincerely thank Chip for his service to UCLA football and our student-athletes across the past six seasons.”
The Bruins started slow under Kelly, posting a combined 10-21 record through his first three years, before breaking through with eight wins and a bowl bid in 2021. The Bruins did not play in the Holiday Bowl against North Carolina State that season due to COVID-19 positives in the team. UCLA won nine games in 2022, including an appearance in the Sun Bowl, and finished No. 21 in the US LBM AFCA Coaches Poll. But even with the recent success, the program never reached or even approached the heights of Kelly’s previous stint at Oregon and stumbled this season. The Bruins have had major struggles on offense, offsetting the performance of a defense that has ranked among the best in the Power Five and Bowl Subdivision. UCLA scored just seven points in a loss to Utah and scored a combined 17 points in losses to Arizona State and Arizona. They started three different quarterbacks due to injury and poor performance. Ethan Garbers led the team’s Week 12 win against rival USC. But Garbers was hurt early in UCLA’s disappointing season-ender vs. Cal and the team managed just seven points again as it finished 7-5.
Kelly’s memorable four years at Oregon, where he finished with a 46-7 record, three conference titles, and a shot at the 2010 national championship before falling short to Auburn in a close game, contrast sharply with this lack of offensive punch. Kelly transformed collegiate football clubs’ offensive football strategies during his time with the Ducks, bringing in a new wave of spread concepts that have taken hold of the game at all levels of competition. In addition, he played in the NFL for four seasons, the last three with the San Francisco 49ers and the third with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kelly’s Eagles teams finished 6-9 when he was dismissed with one game remaining in the 2015 campaign, having won 10 games in each of his previous two seasons and one postseason.
