UCLA

[84Cat]

Dante Moore is from Michigan…the Wolverines might need a new QB next season…

Ouch

[Merkin]

He does lead the league in throwing picks.

His passing completion percentage is 10th in the PAC.

Going to end up at ASU to follow Dillingham?

[MrBug708]

Dante Moore is from Michigan…the Wolverines might need a new QB next season…

Pretty sure he wants to start, not sit on the bench. He should drop to the MAC or MWC, but he'll probably money chase.

[CatsbyAZ]

Expect hysterics to pick back up if UCLA loses to a hungry Cal team fighting for bowl eligibility this weekend. But in the bigger picture, if UCLA splits their last two games, either beating Cal or winning their Bowl, that’s an 8-5 season. That’s three consecutive winning seasons. That’s program stability Chip Kelly is providing at a transitionary time when stability is badly needed going into Big Ten play. Where outside of playing the powers – Ohio State, Michigan, etc – there’s plenty more beatable opponents to string along more winning seasons if Chip Kelly is kept around.

So UCLA wins the LA Bowl thanks by and large because QB Ethan Garbers came off the sideline after halftime and rescued the Bruins from Boise State. UCLA finishes 8-5; Chip Kelly improves to 25-13 accounting for the past 3 seasons.

With Garbers playing, UCLA was a ranked team this year. Without Garbers late in the season, UCLA went dead against us (Arizona D knocked him out of game), Arizona State (L), and Cal (ugly loss). With Garbers healthy all year UCLA would be at least 9-4 and is anybody among Bill Plaschke, Ben Bolch, and the few outposts of irate fan sites waving pitchforks as Chip Kelly???

Probably, yes. I get the impression that UCLA is in the same place with Chip Kelly as Nebraska fans were with Bo Pelini and his perpetual 9-4 Cornhuskers teams. They are tired of him even if he wins.

Good news next season for UCLA:

[TheCatInTheHat]

It feels like we're done with Pac-12 football for the schools that didn't make a bowl game. But, just like you watch what the rest of the league's teams do in non-conference games and against each other, the traditional tendency is to watch how they do in bowl games. I don't care how they represent the league anymore, to the extent that I don't really care if they fall on their faces. But now that UCLA finished their bowl, we're officially done with them as a Pac-12 football rival. No sadness, as it seems somewhat like a divorce entirely brought on by the other person's affairs or whatever, where all emotion has been wrung out of the relationship. So it's like Rhett Butler's "I don't give a damn" before turning your back and walking away. As each team finishes it's bowl, it's like turning out a light before leaving a house for the last time and moving on to being excited about your new one. No particular hard feelings, but I think there'll be some schadenfreude the first time seeing USC football players experiencing sleet during a November game at State College, and for seeing Mick Cronin's face turn red screaming at the refs in a basketball game in New Jersey.

[cerec_cat]

I will never forget tv footage showing their A.D throwing a fit on the sideline, when Darryl Lewis had a pick 6 at the rose bowl

[CatsbyAZ]

From CBS Sports: National Signing Day 2023: Winners and losers of early signing period, college football recruiting rankings

Losers:

UCLA: "It's Year 7 for coach Chip Kelly recruiting at UCLA, but it's the first as his program enters the Big Ten next year. UCLA did not make a great impression on Wednesday, finishing at No. 17 in the conference and No. 60 overall. Kelly has rarely prioritized prep recruiting, instead choosing to use the portal, but the belief was he may ramp up efforts in preparation for the Big Ten move -- which clearly was not the case. The only class trailing UCLA in the Big Ten is Northwestern."

[TheCatInTheHat]

I will never forget tv footage showing their A.D throwing a fit on the sideline, when Darryl Lewis had a pick 6 at the rose bowl

Ironically enough, just seconds before D-Lew's game changer, when UCLA was marching down the field and all looked lost, there was some play that was just too much for me, and I threw the TV remote at the screen. Fortunately, it just took a little chip off the glass of the picture tube, but the remote just exploded into all these pieces. Then, the pick 6 showed how stupid that outburst was. (I was able to put the remote back together, but it looked like shit with tape all around it.) Anyway, learned my lesson on that count.

Obviously, we have a lot of highlights over 45 years, but it doesn't cause me any regret about walking away from the b.s. and moving forward. There'll be excitement with the new experiences in the Big XII, and I think it'll also be good for us after the honeymoon.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

[gouacats]

I will never forget tv footage showing their A.D throwing a fit on the sideline, when Darryl Lewis had a pick 6 at the rose bowl

Ironically enough, just seconds before D-Lew's game changer, when UCLA was marching down the field and all looked lost, there was some play that was just too much for me, and I threw the TV remote at the screen. Fortunately, it just took a little chip off the glass of the picture tube, but the remote just exploded into all these pieces. Then, the pick 6 showed how stupid that outburst was. (I was able to put the remote back together, but it looked like shit with tape all around it.) Anyway, learned my lesson on that count.

Obviously, we have a lot of highlights over 45 years, but it doesn't cause me any regret about walking away from the b.s. and moving forward. There'll be excitement with the new experiences in the Big XII, and I think it'll also be good for us after the honeymoon.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm ... story.html

I was a sophomore at the UA and drove out for the game. It was the first UA away game I ever attended...and it was awesome!

[84Cat]

Not that we care about UCLA anymore but we almost hired this guy at one time

[Merkin]

Anyone going to go to the campus president and say he isn't running any "tripple" option?

[MrBug708]

Our NIL is nabbing us players from Div 3 John Hopkins right now.

[CatsbyAZ]

Well, well...

Quoting from Twitter/X:

@JFowlerESPN: "UCLA head coach Chip Kelly is a potential candidate for #Commanders OC under new head coach Dan Quinn, per sources. Kelly, a two-time NFL head coach, is believed to have interest in returning to the league and Washington will consider talking with him."
(https://twitter.com/JFowlerESPN/status/ ... 3884220852)

@RapSheet: "The #Raiders interviewed #UCLA coach Chip Kelly at least twice for their vacant OC job under Antonio Pierce, sources say. Kelly appeared open to a return to the NFL… but Pierce ultimate chose Kliff Kingsbury."
(https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1753217207541100721)

@5thDownCFB: "I’ll repeat this again—per multiple sources—Chip Kelly is not only looking to return to the NFL, he reached out directly to Kirk Ferentz & Iowa about the OC job in Iowa City. Chip knows his AD was gathering money to fire him last year, (after extending him the previous season), before being halted by a shocked chancellor; & fans are flying “FIRE CHIP” banners over campus. Not an ideal employment situation."
(https://twitter.com/5thDownCFB/status/1 ... 9418997901)

@5thDownCFB: "The writing is kind of on the wall at UCLA. The AD was moving to fire him last year when he was stopped by the chancellor. (Chancellor stopped the AD b/c the AD had extended Chip's contract 10 mos earlier). Fans are flying FIRE CHIP banners over Westwood. It's turned ugly. Ferentz is old-school stability. I think Chip would've loved working under him. Also might've enjoyed getting the chance to run for 400 yards against UCLA. But those talks did not progress to later stages. Can't even say for certain how serious Chip was about the position. May've just wanted to chat w/a FB guy."
(https://twitter.com/5thDownCFB/status/1 ... 7355896000)

Imagine if you're Chipster coming off three winning seasons (program stability!) and the fans and Bruin powers that be are lame-ducking you.

[84Cat]

[MrBug708]

Chip read the room, looked at his roster management and realized he messed up big time and is looking to get out before he's fired this next season. He could have prevented it but donor engagement and recruiting are things he does not actively like doing and in this world it's career suicide in college to attempt to participate in in.

[TheCatInTheHat]

The Boston College job is also open, but it would also clearly be a "jump before you're pushed" move. And, if Kelly just isn't wired for the necessary glad-handing and recruiting of a college HC, I get the impression he'd be relieved to be an NFL OC. Sit in your office working on game plan Xs and Os, do some practice field walk-throughs with serious professionals, and sit in the press box on game days. No interviews and no speeches.

[UAEebs86]

Why didn't he just retire at the end of the season? He's 60 years old, he's made millions and millions of dollars. Why screw over an entire program at this point to take a demotion? Just ride off into the sunset.

[CatsbyAZ]

I will defer to Bug for a more informed answer than mine, but I’m guessing this change of heart has only started since after Thanksgiving. That was before Chip Kelly lost his DC to their primary rival USC. That was also before the transfer portal was especially chaotic this offseason and didn’t work out for him as had in previous seasons (see Bug’s roster management comment).

I also think buyout deadlines blinded Chip to leaving earlier than it otherwise would’ve occurred to him.

[MrBug708]

I think he took the UCLA job because of the lack of pressure and he thought he could scheme and develop his way back to the NFL. It hasn't worked and he's likely to be fired this upcoming season. He won't work as a NFL QB coach, so it's a last ditch effort to get back to the NFL. Wasserman went in with the public support so the AD can't make a move without donor approval so no it's just a giant mess.

[TheCat]

He just signed an extension didn't he? NFL OC's don't make what HC in college make do they? If he is fired he can sit a home for a year or more and collect UCLA money.

[MrBug708]

The top end of NFL coordinators make 4+ million and he can probably stretch out his career. If he's fired after this year, that's probably it for his football coaching days. I don't think he wants to live out his days not coaching but wants to run an offense

[MrBug708]

Ouch
https://twitter.com/5thdowncfb/status/1 ... 14373?s=46

[Irish27]

Time to take some of the UCLA players.

[dmjcat]

Time to take some of the UCLA players.

This is the player I would target as its our greatest area of need (Big DL's). He dominated our OL against the run when we played them last year

https://uclabruins.com/sports/football/ ... toia/12717

I suspect, however, that we will not be able to compete in the NIL market with the UW's and Texas A&M's of the world for this guy

[CatsbyAZ]

To Ohio State.

What terrible timing if you’re UCLA suddenly needing to hit the trails for a new HC.

[Irish27]

[azcat49]

That has to be a joke right?

[UAEebs86]

That has to be a joke right?

Consider the source

[Merkin]

Why not? Pete still wants to coach. Just get some young hungry coaches to do the recruiting.

[Chicat]

I bet Brennan would have been pretty high on their list.

[TheCat]

The top end of NFL coordinators make 4+ million and he can probably stretch out his career. If he's fired after this year, that's probably it for his football coaching days. I don't think he wants to live out his days not coaching but wants to run an offense

Really top coordinators make $4M. WOW. I thought at most it would be $2M.

[Chicat]

I know we were pissed about Fisch leaving but imagine if he had quit to take an assistant position at another school.

Ouch

[TheCat]

Let the poaching begin.

[ChooChooCat]

I know we were pissed about Fisch leaving but imagine if he had quit to take an assistant position at another school.

Ouch

We're very fortunate Jedd got the UW job, because he 100000% would've taken the UCLA job at this point in time and we'd be ridiculously screwed infinitely more so than we were when he took the UW job.

[MrBug708]

After 2024 they should be able to offer the starting QB spot to any transfer QB spot they want. I suspect Garbers will finish this up coming season as a senior and NIL will kick in money for someone elite to come back home.

[ChooChooCat]

After 2024 they should be able to offer the starting QB spot to any transfer QB spot they want. I suspect Garbers will finish this up coming season as a senior and NIL will kick in money for someone elite to come back home.

What's the word on the primary target? Is it Fleck? Do you guys have the money to make that happen at this point?

[MrBug708]

Lot of smoke with Fleck but there are a lot of red flags going off with him. I think money is less of an issue than a coach wanting to leave in February with no portal help but UCLA vulnerable to portal pickoffs. People think Fleck is trying to escape the firing line in a year or two.

Maybe Tony White as the main non retread and pair him with the UNLV OC Mannion.

The worry is David Shaw hanging around the program as an advisor for the past year and we hire him and just fuck ourselves.

UCLA hasn't hired an employed college coach since Bob Toledo and he was promoted. You have to go a long way back to find when UCLA hired a college coach from another program. Strange times.

[ChooChooCat]

Lot of smoke with Fleck but there are a lot of red flags going off with him. I think money is less of an issue than a coach wanting to leave in February with no portal help but UCLA vulnerable to portal pickoffs. People think Fleck is trying to escape the firing line in a year or two.

Maybe Tony White as the main non retread and pair him with the UNLV OC Mannion.

The worry is David Shaw hanging around the program as an advisor for the past year and we hire him and just fuck ourselves.

UCLA hasn't hired an employed college coach since Bob Toledo and he was promoted. You have to go a long way back to find when UCLA hired a college coach from another program. Strange times.

Thoughts on Tracy Pierson saying that Brent Brennan interviewed for the UCLA job already and will get a second interview? I'm not buying for one damn second UCLA is interested in Brennan or that Brennan is interested in UCLA at this point in time. Gave me a good laugh though.

[MrBug708]

He has long wanted the job but I don't want him near the UCLA job. I would rather just kick the tires on Tom Herman

[Merkin]

If Brennan didn't win the press conference in Tucson how could he possibly win it in Westwood?

[ChooChooCat]

He has long wanted the job but I don't want him near the UCLA job. I would rather just kick the tires on Tom Herman

There's not a world that he leaves a place he has numerous connections to at this point in time for UCLA either way.

[MrBug708]

His biggest connection is to UCLA but if we really wanted him, his buyout at SJSU and Kelly's buyout is about the same as what we would have to pay at Arizona.

[Alieberman]

I assume that UCLA, like the rest of the world, had known for quite some time this was happening… did they really not have someone lined up ready to go?

[MrBug708]

I think there was skepticism that Kelly would get another job

[UAEebs86]

If he left 3 weeks after taking the job and we were on our 3rd coach in a month I would be done with college football.

[Fishclamps]

This is the easiest thing to debunk ever if you think about it. If he left after being here for only 3 weeks his wife would probably divorce him. He might not be a UofA guy through and through but she is.

[CatsbyAZ]

I assume that UCLA, like the rest of the world, had known for quite some time this was happening… did they really not have someone lined up ready to go?

That’s the thing though, I DON’T think UCLA knew until recently because I don’t think Chip Kelly had his very visibly change of heart until after Thanksgiving. As far as I can tell as someone who tracks Bruins football closely enough, both sides were fully onboard with each other until around Thanksgiving when for some reason a bomb of anxiety seemingly went off in Chip Kelly’s brain.

[TheCatInTheHat]

There's a typical arrogance and whistling past the graveyard thing among UCLA fans that they can grab coaches or QBs easily. They're completely fucked, and that job is officially marked as career-limiting. They're not making the NCAA hoops tourney, they're about to hemorrhage football players in the portal (let's go, Brennan), whoever they get as a coach will not be a long-term solution, and it's going to be ugly in the Big Ten. Other than that, and a lack of fan support, everything's cool.

[KillerKlown]

Has there ever been a guy like this in coaching?

[CalStateTempe]

I would laugh so he’s is dead Fisch ended up at fucla