When UCLA joined its crosstown rival USC in its leap into the Big 10, there were high hopes that it would signal a new era for Bruin football which had been on the downside of average for some time. Instead, things got worse. The program, which has gone through instability and indifference, now suffered the ultimate embarrassment as it saw head coach Chip Kelly leave to take an offensive coordinator position at their soon-to-be conference rival, Ohio State.
Kelly Was Supposed to be the Savior
Ever since the departure of legendary football coach Terry Donahue, the Bruins often appeared as a rudderless ship, drifting from one direction to another but never seeming to get on course. Since Donahue stepped down from the program in 1996 after two decades at the helm, UCLA has had nine head coaches over the course of 28 years. Nothing seemed to work, from bringing in veterans like Bob Toledo to heralded alumni such as Karl Darrell and Rick Neuheisel, each of them failed to build any lasting momentum.
When the Bruins hired Chip Kelly, it seemed as if UCLA finally caught their big fish. Kelly came in with a pedigree few could match. He was the architect of the Oregon offenses that baffled opposing defenses and led to three PAC 12 titles and four consecutive appearances in BCS games. He had NFL experience and many thought that his stellar reputation would have blue-chip recruits flocking to Westwood.
The Kelly Aura Never Caught On
Even though most thought it was an incredible hire for the Bruins, many did not take into consideration other factors that may impact his performance upon his return to college football. Kelly left Oregon in 2012 to take on the head coaching duties for the Philadelphia Eagles. By the time he returned to college game, many opposing teams had made adjustments to counter the fast-paced offenses he developed while at Oregon. This meant that plays and strategies that once worked were no longer as effective.
In addition, his strategy required high-level athletes, and while the excitement generated by his offensive schemes at Oregon led to many four and five-star recruits swarming to the Ducks, that momentum was lost by the time he reached UCLA. Kelly, for his part, failed to make the adjustments to his recruiting strategies, and therefore never acquired the horses he needed to bring the success the students and alumni craved.
Kelly Hands Bruins the Ultimate Insult
There were rumblings in Westwood that Kelly was not happy at UCLA. This was coupled with persistent rumors, as reported by Sports Illustrated, that he may be leaving. Many assumed he would return to the NFL or maybe take another college head coaching position. This kept tensions high and left a cloud of uncertainty over the program. The instability created by these rumors led to the first major offseason blow when their highly regarded defensive coordinator, D’Anton Lynn, hit the LA freeways and joined cross-town rival USC to take on those same duties. This was followed by two highly-touted Bruin players, defensive back John Humphrey and safety Kamari Ramsey, joining Lynn with the Trojans.
Then, the announcement came to the shock of everyone. Kelly revealed that he was indeed leaving the Bruins, but not for the NFL or a head coaching position at another major college football program, but for the offensive coordinator position at future Big 10 rival, Ohio State. Though there were probably many reasons why Kelly decided to depart Westwood, the fact that he would take a coaching demotion to leave a head coaching position at a soon-to-be Big 10 foe was stunning; and it spoke volumes as to the state of the UCLA program.
UCLA Picks Up the Pieces and Moves Forward
To its credit, as well as out of urgent need, UCLA hired Kelly’s replacement in lightning speed, bringing on former Bruin running back great, DeShaun Foster. While Foster is well-liked and certainly has the college and NFL playing career pedigree — which is what most of his bio focuses on — his time carrying a clipboard did not begin until he became a volunteer assistant with Bruins just ten years ago
Foster, who had served mainly as their running backs coach, has produced reputable backfields. In addition, there are few people who have a greater love for UCLA football. However, his relatively short coaching career and lack of coordinator experience leave many unanswered questions. And those questions will have to be answered soon as the Bruins will open up Big 10 play on September 14th against Indiana, which will be followed with games against LSU, Oregon, and Penn State .
