Back in the Pac-12: Former Oregon, NFL coach Chip Kelly hired by UCLA
Chip Kelly is returning to college football.
And it could be the biggest football coaching hire in UCLA history.
The former Oregon and Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers head coach has been named the next head man for the Bruins, the 17th in program history.
UCLA Director of Athletics Dan Guerrero said Kelly will receive a five-year contract worth $23.3M with a $9M reciprocal buyout.
"I am thrilled to welcome Chip Kelly to Westwood," said Guerrero in a statement on Saturday. "His success speaks for itself, but more than that, I firmly believe that his passion for the game and his innovative approach to coaching student-athletes make him the perfect fit for our program. 'Champions Made Here' is more than just a mantra at UCLA, and I’m confident that Chip will lead UCLA Football back to competing for championships. I’d like to thank Josh Rebholz, Casey Wasserman and Troy Aikman for their input during this process, as their candor, experience and support were invaluable."
https://twitter.com/UCLAFootball/status/934460512770801664
Kelly will be formally introduced to the UCLA community and to media on campus Monday afternoon.
"It is an absolute honor to join the Bruin Family, and I am grateful to Chancellor Block and to Dan Guerrero for this incredible opportunity," said Kelly. "UCLA is a world-class institution with a distinguished history in athletics, and we will do our part to uphold its tradition of excellence."
Kelly brings to Westwood 27 seasons of coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate levels, most recently serving as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers (2016) and Philadelphia Eagles (2013-15).
The 53-year-old Kelly went 46-7 in four years (2009-12) at Oregon, which averaged 44.7 points a game during that span.
Kelly, however, was fired from two NFL jobs (San Francisco and Philadelphia) in the last two years and left Oregon shortly before NCAA sanctions were handed down.
Kelly was slapped with ''failure to monitor'' in the Will Lyles case. Kelly also was handed an 18-month show-cause penalty after he left to become the head coach for the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.
Oregon was accused of paying $25,000 to Lyles, a 7-on-7 coach, in exchange for his guiding players to the Ducks. The NCAA ruled that Kelly wasn't aware of Lyles' actions but said he was responsible for ensuring his program was in compliance.
https://twitter.com/UCLAAthletics/status/934459214801485825
Kelly's show-cause penalty expired in late 2014, meaning he and any school that hires him would face no restrictions or penalties related to the Lyles case.
His brief NFL stints and an apparent unwillingness to adapt raised questions about the effectiveness of his up-tempo offense - at least in the NFL.
He was considered an innovator and offensive guru at Oregon, where he coached for a national title at the end of the 2010 season.
His final team in 2012 went 12-1 and averaged 49.6 points per game.
During Kelly's tenure, the Ducks led the nation in 25-yard pass plays (220) and in 25-yard run plays (110). He led Oregon to big bowls in each of his four seasons: Rose, the BCS title game, Rose and Fiesta.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report
