UCLA Football: Recruiting Expert Blasts Chip Kelly’s Work In That Department.
In case you haven’t heard, soon-to-be-former UCLA Bruins head coach Chip Kelly is reportedly taking over as offensive coordinator at Ohio State after talks with their final option, Bill O’Brien, fell through. O’Brien will instead become the new head coach at Boston College, leaving Kelly’s departure wide open.
While many UCLA supporters have always questioned Kelly’s dedication to the program, actual evidence of Kelly’s agenda emerged during a period when other head coaches were out on the recruiting trail, attempting to assemble their next group.
Kelly sold the Bruins to other football programs in the NFL and across college, rather than recruits. Kelly interviewed for the Seahawks’ offensive coordinator position this week and was allegedly in talks with other NFL teams about the same position.
On National Signing Day this week, one recruiting specialist verified what many Bruin fans anticipated, sharply criticizing Kelly’s skill and willingness to pursue high school athletes. Brandon Huffman of 247 Sports said this regarding UCLA’s weak 2024 recruiting class: “There’s practically anyone in it.
This is the 92nd-ranked class on 247 Sports. This is a program in Los Angeles, California, with a head coach who has coached in the NFL and in the national championship game, yet there has been little to no effort to attract high school players. They had placed so much trust in the portal, but it failed them this year.
They’ve lost a number of players in the portal, as well as some across town to USC, but they’re filling up the gaps with players from the division three ranks and service academy, so they’re not doing equal swaps.” With hindsight, everything makes sense.
However, UCLA confronts a far more difficult transition into the Big 10 in 2024, with no continuity in their coaching staff from the previous season.
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