UCLA’s Under Performance and Star Exodus Fuel Prolonged Anti-Chip Sentiments, Creating a Gridiron Storm in Coach Kelly’s Life

While numerous coaches have lost their positions this season, a handful have retained their seats and are all set to return for the upcoming 2024 season. UCLA’s Chip Kelly is one among them. Chip Kelly’s six-year stint with UCLA football has been marked by challenges, including a lack of consistent success, highlighted by a 34-34 overall record and a single nine-win season in 2022.

Fans’ growing discontent reflects broader concerns about the program’s trajectory under Kelly’s leadership, prompting questions about UCLA football’s future direction. However, in the aftermath of UCLA’s disheartening 33-7 loss to the Cal Bears, the frustration among Bruins fans has reached a boiling point, leading to widespread agitation and public display of distaste. 

UCLA fans fire up anti-Kelly sentiments 

As the team’s season record has slumped to 7-5, and with an anticipated mid-tier bowl game on the horizon, dissatisfaction with sixth-year head coach Chip Kelly has become increasingly vocal. The hashtag #FireChipKelly was reportedly trending over the weekend. Despite the widespread call for change, reports indicate that Chip Kelly is expected to return as UCLA’s head football coach for the 2024 season. 

In a unique and visible expression of dissent, a group of disgruntled fans commissioned a plane to carry a banner over both the UCLA campus and the team’s practice facility. The banner’s bold message, “Read the room – fire Chip Kelly,” directly references UCLA Athletic Director Martin Jarmond’s social media response to a fan advocating for Kelly’s dismissal after the USC game. Jarmond’s remark, “Read the room,” has now become a symbolic representation of the fans’ dissatisfaction with the current coaching situation.

Celebrating his 60th birthday on the day of a disappointing 33-7 loss to Cal, Chip Kelly’s tenure with the UCLA football program yields a record of 34-34 and an annual salary of $5.6 million. Kelly’s coaching journey, originating as an assistant at various institutions, saw him rise to prominence as the head coach of the Oregon Ducks from 2009-2012. During this period, he secured three Pac-12 Championships and garnered multiple Coach of the Year honors.

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However, Kelly’s return to the NCAA with UCLA has encountered challenges. Despite guiding the Bruins to two bowl appearances in his first five seasons, the program grapples with recruiting difficulties, resulting in offensive struggles. This season, Kelly achieved a record better than .500 for the third time. This underscores the complexities and limitations faced by UCLA under his leadership. While the defense has excelled in 2023, concerns persist regarding the overall trajectory of the program.

As the future of the program hangs in the balance, the potential return of Chip Kelly poses challenges beyond the football field. Disgruntled donors, disenchanted with the team’s performance under Kelly, may choose to withhold financial support, raising concerns about the program’s resources and competitiveness in the ever-demanding landscape of college football. The narrative surrounding UCLA football is fraught with uncertainty, with the fans’ discontent echoing loudly as the coaching decisions unfold.

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