Friday was an incredibly humiliating day for the UCLA Bruins, a program that prides itself on being one of the top football institutions in the country. Head coach Chip Kelly made the shocking decision to leave UCLA and accept a position as an offensive coordinator for Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. This move is virtually unheard of, as college head coaches at prominent programs typically only leave for coordinator roles in the NFL. To make matters worse, Kelly’s decision could potentially result in UCLA losing out on a substantial buyout if they decide to part ways with him. This raises serious concerns about the future of the UCLA program and highlights the challenges that mid-level teams face in the era of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness).
Ever since the introduction of the transfer portal and NIL recruiting, coaches have expressed the difficulties they now encounter. Recruiting no longer revolves solely around high school athletes, as attention must also be given to collective groups. Additionally, coaches must strike a balance between fielding the best current team and keeping young players on the roster satisfied. For coaches like Kelly who have a well-known aversion to recruiting, this new landscape has made head coaching positions much less appealing. It also suggests that mid-tier programs in major conferences, such as UCLA, are likely to fall even further behind the elite schools.
Kelly evidently believes that UCLA lacks a viable path to competitiveness in the future. Despite the advantages of playing home games at the iconic Rose Bowl, having a picturesque campus location, and the financial benefits of being in the Big Ten Conference, UCLA’s prospects seem bleak. This must be incredibly disheartening for UCLA, as they now face the challenge of convincing a top-tier coach that they possess the necessary resources and commitment to compete against powerhouses like USC, Ohio State, and Alabama. The road ahead appears uncertain.
The logical solution is to hire a promising and energetic coach who is willing to embark on a lengthy rebuilding process. However, if prestigious schools like UCLA require extensive rehabilitation, it becomes increasingly difficult to attract or retain coaching talent for similarly-sized programs. College football has always been characterized by a divide between the “haves” and the “have-nots,” but Kelly’s departure signifies that this gap has never been wider. In fact, it may still be widening.
According to the Source outkick.com