UCLA fans, media call for coaching change after UCLA suffers blowout loss to Cal
UCLA posted its fourth losing record in conference play under Chip Kelly on Saturday night. A 33-7 loss to Cal at the Rose Bowl dropped UCLA to 7-5 on the year and 4-5 in conference play. Kelly has never lost fewer than three conference games in his six years with the Bruins, meaning UCLA has never seriously contended for a Pac-12 championship under Kelly.
And in the immediate wake of another disappointing regular season, UCLA fans had reached their limit.
Reports emerged prior to the USC game that Kelly was likely to be fired. Kelly refuted those reports after blasting USC 38-20, and he claimed after Saturday’s blowout loss to Cal he is not worried about his job security. But UCLA fans were calling for his dismissal Saturday night into Sunday morning.
Michigan State hired California native Jonathan Smith on Saturday. Houston moved on from its coach, Dana Holgorsen, Sunday morning. Holgorsen was 31-28 in five years at Houston. He went 2-1 in bowl games and won 12 games during the 2021 season.
Kelly is 34-34 in six seasons. UCLA has yet to win 10 games at any point under Kelly and it has yet to win a bowl game.
Fans flooded the mentions of athletic director Martin Jarmond on Saturday night calling for change. Several have pointed to the Houston move as a recently-elevated Group of Five program showing more ambition than the Bruins.
Here’s some of the reaction from both fans and media members calling for Kelly’s job:
Six full seasons. 34-34. 7-28 against winning teams. Hasn't even sniffed a conference championship. Benefitted from three of the weakest schedules in UCLA history and lost at least four games each of those seasons. This should be **done**.
— David Woods (@daviddavidwoods) November 26, 2023
Great head coaches protect their players with play calling. Good head coaches learn from history. Dante Moore comes in cold…and a pass play is called. Do the players deserve THIS? #FireChipKelly
— Ralph Irvin (@RalphIrvinUCLA) November 26, 2023
He needs to go. Jonathan Smith wasn't my 1st choice, but the fact that you let a hometown kid, who is an up-and-comer in the coaching ranks move to the conference you're moving to…to a school that has a stronger recruiting base is just plain neglect! #FireMartin #FireChipKelly https://t.co/5UUQCrK8tu
— Love Dem BRUINS✝️ #MambaForever #ForBigD (@bigg_poohbear) November 25, 2023
Okay @MartinJarmond , so I'd like to know how you can possibly justify keeping Chip Kelly after this abomination of a performance – against, of all teams, Cal – on Senior Night no less. This, THIS is what you want? #FireChipKelly
— AlexLARams (@AlexLARams) November 26, 2023
https://twitter.com/equitybruin/status/1728650074681733308
What an absolute embarrassment of a final Pac12 game, on senior night.
This school is absolutely unserious about fielding a competent/competitive football program.
I hope the millions of extra revenue every year are worth going 3-9 in the BIG10 every year.
Pathetic & shameful
— Berxa (@cBerxa) November 26, 2023
These channels mostly went dark after UCLA clubbed USC. UCLA administrators likely knew they would've looked stupid firing Chip Kelly at that moment.
The blowout home loss to Cal that dropped UCLA to 4-5 in the Pac-12 has re-opened the window wide to move on.
I can't tell if… https://t.co/z5hPK5hYzW
— Mark Schipper – 5th Down CFB (@5thDownCFB) November 26, 2023
Correct me if I’m wrong, the most optimistic preseason predictions had us finishing at 10 – 2. the most pessimistic preseason predictions had us finishing at 8 – 4.
We finished BELOW the most pessimistic predictions!?#FireChipKelly
— MexiBruin 🍉 (@MexiBruin) November 26, 2023
Your move, @MartinJarmond. #FireChipKelly https://t.co/bUijssG03m
— UCLA Football Countdown (@CountdownUcla) November 26, 2023
Goodnight from Pasadena.#FireChipKelly pic.twitter.com/qSyALlSsJ5
— Peter Eric (@4thGenBruin) November 26, 2023
Boise fires their coach and ends up making the conference title game.
UCLA finishes eighth in the Pac-12 despite having the best defense in generations and Chip Kelly still has a job. #FireChipKelly https://t.co/TIklFYprtp
— UCLA Football Countdown (@CountdownUcla) November 26, 2023
It's just so hard to know if Chip Kelly is working out. On one hand, he's had the least success of any UCLA coach afforded six years in history, but on the other hand, he's lost a minimum of 4 games in each of the last three seasons playing the weakest schedules in UCLA history.
— David Woods (@daviddavidwoods) November 26, 2023