Chip Kelly has been weighing his coaching options, and all reports indicate he is choosing between UCLA and Florida. Now two reports are saying that it looks like Kelly is leaning towards picking UCLA over Florida.
Bruin Report Online veteran UCLA reporter Tracy Pierson reported on Wednesday afternoon that all signs point to Kelly picking the Bruins. Pierson says “a large number of reliable sources in the coaching and agent worlds are indicating that Chip Kelly has decided to coach at UCLA.” He adds that coaches have been contacted about the possibility of joining Kelly in Westwood.
Gridiron Now’s Frank Frangie also reports that he’s hearing the same chatter that Kelly is headed to UCLA.
Pierson does caution that no deal has been finalized or signed, meaning that things could change. Keep in mind that Kelly has backed out of a deal before. Back in Jan. 2012, multiple reports said Kelly was finalizing a deal to become the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ head coach. A day later, he decided to back out of the deal and remain at Oregon for another season. He ended up leaving for the Philadelphia Eagles a year later.
Kelly met with Florida’s representatives on Sunday. He then met with UCLA’s representatives (either on Monday or Tuesday), not long after the school fired Jim Mora as head coach.
Any school looking to hire Kelly would want to have him in place as their head coach before the early signing period, which begins on Dec. 20.
