Kirk Herbstreit had a funny moment with his announcing partner Chris Fowler while they were calling the UCLA-Colorado game for ABC/ESPN on Saturday night at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
UCLA was leading 7-6 and had a 4th-and-goal from the Colorado 6 during the second quarter. UCLA head coach Chip Kelly brought out his field goal unit, which led Herbstreit to reminisce about Kelly’s old nickname.
“Remember his nickname in Eugene?” Herbstreit asked.
Herbstreit declined to say the name, which led Fowler to ask whether his partner would reveal it.
“You’re not going to say it?” Fowler asked.
“I don’t know, am I allow to say it?” Herbstreit asked.
They decided they could not say it, so Fowler tried to describe it.
Back when he was at Oregon from 2009-2012, Kelly was nicknamed “Big Balls Chip.” The nickname was accompanied by a gesture where people would cup their hands below their genitals.
The nickname was an allusion to Kelly’s aggressive and bold decisions that required some serious stones, such as going for it on 4th-and-goal at the opponent’s six-yard line. Herbstreit noted that Kelly was going for it before coaches started following analytics that dictated they should in many situations.
Kelly is not quite so aggressive anymore. Even though his team attempted a field goal in the 4th-and-goal situation, kicker RJ Lopez missed a 24-yard attempt.