Chip Kelly made a claim about his time in Westwood on Monday.
“I think I’ve done great,” Kelly said.
The statement came following a question about the coach’s near six-year tenure as the leader of UCLA’s football program. Despite the annual priority of the USC game being days away, a majority of Kelly’s time Monday with the media was spent answering questions about a similar topic – the past.
Six years ago, former Bruin coach Jim Mora was fired following UCLA’s 28-23 loss at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Bruins entered that game with a 3-4 record in the Pac-12 – the exact same conference record that Kelly’s UCLA team currently carries heading into this year’s rivalry game.
Despite the similarity of the two coaching situations separated by six seasons, Kelly’s appears less ideal.
While Mora’s team entered the 2017 edition of the UCLA-USC game following a 44-37 win over Arizona State, Kelly’s team is coming off two consecutive defeats, including a 17-7 loss at the Rose Bowl against said Sun Devils.
For context, that year’s Arizona State team entered its battle with UCLA with a 5-4 overall record and 4-2 mark in the Pac-12. Kelly’s Bruins just fell to a Sun Devil squad, which began the game tied for last in the conference standings, lost 55-3 the previous week and lacked its top two options at quarterback.
When asked if he had any fears about his current job situation mirroring that of Mora’s, Kelly said he was focused on the task ahead.
“No, not at all. My concern is playing USC,” Kelly said. “We always talk about being the most prepared and the least distracted.”
Questions surrounding Kelly’s coaching tenure and the team’s recent struggles fell onto his players Monday as well.
Redshirt senior defensive back Kenny Churchwell III said Kelly has always cared about the well-being of his players.
“Great coach, I love him,” Churchwell said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t like the coach. … Blessed to have him in my life.”
Churchwell began his UCLA career as a walk-on in 2018, the same year Kelly began his coaching tenure. The safety is one of three redshirt seniors – alongside wide receiver Josiah Norwood and defensive back Alex Johnson – who are now in their sixth seasons in Westwood along with their head coach.
Kelly’s overall record at UCLA currently stands even at 33-33 heading into this year’s Battle for the Victory Bell. The Bruins are 2-3 against the Trojans since Kelly took over, with the most recent two meetings holding implications beyond the rivalry.
UCLA defeated USC 62-33 at the Coliseum in 2021 after losing two of its previous three games heading into the contest. At that time, questions were also asked about whether or not Kelly was coaching for his job.
Last season, the Bruins fell to the Trojans 48-45 at the Rose Bowl. That loss knocked UCLA out of Pac-12 title contention during Kelly’s most successful season in Westwood.
In 2023, both programs are coming into the game on two-game losing streaks.
Even with each side of the crosstown rivalry struggling, senior linebacker Kain Medrano said the game is still of the utmost importance.
“Regardless of how the season is going, it’s a rivalry game,” Medrano said. “It’s for something. It’s for the city of LA, and that’s what we’re playing for.”
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