Chip Kelly staying at UCLA, agrees to new 4-year contract

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LOS ANGELES — UCLA soccer coach Chip Kelly agreed to a brand new four-year contract Friday after main the Bruins to their greatest season since 2015.

The settlement got here two days earlier than the $9 million buyout on Kelly’s authentic contract would have expired. Kelly mentioned he had discussions about returning to Oregon final month earlier than the Geese employed Dan Lanning.

“We’re extraordinarily appreciative of all the UCLA administration for his or her help of our soccer program,” Kelly mentioned in an announcement. “We’ve got an amazing quantity of gratitude for our gamers and employees. Their tireless work and dedication to our imaginative and prescient have constructed an important basis. We’re excited to proceed to construct this program into one thing that makes the UCLA fanbase proud.”

UCLA had its first successful season in Kelly’s tenure in 2021. It went 8-4 and closed with three straight wins, together with a 62-33 blowout over Southern California. The Bruins earned their first bowl look since 2017, however couldn’t play within the Vacation Bowl towards North Carolina State attributable to COVID-19 protocols.

Kelly is 64-32 as a university coach however is 18-25 in 4 seasons at UCLA. He took over after Jim Mora Jr. was fired in 2017 and had a roster predominantly full of underclassmen his first two seasons.

The Bruins had been 3-9 in Kelly’s first 12 months in 2018 and 4-8 the next season. In the course of the shortened 2020 season, a turnaround started with a 3-4 mark.

“This new contract represents the dedication, stability and funding wanted to proceed the upward trajectory of our soccer program,” athletic director Martin Jarmond mentioned in an announcement. “Since becoming a member of UCLA, our soccer staff’s successful share has elevated yearly, together with elevated momentum in recruiting and strategic use of the switch portal,”

Kelly should make changes on his teaching employees after his longtime defensive coordinator Jerry Azzinaro resigned this week. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson introduced that he’ll return for a fifth season earlier this week.

The Bruins might get off to a fast begin subsequent season. They’ve one of many best nonconference slates for a Energy 5 program, internet hosting Bowling Inexperienced, Alabama State and South Alabama earlier than starting Pac-12 play at Colorado on Sept. 24.

Chip Kelly staying at UCLA, agrees to new 4-year contract initially appeared on NBCSports.com

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