Bruce Feldman addresses Chip Kelly job security, UCLA AD calls ‘Fire Chip’ talk, ‘clickbait’

After rumors of Chip Kelly’s potential ouster at UCLA swelled this week, one prominent booster and the Bruins’ athletic director came to their head football coach’s defense.

UCLA is in the middle of a slide during a season that’s ending up more disappointing than fans had hoped coming into the year. The defense was slotted to be very strong and has mostly lived up to the billing, but struggles on offense, particularly with a roller coaster QB situation, have derailed the Bruins as the season has drawn on.

Such struggles sparked a sense that Coach Kelly could be on the hot seat. So, on Saturday’s edition of Big Noon Kickoff ahead of the Week 12 games, Bruce Feldman joined the show, where he was asked what’s real and what isn’t in regard to Kelly’s job safety.

“Two weeks ago, UCLA was No. 19 in the country, but since then, they lose at Arizona and then have a really ugly performance at home against a really bad Arizona State,” explained Feldman. “And there was a published report out of L.A. that said UCLA was trying to fire Chip Kelly.”

Per Feldman, those rumors sparked a swift and passionate defense of Chip Kelly from some of the largest figures in the UCLA athletics circle.

“Now, since then, UCLA’s biggest booster Casey Wasserman has called any of the ‘Fire Chip’ talk ‘ridiculous.’ On Thursday night, I talked to UCLA AD Martin Jarmond, who was very dismissive of the ‘Fire Chip’ talk as well, and he described that story as ‘clickbait.'”

Part of the confidence in Kelly from the AD and top booster come from what they believe is a promising defensive coordinator “(Jarmond) knows that Kelly has made a really good hire in DC D’Anton Lynn, who’s fixed that side of the ball,” noted Feldman.

Of course, the easiest way to put any Chip Kelly unrest to bed would be for the Bruins to go win their final two games, starting with today’s bout against reeling rival USC. Both L.A.-area clubs desperately need to get back in the win column.

“But it would really help the Bruins to at least get some of the fanbase calmed down and enthusiastic again if they could beat their arch-rival today, USC,” says Feldman.

With starting QB Ethan Garbers finally back in the lineup vs. the Trojans, UCLA can feel they have a decent shot of winning this one. Get the victory here and then the Bruins will waltz into a home game against California with a chance to finish a very respectable 8-4 in what’s been a strong Pac-12.