Chip Kelly details UCLA's plan on defense after losing D'Anton Lynn

It’s not going to be a rush for Chip Kelly and UCLA to find a new defensive coordinator after losing D’Anton Lynn to USC.

Lynn went cross town for his next gig, this time under Lincoln Riley and trading powder blue for Trojan red. As far as UCLA’s defense is concerned, it’ll be a collective effort.

There is a play caller, according to Kelly, in place of Lynn. But that’s all for now.

“The entire defense, we’ll put together the game plan like we normally do and I think it’s the same thing with us on offense,” Kelly said. “I call the plays on game day but our coaching staff has huge input. We’re not just one person coming in and saying, ‘Hey, we’re doing this.’ They’ll all game plan together and then Ikaika Malloe will call the plays on game day for us.” 

Kelly and others won’t do an extensive search to replace Lynn right now, not with a bowl game against Boise State on tap.

“We’re gonna do everything after the bowl game,” Kelly said. “This is a unique ballgame because of when it is. You know, this is, we’re in the middle of recruiting. We were out last week. We should be on the road now. But we’re back because of the bowl game. So Boise State has the same issues and I would think like Texas Tech and Cal, because they’re playing in the Shreveport game. So it’s just the nature, and the other option is don’t go to the bowl game and that’s not what anybody wants. 

“So when they tell us when the game is and we got to work a schedule out. So anything we’ll do with the quarterback position or the defensive coordinator will be after the bowl game when we have time. It’s not a decision that we want to rush.”

Lynn recently discussed how his UCLA experience will aid him in his new endeavor with USC.

“You know, last year was a big learning curve for me,” Lynn said. “My first time in college, you know, there were a lot of things in spring I was saying for the first time, I just think going through this. Now, second year in college, a little bit more experience, I think that I’m just excited about the opportunity, excited about the process, but I also know that it’s not gonna be the exact same that it was last year. 

“It’s a different group of guys. It’s a different staff. So it’s not going to be the exact same. We just have to figure out the best way to try to duplicate that here.”