Chip Kelly gives thoughts on early production from Keanu Williams
As spring practice continues, UCLA head coach Chip Kelly has shared his thought on the early production that he’s seen from Keanu Williams.
Williams is a defensive lineman who transferred to UCLA from Oregon. Coming out of high school, he was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2021. In two seasons with the Ducks, Williams appeared in eight games and had five total tackles.
“We’ve had three days with him and he’s been really good in the three days that we’ve had him,” Chip Kelly said.
For Chip Kelly and UCLA, Keanu Williams is a high-upside defensive lineman who really hasn’t gotten a chance to show what he can do in games. While Williams will have to earn that playing time, he should be capable of making an impact for the Bruins.
At the same time, there is a long way to go and where Williams currently stands could change.
“So, we’ve got a long way to go with all those guys,” Chip Kelly continued. “So, they’re learning something new but we do have depth. You know, I’ve been in that meeting with [Chad] Kauha’aha’a. He’s doing a great job with those guys. I think he’s a big body. He’s really sharp. He’s picked things up really quickly. I’m excited about where he is after three days.”
Dante Moore on choosing UCLA
One major recruiting win that Chip Kelly had this past recruiting cycle was landing quarterback Dante Moore. It caught some people’s attention, but the move made a lot of sense for Moore.
“I mean, Coach Kelly, him being one of the greatest head coaches to be doing it right now in college football. Him being a coach in the NFL, coaching at the highest level. And him just having the resume he has and coaching great quarterbacks like Marcus Mariota, Mike Vick and everybody. That just really drew my attention. When he was at Oregon, the Oregon days, he had Marcus Mariota in an explosive offense. I knew me being a quarterback there, that would be a great development for me. I’m just blessed to be with him,” Moore said.
“When I first came in from high school, we had a great offensive system there, but really, coming in here, it’s an NFL-style offense. It’s a lot of different things change if you’re at the line of scrimmage. Or if you see different types of coverage, what to adjust about. It’s really complicated, but I know I’m going with the flow of everything. Appreciate coach [Ryan Gunderson] and the quarterbacks in the quarterback room to help me out understanding the offense and I’m just thankful to be a part of the offense.”