Chip Kelly shares impressions of first day of spring practice

For the first time in seven years, UCLA will enter a season after finishing the previous one ranked. Head coach Chip Kelly has things moving in the right direction in Westwood. Kelly will be hoping for an even better 2023 season and got things underway with spring practice on Thursday.

When asked for his impressions of Day One, Kelly said this year’s group is “really serious” and wants to be winners. That’s an impressive statement about a team who is just getting underway. If you believe what Kelly is saying, UCLA is going to be all business this season.

“First day on the field, kids were real attention to detail,” Kelly said. “This group is really serious about football, really serious about being successful. So, it’s been a lot of fun.”

UCLA will be going up against Pac-12 foes for the final time as a conference member, heading to the Big Ten for the 2024 season. Part of the motivation could be leaving their mark in a positive fashion. Spring is just the next step of that potential success, beginning with offseason workouts earlier in the year.

“I think it started last January,” Kelly said. “I think we’ve had a great approach to what we’re trying to get accomplished here. KB, our strength coach, does an unbelievable job with these guys from January to March and then seamlessly transitioned into Tuesday.”

UCLA enrollees still getting their feet wet

With how UCLA’s academic calendar lines up, two different rounds of students enrolled prior to spring practice beginning. Those who arrived in January have been able to settle in and even went through those workouts.

Others are still getting their feet wet. Just four days of being on campus and their football season has begun.

“There’s some new faces in there. They all enrolled early, most of them were here in January,” Kelly said. “There were a few kids who enrolled for April and they’re still getting used to their way about them. Today is Day Four for them in school. Kids who have come in January have really acclimated well. We’re excited every day we get on the field and have a chance to teach them.”

UCLA will kick the season off on Sept. 2, with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers traveling across the country. A huge season is ahead of Chip Kelly and the goal will be getting to the double-digit win mark.