UCLA’s Chip Kelly signs 2-year extension through 2027 season

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LOS ANGELES — Chip Kelly signed a two-year extension with UCLA that keeps him under contract through 2027.

The Bruins were 8-4 last year and finished 21st in the final Associated Press Top 25 poll, the first time since 2014 that they had been ranked at the end of the season.

“I am excited about our football program under the leadership of Coach Kelly and his talented staff,” athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement. “The football program is on an upward trajectory, both on the field and in the classroom. Coach Kelly and his staff have done a tremendous job developing young men as demonstrated by their academic excellence.”

Kelly is 27-29 through five seasons in Westwood, but is 16-8 the past two years. He took over after Jim Mora Jr. was fired in 2017 and had a roster predominantly filled with underclassmen his first two seasons.

The Bruins were 3-9 in Kelly’s first year in 2018 and 4-8 the following season. During the shortened 2020 season, a turnaround began with a 3-4 mark.

Kelly – who is 72-36 as a college coach – signed a four-year contract last year.

UCLA will go into its final season in the Pac-12 with plenty of questions. The Bruins were fifth in the nation in total offense, but quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson graduated and running back Zach Charbonnet left early for the NFL draft.

Kelly will also have his third defensive coordinator in as many seasons after hiring D’Anton Lynn.

UCLA hires D’Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator

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LOS ANGELES – UCLA will have its third defensive coordinator in three years after the hiring of D’Anton Lynn on Monday.

This will be Lynn’s first stint as a coordinator after eight years as an NFL assistant. He was with the Baltimore Ravens for three seasons, including the past two as safeties coach.

Lynn replaces Bill McGovern, who will remain on staff as director of football administration.

McGovern was hired last year but missed most of the second half of the season due to health issues. Jerry Azzinaro was defensive coordinator during coach Chip Kelly‘s first four seasons in Westwood.

“We are excited to add D’Anton to our staff as defensive coordinator,” Kelly said in a statement. “His energy and enthusiasm, along with his experience, will make an immediate impact.”

Lynn also had tenures with the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans. He was the head coach for the East for the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.

Lynn is the son of San Francisco 49ers assistant and former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn.

Lynn will seek to turn around a UCLA defense that was 87th nationally in total defense and 117th out of 131 teams against the pass. The Bruins were 9-4 last season and ranked 21st in the final AP Top 25.

UCLA has one more season in the Pac-12 before joining the Big Ten in 2024.

UCLA also announced that running backs coach DeShaun Foster will also serve as associate head coach, Ikaika Malloe will coach the defensive line and outside linebackers and Brian Norwood will be assistant head coach, passing game coordinator and safeties coach.

Coach Prime comes up big in 1st recruiting class at Colorado

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BOULDER, Colo. — Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders proudly recited the numbers from his first recruiting class at Colorado.

Two five-star recruits. A No. 21 overall class ranking, which was the highest in 15 years, he pointed out. A top-five class from the transfer portal, according to 247 Sports.

Then, a quick reminder – he’s not done gathering talent. Not by a long shot. This is just a brief pause, he teased, with possibility of more skilled players arriving sometime after the spring.

It’s taken Sanders less than two months in Boulder not only to revamp a downtrodden program but to give a starved fan base something else – hope.

“We’re not recruiting just no ordinary Tom, Dick and Harry,” Sanders said Wednesday on signing day. “We recruited some guys that can light up the scoreboard and prevent touchdowns from occurring. We’re coming. We’re serious about that.

“Hope is in the house. Hope is in the air. Hope is in the city. Hope is in the community.”

Sanders and his veteran staff have been busy scouring the nation for talent. The Hall of Fame NFL player known then as “Prime Time” has also posted on social media for recruits to reach out to him as well: “I ain’t hard to find.”

The Buffaloes signed players from 16 states and two from England. Not only that, they brought in a pair of five-star recruits in high school cornerback Cormani McClain and transfer cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, who followed Sanders from Jackson State.

In all, there are around 35 newcomers on the spring roster. Maybe that’s why Sanders didn’t really want to talk about each of them by name.

“We’ve got names on the back of their shirts right now,” cracked Sanders, who starts spring practice March 19 with the intrasquad game scheduled for April 22. “I’m not familiar with every kid. I’m not being disrespectful. I’m just being honest.”

Only natural, given that he’s completely overhauled the roster from a team that went 1-11 last season. The class has four players from Georgia and seven from Sanders’ home state of Florida. There are eight defensive backs, which will come in handy given the level of quarterback play in the Pac-12.

In addition, Sanders brought in eight wide receivers, including Adam Hopkins, a four-star from Georgia. There’s also running back Dylan Edwards, who switched after verbally committing to Notre Dame.

Of course, don’t forget that transfer quarterback named Shedeur Sanders, who just happens to be the son of “Coach Prime” and threw 70 TD passes in two seasons at Jackson State.

Deion Sanders said he’s only getting warmed up, too.

“This is just a comma, because there’s a lot of people that’s going to bungee jump into the portal after spring because they’re going to be disappointed in playing time, commitment or the level of participation they’re garnishing,” Sanders said. “We’re going to take full advantage of that. So we’re not done. This is just the comma for the spring. But I love where we are, and what we have.”

It hasn’t taken long for Sanders to settle into the city of Boulder, calling it a “hidden gem.” He can’t wait to move into a house and have “a dog run around the yard.” He even doesn’t mind the snow, which blanketed Folsom Field on Wednesday. Quite honestly, he’s not sure why any player would want to go anywhere else.

“We expect to go get that kid,” Sanders said. “Only thing that can keep that kid from coming and signing with us, is a bag – someone paying them, the collectives or whatever. That’s it. Just outkicking the coverage. That’s it.

“Because the coaching staff, the atmosphere, the city, the publicity, the structure, the discipline, the academics, the graduation rate, the food in the cafeteria – I can keep going, because this thing is getting good. Just everything. It’s hard to say no. It really is.”

Listening in was athletic director Rick George, who appreciated the tone of what he heard. Sanders has quickly built the framework for a speedy turnaround.

“He’s brought a lot of energy and passion to this program again,” George said. “It’s what we desperately needed.”