UCLA'S coach Kelly reportedly eyeing NFL
From Staff and Wire Reports
The UCLA football program has seen constant change among its coaching staff since the conclusion of the 2023 season, but the biggest departure could still be in the works.
Bruins head coach Chip Kelly was immediately reported as a potential candidate for the Washington Commanders’ offensive coordinator job, according to ESPN’S Jeremy Fowler, after the NFL team hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as its next head coach on Thursday.
Former Long Beach Poly head coach Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders interviewed Kelly twice for their vacant offensive coordinator job, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Kelly has four years of NFL head coaching experience, having previously coached the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-2015) and the San Francisco 49ers (2016).
While Kelly’s future in Westwood remains uncertain, he’s continued to recruit at various high schools over the past two weeks and has been spotted in various photographs on social media with players and coaches thanking him for stopping by their respective schools to visit. --James H. Williams
■ The Las Vegas Raiders are hiring former Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury to be their offensive coordinator, a person informed of the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been finalized.
Kingsbury will be in charge of trying to turn around a Las Vegas offense that was 27th this season in yards per game (289.5) and 23rd in scoring (19.5-point average).
Kingsbury, 44, spent this past season at USC as an offensive analyst working with quarterback Caleb Williams, who many project will be drafted first overall. Before that, Kingsbury went 28-37-1 over four seasons as the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals.
Report: Lakers’ Vanderbilt sidelined by right foot injury
■ ESPN reported that Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt is “expected to miss several weeks” from the right foot injury that forced him out of Thursday’s victory in Boston. Vanderbilt is still being evaluated and the Lakers didn’t have an official update beyond him being listed out for tonight’s road game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden (5:30 p.m. PT). --Khobi Price
■ After six seasons with the Atlanta Dream, former Corona Santiago High and UCLA star forward Monique Billings has signed with the Sparks.
Scheffler, Aberg, Detry share midway lead at Pebble Beach
Scottie Scheffler had another exquisite round tee-to-green and even got a pair of long putts to fall on his way to an 8-under 64 at Pebble Beach, the low round of the week that gave him a share of the lead Friday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am.
Ludvig Aberg began his round by making putts of 40, 35 and 30 feet on the opening four holes. That carried the Swede to a 65. Scheffler and Aberg were joined by Thomas Detry, who lost a few shots coming in at Pebble Beach for a 70.
They were at 11-under 133. Patrick Cantlay was poised to join them except for missing a 10foot birdie putt on the 17th at Pebble Beach, and then hitting his tee shot on the 18th onto the rocks, forcing him to scramble for a hard-earned par and a 70. He was one shot behind.
The rain has fallen mostly overnight, with a 30-minute window of light showers early in the day, just like Thursday. But there appears to be no dodging a big storm due to arrive on the weekend, the worst of the rain and wind Sunday.
■ Joaquin Niemann became the second LIV Golf player in as many years with a sub-60 round, closing with two pars for a 12-under 59 to build a five-shot lead as the Saudifunded league began its third season Friday at LIV Golf Mayakoba in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Niemann had a chance to match the LIV record with one last birdie, but his wedge into his final hole came up about 10 feet short of the green. He took two putts for his first 59 in competition. Bryson Dechambeau last year shot 58 in the final round at Greenbriern. Niemann leads by five shots over Patrick Reed.
New Mexico State player is suspended after punch
New Mexico State has suspended forward Robert Carpenter indefinitely from all team activities after he was ejected for punching a Liberty player in the face on Thursday night.
Carpenter was issued a flagrant 2 foul and ejected in the first half of the Aggies’ 79-73 overtime win after he got tangled with Shiloh Robinson under the basket and punched the Liberty forward. Robinson fell to the floor clutching his face and was attended to by New Mexico State trainers.
Third NASCAR Clash at the Colisuem could be the last
NASCAR’S debut on a temporary track inside the L.A. Memorial Coliseum two years ago was a bold experiment that featured a pre-race show by Pitbull, a halftime performance by Ice Cube, a rowdy USC student section and some pretty decent racing.
The made-for-tv event was a clear success in 2022, the first time a season-opening exhibition had not been held at Daytona International Speedway since its 1979 inception. NASCAR tried for another hit last year with a second Clash at the Coliseum and it wasn’t the same.
The third Clash is set for this weekend with NASCAR’S immediate future in the coveted Los Angeles market in jeopardy. If the novelty has truly worn off, the Clash could very well be on the move in 2025.