Ex-49ers coach Kelly takes job at UCLA

Chip Kelly is headed to UCLA with plans to create another Pac-12 powerhouse.

The former 49ers head coach who helped change college football with his groundbreaking offense at Oregon agreed to a five-year, $23.3 million deal on Saturday to coach the Bruins.

Kelly, who turned 54 on Saturday, spent the past year out of coaching after four seasons in the NFL, the last a 2-14 season with San Francisco in 2016.

He entertained overtures from Florida this month before deciding to take charge of UCLA, which hasn’t won a Pac-12 title since 1998.

“It is an absolute honor to join the Bruin Family, and I am grateful to Chancellor (Gene) Block and to (athletic director) Dan Guerrero for this incredible opportunity,” Kelly said in a statement. “UCLA is a worldclass institution with a distinguished history in athletics, and we will do our part to uphold its tradition of excellence.”

Kelly replaces Jim Mora, who was fired last Sunday with one game left in his sixth season.

Kelly won three conference titles and reached four major bowl games in just four seasons (2009-12) in charge of the Ducks, who were turned into a marvel of exciting football by his no-huddle spread offense and up-tempo approach to almost everything they did.

Oregon went 46-7 during his tenure, reaching the BCS Championship Game after the 2010 season and also playing in two Rose Bowls and a Fiesta Bowl.

Kelly then went 28-35 with the Philadelphia Eagles and the 49ers from 2013 through ’16.

Kelly’s UCLA contract contains a $9 million reciprocal buyout.

UCLA’s hiring of Kelly should provide some financial relief for the 49ers. Kelly had two years remaining on his four-year deal with the team — worth $6 million per year — but it is believed there are some contract offsets that will be implemented and reduce the 49ers’ liability.

Jedd Fisch, Mora’s first-year offensive coordinator, served as the Bruins’ interim head coach Friday night when UCLA (6-6, 4-5 Pac-12) beat Cal 30-27 to earn bowl eligibility for the fifth time in Mora’s six seasons.

Nebraska fires Riley: Nebraska fired former Oregon State coach Mike Riley after three seasons.

Riley was under contract through February 2021 and is due a buyout of more than $6.6 million. The Cornhuskers finished 4-8 after a 56-14 loss at home to Iowa on Friday. The four wins were the program’s fewest since going 3-6-1 in 1961.