USA TODAY International Edition
Kelly finds right fit at UCLA
Coach isn’t one for the Southern spotlight
AUBURN, Ala. – When the unmarked police SUV pulled into the parking lot Saturday night, they were waiting. Fans flocked to the windows and spilled out of the restaurant, smartphone video rolling. Then they formed a line to pose for pictures.
It wasn’t chaos. The Auburn fans were respectful and polite when approaching Gus Malzahn — maybe in part because of the presence of the two Alabama state troopers and an Auburn police officer — but there was always one more photo request, another handshake, all punctuated with “War Eagle!”
We bring you this moment to illustrate why Chip Kelly is at UCLA.
The hottest coaching candidate of the current carousel was finally locked up Saturday, when he chose UCLA over Florida. He’d earlier turned away interest from Tennessee and Nebraska. When he finally did the same to the pitch from Florida — the job widely considered to be the best available — it seemed at least slightly odd.
It shouldn’t have. And it didn’t have anything to do with any worries about competing in the Southeastern Conference (first of all, we’re talking about the SEC East, OK?). If nothing else, Kelly is supremely confident in his ability. Drop him into any situation, he figures he’ll win.
But he had no desire to willingly jump into a fishbowl. That scene Malzahn encountered Saturday night? Consider a parallel situation:
Let’s say sometime in the not so distant future, UCLA beats Southern California by a couple of touchdowns to win the Pac-12 South and put itself into position for the College Football Playoff. Afterward, Kelly decides to go out to eat with a few friends — we’ll go with the Apple Pan, an iconic greasy spoon near the UCLA campus.
Assuming he takes off the visor, does anyone notice?
Sure, Kelly is more familiar with and more comfortable with the Pac-12. He is likely to win at UCLA, and he might win big there (see his 46-7 record in four seasons at Oregon). But here’s the thing: He likely would have done that anywhere.
We’re going to see if, after five years away from the college game, he’s still the same disruptive force as his first time. His “blur” offense is no longer unique, but it’s still effective. Here’s betting he’ll be just fine.
In the end, Kelly had zero desire to be the king of Gainesville or the governor of Knoxville. And it had less to do with concern about competition than with quality of life.
That’s just how Kelly would have it. So when you hear he wasn’t a cultural fit for the SEC, don’t think about competition. Think instead about Saturday night at the Waffle House in Auburn. Kelly wouldn’t be caught dead anywhere near such a scene. Instead, he’ll try to win games 2,200 miles and lightyears away from that
Southern spotlight.
Memories of chaos
When Pittsburgh upset No. 2 Miami (Fla.) 24-14 on Friday, it brought back memories of 10 years ago, when college football descended into utter chaos. Remember when Pittsburgh knocked West Virginia out of the Bowl Championship Series title game?
“The worst thing in my coaching career,” Rich Rodriguez recently told USA TODAY. “It’s hard to even think about.” At halftime Friday, with Pittsburgh leading Miami 10-7, Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi gave a brief history lesson to explain what was unfolding: “Well, it happened to West Virginia where we knocked off No. 2, it happened in South Carolina and it’s happening in Pittsburgh today,” Narduzzi said.
The upset bears a lot more re- semblance to the 2016 upset than the 2007 stunner in this: Miami isn’t out of anything.
“I still think there’s an awful lot to play for,” Miami coach Mark Richt said afterward, and he’s right.
Thanks to the doubling of college football’s postseason from two teams to four, the Atlantic Coast Conference championship matchup with Clemson remains a de facto College Football Playoff quarterfinal: Win, and the Hurricanes are in.
But even now, there’s still plenty of potential, whether in Charlotte or elsewhere, for disruption.
Alabama vs. Ohio State … in College Football Playoff debate
It was weird, after Auburn’s Iron Bowl victory, to hear Nick Saban lobbying for Alabama.
“I think this team deserves the opportunity to be in the Playoff by what they’ve been able to accomplish and what they’ve been able to do,” Saban said.
To even have a chance, Alabama needs Ohio State to beat Wisconsin for the Big Ten championship. Or TCU to beat Oklahoma for the Big 12 championship.
Or maybe both.
Even then, would the Crimson Tide be a lock? This also will seem strange even to contemplate, considering the program’s routine excellence over the last few years, but … what exactly has this team accomplished and done?
Alabama is 11-1. And despite not winning its own division, it would seem a very viable candidate to become a second SEC team in the four-team bracket if compared to, say, a two-loss Big Ten or Big 12 champion.
Say the comparison is with Ohio State, which was handled at home by Oklahoma and blown out Iowa. The Buckeyes would have just given Wisconsin its first loss — a better win than any ’Bama has.
Who gets in? The only thing certain is there will be heated debate among two semi-passionate fan bases.
What does the selection committee think?
And is there, in fact, a “’Bama bump”? If a couple of things happen in the conference championship games, we’ll find out.
The Football Four
Each week, we select the College Football Playoff as though it began next week.
1. Clemson — After blowing out instate rival South Carolina, the Tigers are on to the ACC championship game against Miami. Clemson’s strength remains its defense, but QB Kelly Bryant has morphed into a dangerous threat.
2. Oklahoma — Baker Mayfield and the Sooners completed the regular season by pummeling West Virginia. Now comes a rematch with TCU for the Big 12 championship.
3. Auburn — Twice in three weeks, Auburn has taken down the committee’s No. 1 team. “We’re No. 1!” Gus Malzahn told his team. Not quite (yet) — but the Tigers were the better team in both wins.
4. Wisconsin — The Badgers completed a perfect regular season. The Big Ten championship matchup against Ohio State becomes a play-in game.