UCLA football AD shuts down Chip Kelly question during DeShaun Foster press conference

The UCLA football team is turning a new leaf after Chip Kelly departed for Ohio State. The Bruins promoted DeShaun Foster as their new head coach. However, remnants of Kelly’s exit surfaced in an interview with athletic director Martin Jarmond, and he was quick to shut the speculation down.

The Bruins want to move past Chip Kelly’s tenure in LA

UCLA held a press conference to introduce DeShaun Foster as the team’s new head football coach. Moreover, a reporter asked Martin Jarmond about severing ties with Chip Kelly after it became public the former coach was courting other jobs. Jarmond gave a straightforward answer.

“Today is about DeShaun and moving forward,” Jarmond said, per UCLA beat writer Ben Bolch.

In Kelly’s last year, the Bruins finished with an 8-5 record and were middle-of-the-pack in the competitive Pac-12 conference. He was an outstanding offensive mind, and his departure hurts the Bruins. Yet, the program has a bright future under the leadership of Foster.

The former UCLA running back brings a wealth of experience. In addition to playing in the NFL, Foster served various assistant roles for the Bruins for over a decade. Most notably, he was the RB coach for the program from 2017 to 2023.

Foster has a strong vision for the program and brings unrivaled enthusiasm.

“This is a dream come true. I always envisioned being a Bruin ever since I was young, and now being the head coach at my alma mater is such a surreal feeling,” Foster told The Athletic. “The foundation of this program will be built on discipline, respect, and enthusiasm.”

As the college football offseason gets underway, Foster is not hesitating to start improving the team.

“These are phenomenal young men, and I’m excited to hit the ground running.”