Chip Kelly in no hurry to name UCLA’s starting quarterback
4-4 minutes 7/21/2023
LAS VEGAS — Seven Pac-12 teams made a clear statement and commitment to their starting quarterback when they were selected to come to the conference’s preseason media day this week.
UCLA was not among those seven teams and Coach Chip Kelly stated there’s “no set timetable” on when he will decide who the Bruins’ starting quarterback will be.
“I don’t know if there’s one thing,” Kelly said when asked what qualities he would take into account before naming a starter. “It’s really who we believe will give us the best chance to win going into the opening game.”
This will be Kelly’s first season without Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who finished his career as UCLA’s all-time leader in total offense (12,536 yards), completions (860), total touchdowns (116), touchdown passes (88) and passing yards (10,710). The five-year starter was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns in April.
Redshirt junior Ethan Garbers spent most of the spring camp working with the starting unit, followed by freshman Dante Moore and sophomore Justyn Martin, who shared second-team reps.
“I’m comfortable with all of them,” Bruins center Duke Clemens said. “They are all good guys. I can bond with any one of them, which is an asset to our team and how close we are.”
Kelly said this is the best quarterback depth he’s had entering his sixth season at UCLA. He added that he told the quarterbacks before the start of spring practice that a starter wasn’t going to be named during the spring and the goal was for them to improve.
“What I’m hopeful is over time with the training reps they get is that someone rises up a little bit over somebody else and it’s to the point that everyone can see that,” Kelly said. “It has to be won on the field.”
HONORING MCGOVERN
UCLA football will commemorate former defensive coordinator Bill McGovern, who died from cancer in May at the age of 60, with a decal on the players’ helmets this season.
The university will pay tribute to McGovern during an upcoming home game.
The players are already wearing workout shirts that read “We can do hard things” in McGovern’s memory.
“That was his personal motto,” Bruins linebacker Laiatu Latu said. “That was the motto he had for his family. Coach used to tell me he had it up on the wall in his house.”
As a result of his health, McGovern had moved into a new role as director of football administration this offseason.
“He filled that father-like role for a lot of people,” Latu said. “He was soft-spoken, but when it came down to the sport he showed his love and passion for it. … That’s why I loved him as I was being coached and mentored by him.”
FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR
Kelly stated that the program isn’t looking beyond this season as the university begins plans to transition to the Big Ten Conference next year.
“I don’t think it’s fair to Duke (Clemens) and the seniors,” Kelly said. “Our focus is on the 2023 season.
“We’ve had one Zoom meeting with the coaches and the football people in the Big Ten … but we will set our sights and ideas on that when we get to the postseason.”
LAS VEGAS — Seven Pac-12 teams made a clear statement and commitment to their starting quarterback when they were selected to come to the conference’s preseason media day this week.
UCLA was not among those seven teams and Coach Chip Kelly stated there’s “no set timetable” on when he will decide who the Bruins’ starting quarterback will be.
“I don’t know if there’s one thing,” Kelly said when asked what qualities he would take into account before naming a starter. “It’s really who we believe will give us the best chance to win going into the opening game.”
This will be Kelly’s first season without Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who finished his career as UCLA’s all-time leader in total offense (12,536 yards), completions (860), total touchdowns (116), touchdown passes (88) and passing yards (10,710). The five-year starter was drafted in the fifth round by the Cleveland Browns in April.
Redshirt junior Ethan Garbers spent most of the spring camp working with the starting unit, followed by freshman Dante Moore and sophomore Justyn Martin, who shared second-team reps.
“I’m comfortable with all of them,” Bruins center Duke Clemens said. “They are all good guys. I can bond with any one of them, which is an asset to our team and how close we are.”
Kelly said this is the best quarterback depth he’s had entering his sixth season at UCLA. He added that he told the quarterbacks before the start of spring practice that a starter wasn’t going to be named during the spring and the goal was for them to improve.
“What I’m hopeful is over time with the training reps they get is that someone rises up a little bit over somebody else and it’s to the point that everyone can see that,” Kelly said. “It has to be won on the field.”
HONORING MCGOVERN
UCLA football will commemorate former defensive coordinator Bill McGovern, who died from cancer in May at the age of 60, with a decal on the players’ helmets this season.
The university will pay tribute to McGovern during an upcoming home game.
The players are already wearing workout shirts that read “We can do hard things” in McGovern’s memory.
“That was his personal motto,” Bruins linebacker Laiatu Latu said. “That was the motto he had for his family. Coach used to tell me he had it up on the wall in his house.”
As a result of his health, McGovern had moved into a new role as director of football administration this offseason.
“He filled that father-like role for a lot of people,” Latu said. “He was soft-spoken, but when it came down to the sport he showed his love and passion for it. … That’s why I loved him as I was being coached and mentored by him.”
FOCUSED ON THIS YEAR
Kelly stated that the program isn’t looking beyond this season as the university begins plans to transition to the Big Ten Conference next year.
“I don’t think it’s fair to Duke (Clemens) and the seniors,” Kelly said. “Our focus is on the 2023 season.
“We’ve had one Zoom meeting with the coaches and the football people in the Big Ten … but we will set our sights and ideas on that when we get to the postseason.”
Players mentioned in this article
Aaron Kelly
Dorian Thompson-Robinson
Ethan Garbers
Dante Moore
Justyn Martin
Laiatu Latu
Ademola Olatunji
Recent Stories
How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann — a 6-foot-4, 290-pound offensive ...
Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The former University of Wisconsin football ...
How can UW recruit its best class ever? It starts with these five prospects
By Andy Yamashita
Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch has lofty recruiting goals at Washington. He didn’t waste any time laying out his expectations to “do ...
Texas football kicks off spring practice Tuesday. We answer 24 questions for the 2024 team
Things certainly look fresh for the 2024 college football season, especially on the Texas campus.There’s a new conference for the Longhorns, if you haven’t heard. ...
College Football Playoff: Conferences solve their differences (for now) and agree on general framework for 2026 and beyond
The FBS conferences and Notre Dame agreed on Friday to continue the College Football Playoff beyond the 2025 season, signing a memorandum of understanding that paves ...
Latest Player Notes
How a Wisconsin legend got his German protégé into Badgers pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Marlon Werthmann put his life on hold for the opportunity in front of him Friday at the McClain Center.Werthmann ...
Why former Wisconsin football running back Braelon Allen didn't run the 40 at pro day
Mar 15, 2024
Braelon Allen’s sweat covered his shirt and dripped off his beard as he approached a group of reporters Friday.The ...
How can UW recruit its best class ever? It starts with these five prospects
By Andy Yamashita
Seattle Times staff reporter
Jedd Fisch has lofty recruiting goals at Washington. He didn’t waste any ...
Texas football kicks off spring practice Tuesday. We answer 24 questions for the 2024 team
Things certainly look fresh for the 2024 college football season, especially on the Texas campus.There’s a new conference ...
College Football Playoff: Conferences solve their differences (for now) and agree on general framework for 2026 and beyond
The FBS conferences and Notre Dame agreed on Friday to continue the College Football Playoff beyond the 2025 season, signing ...
Ball security, leadership key as Aztecs look to identify starting quarterback
San Diego State seemingly auditions a new starting quarterback on an annual basis.In the past 12 years, the Aztecs have opened ...
Results and more: A look at what happened at Penn State football’s Pro Day inside Holuba Hall
Most of those at Penn State’s Pro Day Friday were relatively quiet throughout the afternoon’s workouts, but there was one ...
Defense dominates first two weeks of Oregon State spring practice as Beavers ready for 2-week breather
CORVALLIS – Oregon State hit the break of spring practices Saturday, not exactly the midpoint but a good place to assess ...
Dillon Gabriel to have similar input, autonomy as Bo Nix had in Oregon’s offense
Published Mar. 16, 2024, 6:26 p.m.By James CrepeaEUGENE — Dillon Gabriel will have much of the same autonomy as Bo Nix did ...
Two transfers, one underclassman who impressed in Missouri football's spring game
With that, spring camp’s a wrap.Missouri football held its Black & Gold spring game Saturday in front of a healthy crowd ...