Chip Kelly calls Pac-12 realignment sad, believes league should … – On3.com
Say Goodbye to the Pac-12: Chip Kelly Reflects on End of an Era
Just three more seasons remain until the Pac-12 Conference as we know it dismantles and deals out its members to other Power Five conferences. This seismic shift in college sports will leave the current lineup of teams shattered, with UCLA and Chip Kelly preparing to face off against Stanford for the last time.
The Threat of Realignment
Realignment has been a looming threat hanging over the Pac-12 Conference for several years now. In 2021, Oregon, USC, UCLA, and Washington will bid farewell to the Pac-12 and head off to join the Big Ten while Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah shift to the Big 12 and California and Stanford find a new home in the ACC.
Chip Kelly’s Emotional Farewell
Chip Kelly, a seasoned veteran who has coached in the Pac-12 conference for 10 years, recalled some of the greatest Pac-12 battles and expressed sadness over the fractured future of the conference. Kelly shared his disappointment about the realignment saying, “It’s all sad. I have feelings on the whole thing. I think that we should all still be together.”
The Legacy of the Pac-12
When reflecting on former Pac-12 stars, Kelly fondly remembered the likes of Andrew Luck, Toby Gerhart, Kodi Whitfield, and Zach Ertz. He went on to say, “There’s been some tremendous players there and great rivalries,” about the soon to be defunct conference.
The UCLA vs Stanford Game
With realignment creeping up fast, the UCLA coach and players are staying laser focused on the task at hand, with a Stanford game set for Saturday night. Speaking about possibly facing his former Pac-12 foes in the future, Kelly sent a message of hope, saying, “as (Kyle) Whittingham told me, we both were waxing melodramatic and he said, ‘hey, in two years, we’ll probably be back in the same conference together anyway.’ Nobody really knows in this whole deal.”
The Pac-12 is Disappearing: Chip Kelly Says Goodbye
The Pac-12 is an iconic college sports conference known for its rich history, exceptional players, and riveting rivalries. Now it’s on the brink of disappearing completely – and UCLA’s Chip Kelly is not happy about it.
Ahead of UCLA’s final matchup against Stanford, Kelly reflects on his 10 year tenure in the Pac-12, and isn’t ruling out the chance to reunite in the future.