Chip Kelly calls Pac-12 realignment sad, believes league should stay together – On3
Say Goodbye to a Golden Era: Chip Kelly Reflects on the Final Rivalry Games between Pac-12 Teams
It has been 10 years of head coaching in the Pac-12 conference for Chip Kelly, but that era is coming to an end amid realignment following this season. Schools like Oregon, USC, Washington, Arizona, and more are set to make the move into new conferences in 2024.
The Impact Realignment Will Have on the Pac-12 Conference
When discussing the impending change, an emotional Kelly expressed his disbelief for the potential end of the conference he knows and loves. The coach urged for the criticism to be directed at the people making deals and earning money, instead of the athletes.
Kelly’s Memorable Battles With Stanford
The coach and UCLA have a Week 8 game against Stanford and this will be the last time the two teams meet due to the realignment. While coaching Oregon, the Ducks and Cardinal have had some great games against each other over the years, with Oregon coming out on top 2-2. There have been some incredible players to come through the conference over the years and Kelly took time to acknowledge talent like Andrew Luck, Toby Gerhart, Kodi Whitfield, and Zach Ertz.
Kelly Hopes For a Reunion in the Future
The coach wants to see the Pac-12 come together, but recognizes that this may not be an option. Despite the end of a golden era, the conference is going out on top with some of the best college teams and the Pac-12 hopes to have a program repping them in the Playoffs this season with Washington. A reunion in the future is not completely out of the question either.
UCLA and Stanford Kick-Off Saturday
The end of the Pac-12 is just around the corner, but there’s still one game left with UCLA and Stanford playing each other on Saturday. Chip Kelly is hoping for things to work out in the end, reuniting all the teams in the same conference in the future. The game kicks off at 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Stanford Stadium.