UCLA Football: Rumored Chip Kelly HC Replacement To Stay With Current Team

The Bruins are running out of time to act.

Chip Kelly's decision to defect from your UCLA Bruins with most recruits and transfers set for the season, along with his own assistant coaches, must have sent athletic director Martin Jarmond and the rest of the program into significant disarray so late into the college football offseason.

Lots of key hires have already happened, and now another Bruin is off the board.

P.J. Fleck, considered a primo candidate to replace Kelly, just took a break from his wedding anniversary to reveal on his personal X/Twitter account that he's going to stick with the gig he's held since 2017: head coach of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Honored to be the Head Football Coach at Minnesota!! Ready for an ELITE 2024 season!!

Now, back to our wedding anniversary trip!! #RTB #HYPRR #SkiUMah

🚣🏽‍♀️🐿️

— P.J. Fleck (@Coach_Fleck) February 11, 2024

Cumulatively, he holds a 50-34 record with Minnesota (29-32 in the Big Ten), including five bowl game appearances, all wins.

Minnesota is his second stop as a head coach. He previously logged four seasons leading the Western Michigan Broncos, with whom he posted a 30-22 overall record (21-11), including three bowl games.

There are still plenty of intriguing names on the board whom UCLA could poach, if the school were so moved. Kelly was a marquee hire, but he never seemed to relish the recruiting process (his 2024 class was one of the worst recruiting groups in the Pac-12 this year).