Chip Kelly is the latest college football coach to leave their perch atop a Division I program for an assistant position.
UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond released a statement on Friday afternoon regarding Kelly’s departure.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Kelly is now the fourth prominent Division I head coach to take an assistant role during this hiring cycle.
Jeff Hafley was at the helm for Boston College during the last four seasons but left for the Green Bay Packers’ opening at DC in late January.
That opened the door for former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to take Boston College’s head-coaching job, which, while not yet finalized, is expected to happen.
O’Brien was named Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in mid-January but he never coached during a game or practice before his departure for Boston College.
In addition to Hafley, Maurice Linguist left his head-coaching gig with the University of Buffalo after three seasons to become the University of Alabama’s co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in the middle of January.
Kane Wommack served as the University of South Alabama’s leader for the last three years before joining Linguist as the Crimson Tide’s co-defensive coordinator last month.
Alabama’s defensive coordinator post opened up in January when Tommy Rees accepted a job as the tight ends coach for the Cleveland Browns.