A Couple of Bits on UCLA

Submitted by MichiganiaMan on February 9th, 2024 at 6:12 PM

I’ve mentioned being a little plugged in at UCLA, so wanted to offer a few nuggets on where things stand along with some speculation on what’s next.

On Chip

I’ve mentioned this before, but UCLA power brokers have REALLY wanted Chip gone for a while. Many wanted him canned in 2020, but admin decided against making a covid-year transition. But since then the guy’s been winning too much to justify firing him (it feels worth noting that S&C coach Thump Belton earns Ben Herbert-levels of praise around these parts). It almost stands as a counterfactual to how Michigan fired Rich Rod at just the right time, before he got a chance to deliver a fourth straight year of improvement while coming off of a bowl season.

The impediment has really been a confluence of factors, including 1) everyone expected Jarmond to have left by now for “greener pastures,” 2) there’s a campus-wide push to keep the powder dry on big decisions until there's a new chancellor in place, and 3) there’s still some residual hard feelings in the booster community related to how the AD handled the 2021 Holiday Bowl. 

FWIW, Jarmond is generally well-regarded for his handling of the financial mess he’s inherited. At the same time, someone in the near future is going to have the unenviable task of announcing sports cuts. That announcement isn’t as imminent as it otherwise would have been w/o that sweet, sweet B1G tv money. But it’s coming, and some people (read: idiots) will almost certainly blame the B1G move for this result.

But make no mistake - the energy around UCLA football is more akin to what you’d see from a program that just went 0-12. Recruiting is worse than dead, and USC made them look small by poaching Lynn. Chip was a lame duck, and he almost certainly has better job security now in Columbus.

What’s Next?

Now this section is total speculation. That said, I fully expect them to hire a placeholder coach. They could elevate the DC, but I suspect they’ll go the Baylor 2016 route and try to secure a steady hand who can stabilize the program and reset the foundation so that someone can come in next year with more of a buzz and begin building things back up.

I know Deion’s name gets tossed out for nearly every major opening, but I’ll just say this - this year’s Homecoming game-day experience certainly left some impressions. Consider this - it was UCLA’s home game, but there were vendors out in streets selling COLORADO gear. Also worth noting, Black LA really showed out for that game at a time when UCLA football is completely irrelevant in Black LA (terrible for recruiting ofc). Don’t quote me on this, but he’ll probably be a top target assuming they go the placeholder route and he has a good (i.e., bowl eligible) 2nd season in Boulder.

One more note to make good on my promise to offer insight on the UCLA football stadium situation: The TLDR is that none of us are likely to live long enough to see UCLA play anywhere other than at the Rose Bowl. Moving to Sofi has too many logistical hurdles, and would horribly affect weekend foot traffic for local businesses. The new metro system upgrades would make an on-campus stadium more viable, but there’s simply nowhere to put it. The Rose Bowl is sorely in need of renovations, but there’s no discernible momentum to do so even with the Olympics coming up in 2028.

Well - we just had a pretty bitching set of earthquakes as I was typing this, so I’m going to head out and go drink. Cheers!

Football
Other

San Diego Mick

February 9th, 2024 at 6:21 PM ^

A 4.6 tremor is nothing in these parts, a little shake and bake is all.

Before I moved here I used to be afraid/worried about earthquakes but after living here a bit it's just scary for like 5-10 seconds unless it approaches above 6 or 6.5. It sure is way less worrisome than tornadoes, blizzards, ice storms, scary thunder and lightning storms.

Out here our rain storms are more the tropical variety and hardly ever thunder and lightning, when we do get that we kinda get excited cause it's rare.

Joined: 05/11/2011

MGoPoints: 50644

NittanyFan

February 9th, 2024 at 6:29 PM ^

I know it registered as a 4.6 ---- but man, and I'm not the only one (I've admittedly only been in SoCal for 23 months) saying this among my work group I've been Slacking with, that FELT like a significantly bigger one.  

I've felt 6 quakes now and that one was by far the most attention-getting.  I'm in the Valley: stuff fell off the bookshelves and the walls were a-creaking.  It was also fairly long: that was ~12 seconds in 2 distinct waves, not the usual 1-2 second jolt.

-----

I also hit post in the hockey thread 1 minute before the quake --- I was THIS close to posting here DURING the quake!

Joined: 12/04/2012

MGoPoints: 43109

NittanyFan

February 9th, 2024 at 6:35 PM ^

Weird thing is 2 folks out I know west of the quake (Oxnard), they barely felt it.  Even though they were significantly closer to the epicenter than me.

Given that, I'm assuming the rupture went from west to east and all the S- and P-waves focused toward the Valley.  Epicenter was about 8 miles east of Point Mugu (or as my Mom called it when she visited here, I want to see "that big rock where they shoot all the car commercials.")

Joined: 12/04/2012

MGoPoints: 43109

San Diego Mick

February 9th, 2024 at 6:46 PM ^

I love the word "bitching".

It always reminds me of the scene in "Ruthless People " when Judge Reinhold's character was so pissed off that he was getting talked down on his ransom demands that he went back to the electronics store he worked at and was trying to sell an over expensive sound system and talked the guy into it when the customer said it's so bitchin' but he probably couldn't afford it and Judge said " yeah but the bitching thing is that if you can't fucking afford it, you can fucking finance it"!

Joined: 05/11/2011

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stephenrjking

February 9th, 2024 at 7:16 PM ^

What part of the Valley? I worked in Tarzana for 3 years.

Experienced one quake while I was in SoCal. It was centered east of LA and the most damage was one store where the shelves collapsed, but we felt it significantly in Lancaster, enough to shake open cabinets and get the adrenaline going but not enough to make you think there was real danger. In short, the perfect experience of a clear and obvious earthquake without the panic of real danger.

I enjoyed it and feel no need to ever feel one again.

Since I’m here, I’ll put in that it’s not clear to me what the downside is to moving to Sofi stadium other than perhaps a revenue hit. It’s at least a touch more convenient to campus, up to date, and you won’t have as many visible empty seats. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

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NittanyFan

February 9th, 2024 at 7:28 PM ^

I'm in Sherman Oaks.  I can, like, almost see, like, the Galleria from here!  I'm guessing you're talking about the 2008 Chino Hills quake.  The locals, when they talk memorable quakes it seems like it's mostly (1) Northridge, the "gold standard", (2) the couple of 6+s out in the desert in July 2019 (recency bias), and (3) the Chino Hills one.

UCLA is pretty locked in to their deal to play at the Rose Bowl --- it goes through 2044.  I don't think the economics work for a SoFi move until then.

Ideally, an on-campus stadium.  And they already have a great spot for a 40-50K ish place: where Drake Stadium is now.  Unfortunately, their Westwood and Bel Air neighbors would fight that big time.

Joined: 12/04/2012

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NittanyFan

February 9th, 2024 at 8:51 PM ^

A kind of unpleasant and scary truth, and probably why Chino Hills is still remembered --- SoCal hasn't had many big or even moderate quakes lately.  

The 70s had Sylmar (6.6) and Point Mugu (5.8, very close to where today's quake was).

The 80s had Whittier Narrows (5.9), Oceanside (5.8), Palm Springs (6.0), and a few other 6+ quakes in the desert.

1990-1992 alone had 2 5.6s in the San Gabriel foothills, plus 3 bigger ones (6.3+) in the desert, 2 back-to-back.

1994 was Northridge (6.7).

And in the 30 years since: Chino Hills was a 5.4, smaller than all the above.  There was an even smaller 5.1 in Fullerton in 2014, and those 2 in the desert in July 2019.  Plus a 7.1 WAY out in the desert in 1999.  But that's it.

We're arguably overdue ........

Joined: 12/04/2012

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HillStBlue

February 9th, 2024 at 11:16 PM ^

I work in a field where we would have to respond to any big earthquakes in the region.  After those two desert jolts in July 2019, the VP of my company asked me to move to LA fro the East Coast, anticipating "the big one" was coming.  There was talk that those were "pre-shocks."   5 Years later I've been promoted back to an East Coast gig. 

I do know for a fact that my ground floor apartment would have been completely flooded by this recent rain.  Over New Years in 2021-22 I was flooded so badly I had to leave home - so I hopped a flight to Miami and caught the Orange Bowl!  Good times except for the result haha. 

 

 

Joined: 12/24/2009

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RadOWon

February 9th, 2024 at 11:09 PM ^

I AGREE WITH YOU 100.

We were at lunch and that seemed much bigger, I texted my family text group that I thought it was a 6.0 or bigger. I was pretty surprised when I read 4.7. I've been here a long time and that felt closer to the July 4th quake from 5-6 years ago which was 7.4 I believe.

Joined: 03/28/2013

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M-Dog

February 9th, 2024 at 8:51 PM ^

I was in LA during the Northridge earthquake in 1994.  It gets your attention when you see an entire interstate overpass laying in the middle of the highway below it up close. 

It was very lucky that the earthquake was early in the morning before people were commuting, or there would have been many, many deaths.

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257507

Scarlatina

February 9th, 2024 at 6:34 PM ^

Truly felt like Chip Kelly wanted out for multiple reasons, but most prominently being rumored is his distain for recruiting and NIL management/fund-raising. People have said Kelly refused to schmooze the big-time boosters/donors, and didn't like the year-round recruiting schedule.

Ryan Day has shown he is comfortable allowing his coordinator (i.e. Jim Knowles) to focus almost entirely on game-planning and play-calling, and being minimally involved in recruiting.  Plus, Co-OC Brian Hartline can likely shoulder the majority of the offensive recruiting efforts. 

Joined: 12/22/2011

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befuggled

February 9th, 2024 at 9:34 PM ^

Saban had a brief moment when it looked like he might work out in the NFL. The Dolphins had been 4-12 under Dave Wannstedt without a real quarterback; Saban took them to 9-7 with journeyman (and former Lion) Gus Frerotte.

Frerotte went to the Rams, and the Dolphins decided on Daunte Culpepper over Drew Brees. Which was all she wrote for Saban in the NFL; Culpepper--who never played at a high level again--only played in a handful of games, and Joey Harrington played most of the season (eventually benched for Cleo Lemon).

They finished 6-10. Afterwards Saban said that the Dolphins' decision not to sign Drew Brees was a big part of the reason why he went to Alabama.

Spurrier? Never finished better than 7-9.

Joined: 07/01/2008

MGoPoints: 9955

RobM_24

February 9th, 2024 at 6:43 PM ^

I stopped reading at "Thump Belton". Spend every dollar the athletic department has to bring that man to Ann Arbor. Is there a Strength and Conditioning Coach Portal? 

Joined: 01/27/2014

MGoPoints: 63577

MeanJoe07

February 9th, 2024 at 7:46 PM ^

Warde "off any advantages" Manual wouldn't allow it.  We have to step on our own ball sacks on our way to success and nice things.  God fucking forbid if anything becomes transactional.  Have to protect the children from evil money so that all the big wigs can hold on to the revenue and profits for them.  It's hard to have 3 houses when you've shoved your own head all the way up your own ass in order to inhale your odorless farts before they can even squeeze past your tight wrinkled sphincter.  They're really doing the kids a solid when you think about it. And by "think" I mean impaling a shovel into your brain by asking your inbred neighbor to climb into his rusty Jetta and joust-fuck your head into sweet holy oblivion at 74 mph while trying to have coherent thoughts about NIL that make any fucking sense. 

Joined: 09/15/2013

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MichiganiaMan

February 9th, 2024 at 7:43 PM ^

There’s a reasonable expectation that the B1G move will largely resolve the attendance issue. Between the sizable B1G alumni base, and the tendency for some schools to travel really well (Nebraska and Ohio State stand out), I’d bet we start to see UCLA football averaging 60K or better. Definitely going to be an LA Chargers type situation though.

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Michfan777

February 9th, 2024 at 10:21 PM ^

Stadium Issue

They have the same issue Miami has in regards to a football stadium thats ungodly far away from campus.

And while a move to SoFi would help in terms of a modern facility, it too is pretty far away from UCLA's campus in terms of drive time - since you have to take the worst stretch of the 405.

Their best bet is to get their wealthy AF donors who actually care about football to start a push for a stadium at the corner of Wilshire and the 405 most likely, or across the highway from there at the VA Medical Center area. Unfortunately, the rest of that area by their campus is so built up and/or hilly that a stadium wont work.

The stadium wouldn't need to be massive - something like what Stanford or a larger version of what San Diego State built would likely suffice.

All way easier said than done, however.

 

Coaching Issue

Since you need a coach ASAP, however, I would also look at Eric Bienemy - who was just outted from Washington this week. He has UCLA ties, and most people still associate him as "that amazing OC who never got a shot as a HC" and the guy who worked heavliy with Mahomes.

I saw someone suggest Lane Kiffin once - which would be hilarious since he hates USC most likely after his firing...plus he is a west coast guy. He would have wayyyyy less pressure to win at UCLA vs Ole Miss, but Ole Miss is in really good shape these days.

Alternatively, I go for a year with an interim coach and then I put the full-court press on Deion Sanders if he has a remotely good year at Colorado next year. I personally do not think hes a great coach, but he is the household name every kid in LA knows even a generation removed from playing football. However, I don't think the wine and cheese culture that is UCLA would accept him...it would be more dramatic than the Michigan/RichRod pairing.

Do not go after David Shaw. He was good at Stanford for quite a while but eventually fell apart. Apparently he suffers from the hatred of NIL/recruiting that Kelly had as well - which might kill UCLA.

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rc90

February 10th, 2024 at 11:35 AM ^

Since you need a coach ASAP, however, I would also look at Eric Bienemy - who was just outted from Washington this week. He has UCLA ties, and most people still associate him as "that amazing OC who never got a shot as a HC" and the guy who worked heavliy with Mahomes.

I know I am old, but I still think of Eric Bienemy as a really good running back. It is weird to me that he has had the vast coaching experience he has had.

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