Chip Kelly On The Resemblance Between Patrick Mahomes and Caleb Williams
UCLA and USC are set to square off at the Coliseum this Saturday at 12:30 pm PST. USC enters the game with a 7-4 record fresh off a 36-27 loss to Oregon. UCLA on the other hand stands at 6-4 and the job security of head coach Chip Kelly is reportedly on the hot seat.
In a press conference with gathered reporters this week, Kelly spoke about his team's approach to slowing down the reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, who leads one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
"Yeah, he's probably as good as there is in the country. There's a reason he won the Heisman Trophy last year, and he's a truly special player in all of college football, and one for the ages, you know, in terms of what he's able to do. He makes some plays where you just kind of shake your hade and go 'Oh my god'".
USC is averaging 477 yards per game (9th in the country) and is 3rd in points per game (43.8). The UCLA defense, on the other hand, is proving this year that they can handle the pressure of Pac-12 offenses. They are averaging 289.9 yards per game (11th in the country) and feature a ferocious pass rush led by defensive end Laiatu Latu. With 11 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles, Latu is reportedly viewed by many NFL scouts as a first-round draft pick in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
But, will he and the Bruin defensive front be able to contain the uber-talented Williams? Chip Kelly likened Williams' off-schedule playmaking ability to that of two-time super bowl champion Patrick Mahomes.
"I haven't seen Patrick in person, but obviously watching tape you can that. He's got those type of qualities. His ability to make plays off-schedule are as good as I've seen in-person. His ability to throw the ball, find open receivers, keep plays alive. It looks like he's hemmed in, he's going to be sacked, but then he keeps himself alive. That's a really, really special quality he has and I think we have to be really disciplined in our rush lanes in terms of trying to get after him and contain him because the big plays that he makes, non-schedule big plays , um, have been huge for them not only this year, but last year.
Saturday's cross-town showdown against USC is UCLA's second to last game as a member of the Pac-12 conference. Under Chip Kelly, UCLA has lost as many games as they have won. With all this in mind, we'll see how UCLA decides to move forward as they enter the Big-10 conference in 2024.
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