UCLA Football: Chip Kelly Still Hungry To Win In LA Bowl, Even Without Several Weapons

The UCLA Bruins will be facing off against the Boise State Broncos in the LA Bowl later today. The game will be played at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which should give the Bruins some sense of home-field advantage.

This will be the final chance for UCLA to make their mark on this 2023 season, and they may be able to end the year on a high note. They dropped three of their last four games overall in the regular season, finishing disappointingly.

But if the Bruins do want to win this game today, they will be doing so without the services of multiple players. Some players have opted out of the game, some are injured, and some entered the transfer portal already.

Despite all of the missing weapons for the Bruins, head coach Chip Kelly clarified that he is determined to win this game. Kelly knows how important it is to win bowl games, so he is going to do whatever he can to make it happen.

“Just let me clarify: There are no ‘extended looks.’ We’re trying to beat Boise,” Kelly said. “So if anybody in this football program can help us beat Boise, then they’ll be on the field. But this game is not a tryout to see what this kid could be like in the future.”

Per Chip Kelly via The LA Times

Without their best defender, Laiatu Latu, this game may prove to be more challenging. Latu opted out of the game to get ready for the NFL, and his absence will be felt on the defensive side of the ball.

But the defense is also missing multiple members of the secondary, which will likely impact the Bruins against Boise State.

"Tiller will face a depleted UCLA secondary that is without two starters and a backup safety in William Nimmo Jr., who entered the transfer portal. But when asked of the suddenly bare safety position, Kelly emphasized that the Bruins still had Churchwell, Alex Johnson and Jordan Anderson , all redshirt seniors. The coach balked at the suggestion that the bowl game would be an opportunity to let younger players shine as a preview for next season."

Per Thuc Nhi Nguyen of The LA Times

Getting a win over Boise State won't be easy, but the Bruins' are up for the challenge. Kelly isn't going to make excuses, and the program believes that they have put themselves into a strong position to come away with the win.

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