I actually think this is the right decision, starting with the “resignation” of Azzinaro. We get some offensive continuity along with defensive improvement, IF we get the right person as DC.
Good to have this confirmed. Hope it supports recruiting to have the veneer of stability. I don’t really think the term is so important, really it’s the buyout that’s key. Also pleased that it leans on bonuses rather than base pay. Happy to pay for success, so I hope the targets are set right, and include major achievements and recruiting. I heard Chip got a bonus this year for 6 wins, but that is called ‘doing your job’ not something that should be over and above. Also very good that Azz is gone - assuming that was Jarmond, he’s done well.
The whole contract negotiation has been strange to observe. I felt like it was two poker players that both had nothing, were bluffing, but also knew the other side had nothing and was bluffing too.
Chip: Give me a big raise or I’ll go.
Jarmond: Go then.
Jarmond: Sign here or we’ll fire you.
Chip: With what money?
Chip: I’m walking after the 15th - who can you get then?
Jarmond: …..
Jarmond: Yeah, but there’s nowhere you’re going to be a head coach, what’ll you do then?
Really great news. Sucks it took so long. Hope it didn't hurt recruiting, although it should have been obvious to all recruits that he was coming back. Now he needs to bring in an excellent DC and keep on going what we had this year.
I also like this extension when it’s coupled with the forced resignation of Azzinaro. Ucla was top in the conference in PPG and 2 in the conference in YPG so with even just a halfway decent DC we could be a rose bowl bound team.
Off topic but....the good: next season UCLA's preseason schedule includes "powerhouses" South Alabama (14-33 last 4 seasons) Alabama State (17-22 last 4 seasons) and Bowling Green (10-31 last 4 seasons). These terrible won/loss records are not much different than Chip's (18-25 last 4 seasons...the majority of wins Chip has compiled are against teams with losing records). We might have a shot at winning 2 out of 3 of these games. The bad: Chip Kelly is one lazy head football coach. Folks I do not see things improving much. I am not blaming Jarmond. He had to deal with the hand that was dealt to him by our previous Athletic Director. In this particular situation Jarmond had very few options.
Without knowing all the contract details, it does look like the "Harbaugh extension" that many of us talked about/anticipated: lower base salary, more team performance incentives, mandated staff changes so that Azz sleeps with the fishes, hopefully a lower buyout after each season going forward... If we were determined to extend him, that would be the way to do it and I'm glad Jarmond didn't panic/wilt at the tactics of Jimmy Sexton as Chianti Dan so often did.
I also highly doubt the "uncertainty" had any impact on recruiting in the current environment:
Negative rival recruiter: You know Chip has no contract after this year... how do you know he'll be there for your four years?
Recruit: Who says I'm committing for four years?
Negative rival recruiter: Uh... well, you know he could walk after January 16th...
Recruit: Whatever, then I'll wait and see who gets hired and if I don't like it, I'll just go into the portal...
I agree there was some progress made this year. I, for one, don't discount the LSU win as much as those who consider it just "beating a 6-6 team" since they hadn't gone down the selfish-flaky spiral that was so common to the LSU program under the Ogre - with the exception of 2019. I'd even submit that we started them on that spiral by not only beating them, but being more physical in doing so. And no year in which we hang 62 on $outhern Cal is a year without "progress".
I also recognize that there are some here who are "Chip Guys", who believe that progress made this year is not only sustainable but can be improved upon. We're all now in the position of hoping they're right. I just hope they recognize some of our skepticism comes from seeing that progress was made by a team with 20 returning starters, including a 3-year (4th in program) starting QB who had a very good year and yet, all it resulted in was being the 5th best team in the 5th best P5 conference that was not particularly competitive against the two other bowl-eligible teams in our division.
I'm looking forward to seeing who is the new DC and, hopefully, some OL reinforcements so DTR and Charbonnet can maximise their very high ceilings and really prove Evan right!
I actually think this is the right decision, starting with the “resignation” of Azzinaro. We get some offensive continuity along with defensive improvement, IF we get the right person as DC.
It was really a foregone conclusion right?
Good to have this confirmed. Hope it supports recruiting to have the veneer of stability. I don’t really think the term is so important, really it’s the buyout that’s key. Also pleased that it leans on bonuses rather than base pay. Happy to pay for success, so I hope the targets are set right, and include major achievements and recruiting. I heard Chip got a bonus this year for 6 wins, but that is called ‘doing your job’ not something that should be over and above. Also very good that Azz is gone - assuming that was Jarmond, he’s done well.
The whole contract negotiation has been strange to observe. I felt like it was two poker players that both had nothing, were bluffing, but also knew the other side had nothing and was bluffing too.
Chip: Give me a big raise or I’ll go.
Jarmond: Go then.
Jarmond: Sign here or we’ll fire you.
Chip: With what money?
Chip: I’m walking after the 15th - who can you get then?
Jarmond: …..
Jarmond: Yeah, but there’s nowhere you’re going to be a head coach, what’ll you do then?
Both: Let’s just sign an extension.
Is Jimmy Lake the frontrunner for DC?
Really great news. Sucks it took so long. Hope it didn't hurt recruiting, although it should have been obvious to all recruits that he was coming back. Now he needs to bring in an excellent DC and keep on going what we had this year.
DTR + Charbonnet = one of the best returning QB/RB tandems in the nation. Perfect for a Chip offense.
I also like this extension when it’s coupled with the forced resignation of Azzinaro. Ucla was top in the conference in PPG and 2 in the conference in YPG so with even just a halfway decent DC we could be a rose bowl bound team.
Off topic but....the good: next season UCLA's preseason schedule includes "powerhouses" South Alabama (14-33 last 4 seasons) Alabama State (17-22 last 4 seasons) and Bowling Green (10-31 last 4 seasons). These terrible won/loss records are not much different than Chip's (18-25 last 4 seasons...the majority of wins Chip has compiled are against teams with losing records). We might have a shot at winning 2 out of 3 of these games. The bad: Chip Kelly is one lazy head football coach. Folks I do not see things improving much. I am not blaming Jarmond. He had to deal with the hand that was dealt to him by our previous Athletic Director. In this particular situation Jarmond had very few options.
Without knowing all the contract details, it does look like the "Harbaugh extension" that many of us talked about/anticipated: lower base salary, more team performance incentives, mandated staff changes so that Azz sleeps with the fishes, hopefully a lower buyout after each season going forward... If we were determined to extend him, that would be the way to do it and I'm glad Jarmond didn't panic/wilt at the tactics of Jimmy Sexton as Chianti Dan so often did.
I also highly doubt the "uncertainty" had any impact on recruiting in the current environment:
Negative rival recruiter: You know Chip has no contract after this year... how do you know he'll be there for your four years?
Recruit: Who says I'm committing for four years?
Negative rival recruiter: Uh... well, you know he could walk after January 16th...
Recruit: Whatever, then I'll wait and see who gets hired and if I don't like it, I'll just go into the portal...
I agree there was some progress made this year. I, for one, don't discount the LSU win as much as those who consider it just "beating a 6-6 team" since they hadn't gone down the selfish-flaky spiral that was so common to the LSU program under the Ogre - with the exception of 2019. I'd even submit that we started them on that spiral by not only beating them, but being more physical in doing so. And no year in which we hang 62 on $outhern Cal is a year without "progress".
I also recognize that there are some here who are "Chip Guys", who believe that progress made this year is not only sustainable but can be improved upon. We're all now in the position of hoping they're right. I just hope they recognize some of our skepticism comes from seeing that progress was made by a team with 20 returning starters, including a 3-year (4th in program) starting QB who had a very good year and yet, all it resulted in was being the 5th best team in the 5th best P5 conference that was not particularly competitive against the two other bowl-eligible teams in our division.
I'm looking forward to seeing who is the new DC and, hopefully, some OL reinforcements so DTR and Charbonnet can maximise their very high ceilings and really prove Evan right!
I wonder if there were any real alternate candidates.