Bill McGovern Quick Hit

Rick Kimbrel

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Staff
Mar 5, 2002
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Chip Kelly hired a guy with whom he is familiar. This will be the second time Kelly will have hired Bill McGovern. Kelly hired McGovern away from Boston College, where he was linebackers coach and defensive coordinator. Unlike Jerry Azzinaro's previous stints as a defensive coordinator, McGovern had success at BC and developed future NFL linebackers Luke Kuechly and Mark Herzlich.

Kuechly played for the Carolina Panthers for eight years and was a five-time first-team All-Pro. He made seven Pro Bowls and was on the All-NFL decade team. Herzlich was an undrafted free agent but played seven years in the NFL for the New York Giants. Both players were ACC Defensive Players of the Year for BC. Herzlich was a feel-good story for BC as he overcame a rare form of cancer and made it to the NFL.

In McGovern's first two years as defensive coordinator at BC, his defenses were ranked No. 19 in scoring D and No. 43 in his third. UCLA hasn't come close to that since Kelly became head coach. In McGovern's last season as BC's defensive coordinator, he had an Azzinaro like No. 76 ranking, but even that ranking would be among the best registered during the Kelly years. Then Kelly hired him to coach linebackers with the Eagles, and McGovern followed Kelly to San Francisco.

Why hasn't UCLA made the announcement public? It is the way the Bruins now do things. On UCLA's official website, all the former coordinators are still listed, and except Sage, while Nansen and Kaufusi are also gone, UCLA's newly hired coaches are not listed. This, of course, is not Kelly's fault, but if he would mention to the SID to make changes, they would. It is just the way UCLA does things.

It's obviously not a sexy hire by Kelly, but it is what it is. We can be disappointed but still hope for the best. Who knows, this might work out, and the Bruins will finally play the kind of defense that will win games. That is the hope.
 
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