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Why Chip Kelly and UCLA would be a match made in heaven

Robert Deutsch / USA TODAY Sports

There isn't a person in the world who hasn't dreamed of living the Cali life - New Hampshire native Chip Kelly included.

The offensive innovator surely received a jolt of adrenaline Sunday upon hearing that Jim Mora is out at UCLA, paving a path for the former Oregon coach to return to the sidelines in a gig seemingly tailor-made for him.

For starters, UCLA is planted in the middle of Los Angeles, a city equally awash in sunshine and blue-chip prospects.

Kelly's disdain for recruiting is no secret, but the 53-year-old wouldn't need to stray far from his new home - which may very well be on a beach - to deliver most of his pitches.

Even with lagging facilities, the Bruins would be a dreamy destination for high-school prospects on the West Coast, given Kelly's track record of developing NFL talent and competing for NCAA championships simultaneously.

Granted, Florida - the other high-profile school with a coaching vacancy - has no shortage of talent and sunshine either, but the Gators reside in the SEC, better known as Nick Saban country. Why would Kelly want to go through Alabama each year when he could reside in the Pac-12, which is as wide-open as the offense he would install?

Kelly has never seemed particularly enamored with being the face of an entire community - he's more of a low-key guy - and, unlike Gainesville, L.A. is littered with attention-grabbing figures eager to take up most of the spotlight.

It's the City of Angels we're talking about, so heaven can't be far away. All we need now is a matchmaker to introduce UCLA and Kelly ...

There you go - a match made in heaven.

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