UCLA hired Chip Kelly as its football coach, hoping the former Oregon sideline boss can bring the Bruins their first conference title since 1998. The coach who helped changed college football with his groundbreaking offense at Oregon celebrated his 54th birthday Saturday by agreeing to a five-year, $23.3 million deal to take charge of the Bruins. Kelly, who was 28-35 in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers from 2013-16, replaces Jim Mora, who was fired last Sunday with one game left in his sixth season. Kelly won three Pac-12 titles in four seasons (2009-12) with the Ducks. Oregon went 46-7 during his tenure, reaching the BCS title game after the 2010 season and also playing in two Rose Bowls and a Fiesta Bowl.
The Bruins almost certainly fired Mora early — and ate more than $12 million remaining on his contract through 2021 — because they hoped to land Kelly, the most coveted coach on the college football landscape. Florida also pursued Kelly to fill its own high-profile job opening. But after the Bruins’ presentation Tuesday, Kelly elected to return to the West Coast, where he already has recruiting contacts after years of landing California talent for Oregon. Kelly’s UCLA contract contains a $9 million reciprocal buyout, the Bruins said. UCLA will introduce Kelly in a news conference on campus Monday.
Nebraska pulls plug on Riley
Nebraska fired football coach Mike Riley after three seasons in which he was unable to return the program to national prominence. Riley was under contract through the 2020 season and is due a buyout of more than $6.6 million. The Cornhuskers went 4-8 this year, the program’s fewest wins since going 3-6-1 in 1961. Central Florida’s Scott Frost, the quarterback of Nebraska’s 1997 team that split the national title with Michigan, is the fans’ choice to replace Riley.
Nebraska had losing records in two of three seasons under Riley, who was 19-19 and lost 12 of the last 18.
NBA
Wizards’ Wall out 2 weeks
Washington Wizards All-Star guard John Wall is expected to miss about two weeks with inflammation in his left knee after undergoing an MRI exam. The team says Wall, who will receive injections in the knee in the hope of reducing the inflammation, was hurt Nov. 7 after making knee-to-knee contact with another player . . . Dwight Howard of the Hornets was fined $35,000 for making an obscene gesture toward Cleveland fans in the second quarter of the Hornets’ loss to the Cavaliers on Friday.
He was captured on video mimicking a sexual act.
BASEBALL
Ohtani’s agent wants details
According to details obtained by the Associated Press, star Japanese pitcher and outfielder Shohei Ohtani’s agent asked for written explanations in English and Japanese on how Ohtani would fit into each organization intending to bid on him and what makes the team attractive. The answers are due as soon as possible. The memo from Nez Balelo, co-head of CAA Baseball, was sent to all 30 teams by the commissioner’s office Friday along with materials for the Dec. 1 vote on a new posting agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball. If the deal is approved, Ohtani is expected to be put up for bid later that day or the following day.
Balelo’s memo asks for a team to evaluate Ohtani’s talent as a pitcher and as a hitter; to explain its player development, medical training and player performance philosophies and facilities; to describe its minor league and spring training facilities; to detail resources for Ohtani’s cultural assimilation into the team’s city; to demonstrate a vision for how Ohtani could integrate into the team’s organization; and to tell Ohtani why the team is a desirable place to play. Each team was asked to provide its answers in both languages as soon as possible. Clubs were told not to include any financial terms of a possible contract. The Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League are expected to set the posting price at the $20 million maximum, and any big league team meeting that price would have 21 days to negotiate a deal. The money is paid only if a contract is agreed to.
MISCELLANY
Messi staying in Barcelona
Lionel Messi agreed to a new contract that will keep the soccer star with Barcelona through 2021, when he’ll be 34. El Mundo newspaper reported that Messi will receive $35.8 million per season along with a signing bonus of $59.6 million. The deal includes a buyout clause of $835 million, a massive figure aimed at keeping away even the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, which secured Neymar in the offseason by triggering his buyout clause with a record 222 million euros ($262 million) payout . . . S.S.P. Chawrasia shot a 1-under-par 69 in the third round for a one-stroke lead at the Hong Kong Open. The 39-year-old is at 10-under 200 overall, ahead of Rafa Cabrera Bello and Wade Ormsby . . . Jason Day moved into position for his first Australian Open title, shooting 2-under 69 to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds. Day birdied the 18th for a 10-under 203 total, one shot better than second-round leader Lucas Herbert . . . American figure skater Nathan Chen locked up a spot in his second straight Grand Prix Final, winning the men’s competition at Skate America in Lake Placid, N.Y.. Countryman Adam Rippon was second and also qualified despite dislocating his right shoulder on his first jump. Chen had 275.88 points to Rippon’s 266.45 . . . Richard Gasquet and Pierre-Hugues Herbert beat Ruben Bemelmans and Joris De Loore, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4, to give host France a 2-1 lead over Belgium in the Davis Cup final in Lille . . . Valtteri Bottas beat Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton to take the pole for Sunday’s Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Bottas set a lap record on the 3.5-mile circuit in 1 minute, 36.231 seconds.
