His UCLA team's bowl game just a couple weeks away, Chip Kelly is working to try to guide the Bruins to an eighth win this season -- and also refill a couple holes on his staff.
For the latter, sources tell FootballScoop that Kelly is going to replace departed tight ends coach Jeff Faris by elevating former longtime Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo to the post.
Faris, a Tennessee native, was hired earlier this month into his first head coaching opportunity, taking over an Austin Peay (FCS) program back home in the Volunteer State that had just been to the FCS Playoffs after Scotty Walden was hired away by UTEP.
After a decorated run atop the Navy program, Niumatalolo was not retained by the Naval Academy last December and landed in an off-the-field role for Kelly's Bruins this spring.
Niumatalolo will transition from his role as UCLA's director of leadership to coaching the Bruins' tight ends ahead of the team's upcoming LA Bowl opposite Boise State.
Kelly recently lost quarterbacks coach Ryan Gunderson to Oregon State, as FootballScoop first reported Gunderson would become the offensive play-caller for Trent Bray and the Beavers.
Kelly, per sources, is exploring a couple different options to replace Gunderson, which could include promoting from within but also sees the veteran coach examining some outside candidates as well.
Through six seasons atop the UCLA program, Kelly has compiled an 34-34 mark -- though his teams have won 24 games since the start of the 2021 season.