Chip Kelly Rips New College Football Running Clock Rule – ‘Hope You Guys Are Selling a lot of Commercials’

Chip Kelly didn’t have much to say about UCLA leading 14-6 at halftime of the Bruins’ Saturday evening contest vs. Coastal Carolina at the Rose Bowl.

It had nothing to do with disappointment in how his team was executing. It had more to do with a new rule involving the game clock.

Chip Kelly Rips New CFB Rule During Game

The new rule that the former Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers head coach Kelly and other college football coaches are now dealing with? The clock no longer stops on a first down unless there are two minutes left during the second and fourth quarters.

Kelly’s offenses, dating back to his time as an innovative offensive mind at Oregon, have always run at a fast tempo without a huddle. But now, he clearly feels that his team doesn’t get enough plays in.

And he didn’t mince words about the new rules while walking into the locker room with a smile.

“These new rules are crazy,” he said in front of the ESPN cameras. “We had four drives in the first half. Hope you guys are selling a lot of commercials.”

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In the end, UCLA only had a time of possession of 25:10. The Chanticleers, meanwhile, held the ball longer at 34:50.

And the Bruins only had one possession where they had the football for more than 10 plays: a 12-play drive that ended with an interception by Clayton Isbell. UCLA, though, walked away with a convincing 27-13 home win to kick off its season.

Even Pac-12 Rival Isn’t a Fan of New Rule

Before the Coastal Carolina-UCLA contest, even a rival coach of the Bruins got to experience the new rules … and let it be known how he felt.

That would be Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, who dealt with the new clock rules in his Aug. 31 game versus Florida.

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“That game, there wasn’t a lot of snaps,” Whittingham said after his Utes won 24-11. “I guess if they were trying to tone that down, they accomplished their objective.”

Like Kelly, Whittingham is hoping networks who helped institute this rule have a deep lineup of commercials lined up.

“Seemed like they made up for it with more commercials. There were commercials every two minutes,” Whittingham said. “I don’t know what that’s all about. I guess we’ve gotta pay the bills.”