Report: UCLA to hire former NFL assistant as defensive coordinator

UCLA is turning to the NFL for its new defensive coordinator.

The Bruins are hiring former Chicago Bears inside linebackers coach Bill McGovern for the role, according to The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. McGovern previously worked at the collegiate level with Nebraska in 2020 and as defensive coordinator at Boston College from 2009-12. He’ll replace Jerry Azzinaro, who resigned in January.

McGovern brings a wealth of experience — at both the college and professional levels — to Chip Kelly’s staff. He spent most of his career at Boston College, where he worked as linebackers coach from 2000-08 before moving up to defensive coordinator. In the NFL, McGovern worked as outside linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles from 2013-15 and as New York Giants linebackers coach from 2016-18 and outside linebackers coach in 2019 before heading to Nebraska as a defensive assistant.

Last year was McGovern’s only season on the Bears’ staff under head coach Matt Nagy and defensive coordinator Sean Desai. Chicago fired Nagy after the season and brought in an entirely new coaching staff under new coach Matt Eberflus. Desai is heading to Seattle to be the Seahawks’ associate head coach for defense under Pete Carroll.

In 2021, UCLA had the No. 8 scoring defense in the Pac-12 and ranked No. 7 in total defense, allowing 26.8 points and 384.4 yards per game. The Bruins went 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Pac-12 action, and rumors swirled about what was next for Kelly and the program if they didn’t come to an agreement on a new contract. They worked it out, and he’s staying put.

UCLA EDGE, former five-star recruit enters NCAA Transfer Portal

The UCLA defensive line is taking a hit.

EDGE Mitchell Agude entered the transfer portal Wednesday, On3’s Matt Zenitz confirmed. He played in 18 games over his career with the Bruins, including 11 in 2021.

Agude arrived in Los Angeles as a five-star recruit from the class of 2017 and the No. 6 recruit in the state of California, according to the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. Over his two years with UCLA, he totaled 78 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.

His biggest game of the year came against USC, when he had 10 tackles — including a tackle for loss — in the Bruins’ 62-33 win over the Trojans on Nov. 20.

UCLA went 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Pac-12 action. The Bruins earned a Holiday Bowl appearance, but the game ended up getting canceled due to COVID-19 issues at NC State.