LOS ANGELES — Oregon has reportedly decided on its next football coach, but it’s not UCLA’s Chip Kelly.

Several reports Saturday confirmed the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s initial story that Georgia defensive coordinator Dan Lanning is set to become Oregon’s next head coach.

While Kelly was named as a candidate for the Ducks’ coaching vacancy, he continued to recruit as UCLA’s coach by making a final push before the early signing period starts Dec. 15.

The Oregonian’s John Canzano reported that Oregon asked UCLA for permission to speak with Kelly, who rose to prominence as he led the Ducks to a 46-7 record in his four seasons in Eugene, but there’s no confirmation that the interview actually happened.

The coaching staff was back at practice Saturday as the Bruins prepare to play North Carolina State in the Holiday Bowl at Petco Park on Dec. 28. Neither Kelly nor any of the players spoke with the media after practice.

Kelly is currently in the fourth year of a five-year contract. The Bruins finished the season 3-0 in the month of November and will appear in their first bowl game under Kelly, which appears to be enough to keep him in Westwood.

Kelly will be paid $9 million if the university decides to part ways before Jan. 16, the first day of the final year on his contract.

If both parties reach an agreement on a contract extension, it will be viewed as a vote of confidence by the university and add a level of stability for the program looking to lock in a 2022 recruiting class as players are allowed to start signing their national letters of intent on Dec. 15.

UCLA Athletic Director Martin Jarmond expressed support for Kelly and the direction of the program this week in an interview with the Southern California News Group.

The Bruins also managed to keep all of their verbal commitments and even garnered interest from Arizona’s top prospect, defensive lineman Anthony Lucas of Chaparral High.

Lucas, rated as a five-star prospect by 247sports, named UCLA as one of his top five schools Friday after Kelly made a recent home visit.

Kelly had also visited with Saguaro High coach Jason Mohns, according to his Twitter account, as he thanked the UCLA’s coach for coming to his campus on Dec. 8.

Two former Saguaro four-star prospects – defensive lineman Quintin Somerville (2021) and linebacker Damian Sellers (2020) – are on the Bruins roster.

Jarmond has held Kelly in high regard for what the football coach was able to do during a 2020 season impacted by COVID-19. Jarmond, who was hired before the pandemic, watched Kelly navigate the program through adversity and uncertainty and a 3-4 record in which all the Bruins’ losses were a combined 15 points.

Kelly and the Bruins built upon that 2020 season and finished the 2021 regular season 8-4 overall and 6-3 in Pac-12 play, tying Arizona State for second place in the South division. The Bruins also became bowl eligible for the first time during Kelly’s tenure.

UCLA’s coaching staff will have to focus on roster management as it prepares to lose several impact players and leaders – like defensive backs Qwuantrezz Knight and Obi Eboh and running back Brittain Brown – due to graduation and the NFL draft.

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Also, 10 UCLA players have already entered the portal since the regular-season finale against Cal on Nov. 27.

The transfer portal had worked against Kelly when he first arrived in Westwood, but he managed to use it to his advantage by bringing in talent like Knight, Brown and running back Zach Charbonnet, to complement the players he had recruited and those who stuck around during the transition from Jim Mora’s staff.