UCLA Football: Did the football gods doom Wilton Speight?

Many heads turned when Chip Kelly named Wilton Speight his starting quarterback earlier this week for UCLA football’s opener with Cincinnati.

Less than a half into the game inside the Rose Bowl, the football Gods spoke to Wilton Speight, as he was knocked out. The Bruins went to the locker room at halftime down 17-10 and with Dorian Thompson-Robinson in at quarterback.

The decision to go with Speight was met with confusion, as the Michigan transfer is a lumbering pocket-passer that seemed ill-suited for Kelly’s spread offensive attack.

When he departed for the locker room with a towel draped over his head, Speight had completed 8-of-12 but for just 45 yards with an interception. Surprisingly, he was UCLA”s second-leading rusher at the break with 12 yards, including a long of 13. He’s not exactly what you think of when you say “Chip Kelly quarterback” but he earned the respect of the Bruins’ new head coach.

Thompson-Robinson, who lost the starting job to Speight in fall practice, hit on all four of his passes for 23 yards, two more yards per average than Speight. However, the former Bishop Gorman High School star had just four yards rushing on two carries.

It will be interesting how much the heat gets turned up regardless of what happens in the second half vs. Cincinnati. Should UCLA come from behind and bear the Bearcats with a strong showing by Thompson-Robinson, Kelly will be asked why he didn’t get the start.

If Thompson-Robinson struggles, will Kelly turn to another option? Or will Speight make a magical return and lead the Bruins to victory?