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Wilton Speight transferring from Michigan to UCLA to be Chip Kelly’s next Nick Foles

By Brad Berreman

ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 16: Wilton Speight #3 of the Michigan Wolverines warms up prior to the start of the game against the Air Force Falcons at Michigan Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.(Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - SEPTEMBER 16: Wilton Speight #3 of the Michigan Wolverines warms up prior to the start of the game against the Air Force Falcons at Michigan Stadium on September 16, 2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.(Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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Wilton Speight made it pretty clear he was done at Michigan a while back, but he’s now set to finish his college career at UCLA.

After announcing he would transfer from Michigan last November, quarterback Wilton Speight announced on Thursday he will head to UCLA to play for new head coach Chip Kelly.

Speight played in 21 games at Michigan, including 11 starts in 2016 and four starts last season. He suffered a broken bone in his back in that fourth game against Purdue and missed the rest of the season. He’ll finish his Wolverines’ career with 3,192 yards, 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions

Patterson is attempting to transfer to Michigan from scandal-ridden Ole Miss, and be eligible immediately this year. Speight’s fairly sudden decision to leave could be a good sign that Patterson’s situation will reach the resolution he’s looking for.

Based on his activity in the grad transfer market, Chip Kelly is clearly not sold on redshirt sophomore Devon Modster or incoming freshman Dorian Thompson-Robinson as his first starting quarterback at UCLA. Washington grad transfer K.J. Carta-Samuels announced his intention to transfer to UCLA in March, before making a late pivot to Colorado State. UCLA was also in the mix for Arizona grad transfer Brandon Dawkins, before he decided to go to Indiana earlier this week.

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Speight will reunite with former Michigan assistant coach Jimmie Dougherty, who is now the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach under Kelly at UCLA.

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Kelly is surely going to try to reignite his fast-paced offense at UCLA, which is demanding on the quarterback while sometimes helping to coax a new level of play out of him. Reigning Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles is the greatest example of that, as he had 27 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in 13 games (10 starts) under Kelly for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 while leading the NFL in passer rating (119.2) and yards per attempt (9.1).

Speight was not likely to play for Michigan had he stayed with Brandon Peters, Dylan McCaffrey and Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson, who is waiting to hear if he’ll be eligible in 2018, on the roster.

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