Chip Kelly's first three games at UCLA have been a disaster -- but it ain't time to panic in Westwood yet ... so says ex-Bruins star, Donovan Carter.
Carter -- a former DL and current star on HBO's "Ballers"-- joined the guys on "TMZ Sports" (weeknights on FS1) ... and preached patience when it came to the embarrassing 0-3 start his alma mater is off to under Chip.
"You just gotta be patient," Carter says. "Rome wasn't built in a day!"
Carter says there are plenty of explanations for why Kelly's team can't find a win -- and he tells us once Chip has the chance to recruit HIS guys to the roster ... W's will come.
"We kinda knew this season was going to be tough," he says. "But, we're kinda building for next year."