Mike Bellotti raised a lot of eyebrows in 2007 with the relatively uninspiring, no-name hire of someone named Chip Kelly out of Division IAA New Hampshire. Result: Oregon has been among the nation’s leaders in rushing since. During that span, perfecting the zone read has not only turned quarterbacks into de facto running backs, but it has made talented running backs even …
With all the controversy over his team releasing DeSean Jackson, a friend asked me a very good question. What has Chip said about all this? The answer: next to nothing. Kelly has almost completely avoided talking to the press since the season ended in January. He has spoken publicly only three times during a period of constant media scrutiny, free agent …
Two weeks ago, I wrote that Chip Kelly and the Eagles front office seemed to be dissatisfied with star wide receiver DeSean Jackson’s attitude, and it looked like they were shopping him around. Less than three hours after my column was published, the Eagles released him outright. No trade, no compensatory pick. Just, “Good bye. It’s been real.” This was …
Things just got taken up a notch as football players attending Northwestern University were approved to move forward with their efforts to unionize. I am glad we have had some amazing basketball to get my mind off that mess going on. Besides the usual arrests and the Northwestern union being approved (pending appeal from the University administration), it has been a …
That is the question. At Oregon, Chip Kelly made it clear that he does not consider team stars untouchable if they don’t fit within the culture. He dismissed Jeremiah Masoli (his starting quarterback) and Cliff Harris (All-American cornerback and returner) from the team outright, and suspended running backs LeGarrette Blount and LaMichael James, each of whom was the team’s biggest …
Oregon’s 2013 season was without question one of the greatest in school history, as the Ducks finished with 11 wins for only the fifth time ever. The year started out about as well as it could have with the team setting a school record 772 yards of total offense against Nicholls State on its way to a 66-3 win. Oregon …
Entering what is now the second spring of the Mark Helfrich era at Oregon, Chip Kelly’s influence remains visible across all facets of the Oregon football program. From the up-tempo style of play Kelly initially installed as a coordinator to the commitment to unique and cutting-edge preparation with a focus on continuous daily improvement – as well as maintaining the invaluable coaching …
For the last half-decade, Oregon football has been one of a handful of teams that has been, at some point during each season, a true contender for a national championship. For a variety of reasons they have fallen short of attaining this goal. They have come very close on multiple occasions, but have failed to close the deal. In each …
Chip Kelly and GM Howie Roseman began their free agency moves on Tuesday, and they continue to implement their distinctive strategy: 1) Don’t swing for the bleachers by competing for the highest priced stars, 2) Stick to young players, 3) Aim for versatility, 4) Get good citizens and leaders. Philadelphia Eagles fans are not thrilled with this approach. They want …
This is shaping up to be the summer of the hurry up offense and the attack it has come under. I am okay with coaches arguing over the possible rule change all summer and taking jabs at each other. Imagine how much bigger the Iron Bowl will be if Alabama’s Nick Saban and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn have all summer to speak …
The NFL off season is completely different than college football’s in one significant way: the NFL team gets to pick its players through the draft, the trade and free agency, and fans get to speculate endlessly over who they should or shouldn’t choose. For a college team, it’s more like being an old-fashioned high school girl at a dance, trying …
The list of college coaches who have transitioned well to the professional level is not a long one, and shorter still is the list of those who have done well right away. Often it’s an inability to deal properly with professional players, other times the intense demands of the job are more than the coach is prepared for. Still other …
