Oregon Ducks Football: Chip Kelly Should Stay
All Oregon Duck fans remember last offseason where Chip Kelly basically agreed to become the next head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but changed his mind at the last minute. It only makes sense that his name will appear in more wish lists this offseason for NFL general managers. Kelly hasn’t commented on if he’s staying or going as of yet but what should he do going forward?
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Kelly should stay at Oregon because his offense wouldn’t work in the NFL. Do you honestly believe millionaire ball players are going to run a hurry-up, spread offense an entire game? The closest offense in the NFL today that would be compared to Oregon is the New England Patriots. The Patriots have run 807 offensive plays through eleven games which averages to about 73 a game.
The Ducks have run 989 plays in 12 games for an average of about 82. This type of pace in the NFL would wear out both offensive and defensive players through a 16-game schedule. Kelly has also had the benefit of having very athletic quarterbacks who can run and pass. Robert Griffin III is probably the only current NFL quarterback who can come close to running Oregon’s offense.
The coach should stay in Eugene because he has built a national powerhouse who is only going to get better the next few years as freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota continues to develop. Mariota had a great season and will only get better as he learns to read defenses. He is arguably the best quarterback Kelly has had since arriving in Oregon.
He has everything he needs facilities-wise to attract recruits to come to school. Oregon does not need to recruit only on the West Coast as they are now a national team. What college athlete wouldn’t want to play in his offense especially at the skill positions? The Pac-12 has its own network as well so there is always exposure. Also, he has stability being in the Pac-12 so he doesn’t need to worry about the school with the craziness of re-alignment going on throughout the country.
Lastly, he should stay because he hasn’t gotten the BCS Championship just yet. They lost a heart-breaking game to Cam Newton and Auburn and then came within a missed field goal of being in Miami again this season. The talent is still here. He is going to lose Kenjon Barner but De’Anthony Thomas will take his spot. The Ducks currently have the 42nd ranked recruiting class of 2013 according to Rivals.com and that’s because they only have ten commitments as of yet.
Coach Kelly has unfinished business at Oregon and for that and other reasons, he should stay.
Check out Raymond Mencke’s blog at www.sportissue.com. Also follow him on Twitter @RaymondMenckeJr,
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