To many it seemed a foregone conclusion. Chip Kelly’s last-ditch decision to abandon the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the University of Oregon has left Duck fans ecstatic and the media thoroughly perplexed. Not to mention depressed USC fans that had their eyes locked on a then-probable 2012 Pac-12 championship.
Recent history has proven that Pac-12 coaches find success during their inaugural year at the next level, Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh being prime examples. The two left college football for better-paying NFL offers. Carroll’s Seahawks upset the New Orleans Saints in the 2010 NFC Divisional Championships while Harbaugh’s 49ers were minutes away from a Super Bowl berth just weeks ago.
Few would’ve blamed Kelly if he had left Eugene for the sunny shores of Tampa. Since replacing Mike Bellotti in 2009, Kelly is batting a thousand when it comes to Pac-12 (Pac-10) Championships and BCS bowl appearances. A BCS National Championship berth and Rose Bowl victory later, Kelly has little left to coach for at the college level, when it comes to trophies and championships, at least.
So then why was his decision to stay a Duck so baffling?
“I am flattered by the interest of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ organization. I enjoyed meeting with the Glazer family and General Manager Mark Dominik, but after numerous discussions, I concluded that I have some unfinished business to complete at the University of Oregon,” Kelly told the media after finalizing his decision.
One could only imagine Kelly’s “unfinished business” is similar to that of SC quarterback Matt Barkley’s when the junior opted to return for his senior season. It’s expected that the Ducks and Trojans will meet in the second-ever Pac-12 Championship game and as long as they take care of non-conference business, both will have legitimate chances at a national championship.
In other words, Kelly’s statement could be paraphrased into the following, “I’m not leaving without my national championship bling.”
Either that or he doesn’t have confidence his successor will be capable of heading the complex, high-octane Oregon offense.
If Kelly had left, Boise State’s Chris Petersen was said to be the No. 1 candidate on Athletic Director Rob Mullens’ shortlist. Petersen (73-6) and Kelly (34-6) share similar records at the Division I level but the Broncos employ a traditional pro-style offense, one that helped BSU to victory when they went Duck hunting in 2009, a game commonly referred to as the “Blount Bash Bowl.”
Petersen coached a Kellen Moore-led offense to multiple BCS appearances but his methods could’ve been useless in Eugene, where Kelly has been recruiting and coaching speed since landing the head coaching job.
Yes, Petersen would be willing to adapt to the Oregon system under the circumstances but he would undoubtedly reconsider. This could’ve been detrimental to the Ducks’ chances at a fourth-consecutive Pac-12 title and impractical with the pure speed and talent Oregon continues to haul into Eugene. With the still-shocking departure of quarterback Darron Thomas, Petersen would’ve had an opportunity to transform back-up Bryan Bennett into a pro-style quarterback. Bennett proved on multiple occasions he has the accuracy and arm strength Thomas lacked.
Mullens however, is thankful he wasn’t required to look deeper into the Petersen possibility or add more names to a shortlist that also included Oregon offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich.
Kelly and his visor collection will be in the cold boondocks of Eugene for at least another year. And to think, all this hype for an ex-University of New Hampshire offensive line coach.