Jae C. Hong/Associated Press
Under Chip Kelly, who
initially passed on the Eagles job, Oregon, with its blur offense,
averaged 49.6 points a game last season.
On Saturday evening, the Philadelphia Eagles
sent out a curious statement. They explained that they had no regrets
about how much time they had spent interviewing the best college coaches
for their vacant head coaching spot, despite knowing there was only a
remote chance one of them would leave for the N.F.L. The statement was
an indication the Eagles were moving on, having failed to land their top
choice.
Michael Vick appeared on the way out, but he has the mobility for Chip Kelly’s system.
On Wednesday, in a stunning reversal, Oregon Coach Chip Kelly, the
object of the Eagles’ ardor since Andy Reid was fired after a 4-12
season, became the team’s new coach. Kelly had initially passed on the
Eagles, with whom he met for nine hours after the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 3,
and other interested teams, including the Cleveland Browns.
Kelly indicated early in the process that an N.C.A.A. investigation into
Oregon’s recruiting practices would not influence his decision about
jumping to the N.F.L. At some point in the last three days, Kelly
apparently changed his mind about leaving, although it was unclear why.
It happened so quickly that Oregon recruits, with national signing day
on Feb. 6, were shocked.
“Chip Kelly left?!” Nico Faleh, an Oregon recruit, wrote on Twitter. “He was at my house 2 days ago.”
Kelly, 49, has no pro football experience as a player or assistant
coach. But the high-speed, aggressive style of play he honed at Oregon —
it is called the blur offense — has been intriguing to a league that
has tilted so heavily to offense that all six head coaching hires this
off-season have been offensive coaches.
Kelly has, in recent years, met with the New England Patriots, the
Seattle Seahawks, the Miami Dolphins, the Buffalo Bills and the San
Francisco 49ers to compare notes on offensive strategy, and the Patriots
have adopted elements of the hurry-up game used by his Ducks. Oregon,
which even practices fast, averaged 49.6 points a game last season.
“Chip Kelly will be an outstanding head coach for the Eagles,” the team’s owner, Jeffrey Lurie, said in a statement.
“He has a brilliant football mind. He motivates his team with his
actions as well as his words. He will be a great leader for us and will
bring a fresh, energetic approach to our team.”
After he hires his staff — the defensive coordinator spot will be
especially important because Kelly was known to have very little input
in that area at Oregon — the most critical decision Kelly will make in
Philadelphia will be at quarterback.
The Eagles had appeared ready to part with Michael Vick, who is due $15.5 million next season but can be cut before the Super Bowl
with no financial obligation. Kelly, though, may want to keep both Vick
— presumably after a pay cut — and Nick Foles, to explore which of them
best fits in his fast-paced spread offense. Vick has the necessary
mobility, but he has never run an offense like Kelly’s, and Kelly may
prefer to start with a younger quarterback with a lower salary.
One person with particular insight into Kelly’s offense is the Baltimore
Ravens’ Dennis Dixon, who was Oregon’s quarterback when Kelly was the
offensive coordinator. Dixon said he was shocked by Kelly’s decision but
intrigued by how his system would translate.
“I’m really curious seeing how that fast-paced offense at Oregon is
excelling in the N.F.L. as well,” Dixon said. “The Tom Bradys and the
Peyton Mannings, when they go to that no-huddle, they keep the defense
off-pace. Just to have that actual zone-read option with Michael Vick
possibly, I can really see that happening.”
He added: “Chip Kelly is a smart man. He’s a guru when it comes to
offense. I think he can exploit as far as the Eagles and excel in that
aspect. Like I said, I can envision Michael Vick doing exactly what the
Oregon organization is doing now.”
Source: http://www.nytimes.com
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