On Jan. 16 former University of Oregon head coach Charles “Chip” Kelly was formally introduced as the next head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Kelly knows a thing or two about bringing the heat to opposing defenses, which is fortunate for an Eagles team that finished 29th in total points scored last season.
While there is no question that the Eagles hire may be a dividing move, Kelly’s success at Oregon has shown he is capable of nurturing a successful and championship-contending football team.
“With Kelly’s new innovative offense finally hitting the NFL and him being with an underachieving team that has talent, the city of Philadelphia could be in for a fun first season of the Chip Kelly era,” said Josh Sachnoff of bleacherreport.com.
Coming from a very successful spell at Oregon, the 49-year-old compiled an astounding 46-7 record as the head coach of the Ducks from 2009 to 2012 with three Pac-12 titles and four BCS game appearances. He also worked as the team’s offensive coordinator from 2007-2008.
Before joining the University of Oregon, Kelly was the offensive coordinator for the University of New Hampshire, his alma mater, from 1999-2006. He was also the school’s offensive line coach from 1997 to 1998 and its running backs coach from 1994-1996.
Not only does Kelly hold an impressive résumé, but he has won multiple national awards as well, including the 2009 and 2010 Pac-10 Coach of the Year, 2010 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, 2010 Walter Camp Coach of the Year 2010, Sporting News Coach of the Year and 2010 Associated Press Coach of the Year.
At the top of Eagles owner Jeffery Lurie’s list for the characteristics he was seeking in a new coach was a strong leader who is creative and inspired. In a statement on Jan. 16, Lurie stated:
“Chip Kelly will be an outstanding head coach for the Eagles. 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.”
Kelly follows Andy Reid, who compiled an organizational best 130 wins over 14 seasons in Philadelphia. Reid’s career with the Eagles was filled with a mix of highs and lows as he led the team to five NFC championships and Super Bowl XXXIX, but could not quite get it done in the postseason.
Many Eagles fans are thrilled to see the change in coaching after watching their team be the joke of the NFL for the last two seasons.
“I’m excited to see how Chip Kelly explores new ways to make the Birds perform at their best,” Robert Kane, communications major said.
Yet, other fans quickly pointed out their skepticism.
“We have a lot of weapons that most teams only dream about. We just need a guy who knows how to use them,” Alex Medaglia, biology major said. “We’ll get to see if Kelly is that guy. Time will tell.”
It’s true that Kelly’s hire is a huge risk for a team with a fan base notorious for their lack of patience.
Many successful college coaches without NFL experience have found it difficult to transition from the campus to the unforgiving pressure of the NFL. Even in the last half decade a number of prominent college coaches have failed and retreaded back to the amateur roots.
Nick Saban had gone 48-16 and won a national title with LSU, but was just 15-17 in two seasons with the Dolphins. Since leaving Miami, Saban has reclaimed his title as an elite NCAA coach after securing two national titles at the University of Alabama.
Steve Spurrier came to the NFL with an even more impressive reputation after leading the Florida Gators to a 122-27-1 record and a national title in 1996. Yet, Spurrier only managed a 12-20 record with the Washington Redskins in two seasons before rebuilding the Gamecocks football program at the University of South Carolina.
Lane Kiffin was the genius offensive coordinator who helped guide the star-studded USC Trojans to prominence during the mid-2000s. Those gaudy offense numbers at USC never came to fruition in Oakland though, as Kiffin sputtered to a 5-15 record in under two years with the Raiders.
Yet, former Stanford University head coach Jim Harbaugh found success quickly after taking over the reins in San Francisco in 2011. Under Harbaugh’s guidance, the 49ers have narrowly lost Super Bowl and NFC championship games after years of irrelevance.
Kelly has responded to critics by surrounding the team with a number of NFL experienced coaches. Pat Shurmor returns to the Eagles as offensive coordinator after spending 10 of his 14 years as a tight ends and quarterbacks coach under Reid. Newly hired defensive coordinator Bill Davis brings a total of 21 years of NFL coaching experience, including the past two as linebackers coach with the Cleveland Browns.
“I made a real conscious decision because I came from the college level to here, that I wanted to hire coordinators that had NFL experience,” Kelly said during a news conference at the Eagles NovaCare training facility.
Either way, Kelly will bear the brunt of the blame if his offensive strategy fails to translate in the NFL. Time will tell whether Kelly’s success at Oregon will be replicated in the tough town of Philadelphia.