Chip Kelly was wildly successful as a college football head coach. At Oregon, he went 46-7 including a 33-3 record in the Pac-12 Conference. The NFL has been a different story. In Philadelphia, he went 26-21 including a 6-9 third season that led to his departure. In San Francisco, he’s been unable to get his footing and has started 1-5, including 5 straight losses.
Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports seems to think that Chip Kelly is ripe for a return to the college ranks:
You are going to hear a ton about San Francisco 49ers coach Chip Kelly returning to college football in the coming weeks. A ton……Especially as boosters at top NCAA programs start putting feelers out all over the place….
Kelly’s offense continues to be ridiculed by his peers in the NFL, and several coaches I spoke to expect him to hit the eject seat button after this season and return to college before his stock continues to drop given the horrible roster he has in San Francisco.
Due to his success at Oregon, Kelly’s name will always be a hot commodity in college football. If this offseason is the time for him to return, let’s talk about the most intriguing spots for him to land…..
#5 Oregon Ducks
The Oregon Ducks have folded this season, as they are 2-4 and without a conference victory. Chip Kelly would be just the shot in the arm the program needs to get back to the top of the Pac-12.
The big question for Kelly is if he would want to go back to Oregon. He had great success at the school, but is he the type of guy to admit defeat, and then go back and do the same thing he already did?
If Chip goes back to Oregon he would be hailed as a returning savior and could really etch his name into the history books at Oregon. It’s a great landing spot for him, I just don’t know if his ego will allow him to take it.
#4 Purdue Boilermakers
The Big Ten is on the rise with great coaches like Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh. They are upping the ante in the B1G. This is one reason that Kelly might want to go to a school like Purdue, despite it’s lack of college football pedigree.
What if Kelly jumps back into the college game and takes a team that has only won one Big Ten Championship since 1968 and bests the likes of Meyer and Harbaugh?
What a story that would be (just don’t bet the house on it happening)?
#3 UCLA Bruins
Has Jim Mora, Jr. worn out his welcome in Los Angeles? Mora’s five years at UCLA represent his longest gig as a head coach. In his fifth year, the Bruins seem to be talking a step backward instead of moving forward. At 3-4, the Bruins are in danger of having their worst year under Mora. After finishing 8-5 in 2015, what will UCLA settle for in 2016?
Los Angeles represents a wealthy talent base for Chip Kelly to pluck talents for his offense. It also represents a very high profile school and city for Kelly to latch onto and resurrect his coaching star. Don’t count Mora out at UCLA just yet, but a Chip Kelly/UCLA match could be very entertaining.
#2 LSU Tigers
Welcome to the SEC, Chip Kelly! Who doesn’t want to see Chip in the SEC? Every year he’d go head-to-head with Nick Saban and Alabama. Every year he’d face Auburn, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Florida. He’d be knee deep in the college recruiting hotbed of the South and he’d also be next door to the talent in Texas.
I’d like to see Coach O get a fair shot at getting the head job at LSU, but is he really the man for the job? Kelly could give LSU fans the offense they’ve always wanted and wouldn’t it be fun to watch Chip in the SEC every week?
#1 Texas Longhorns
Texas doesn’t want Charlie Strong to be their coach. That much is clear, and now it’s time to find someone they do want.
Let’s drop Chip Kelly’s offense into the Big 12. It fits like a glove. It might be too good of a fit. He would also have a field day with the talent in Texas.
Is Chip Kelly the right guy to turn the Texas Longhorns back into a National power? It would be a lot of fun to find out.
