Trending News

Chip Kelly Rumors: Could a College Program Clear a Space for the Now Unemployed Coach?

By

Let the Chip Kelly sweepstakes begin!

After being fired from his job as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, Kelly will probably not be unemployed for long, but where and in what capacity seems to be wide open. Few Philadelphians will miss Kelly, but there are a lot of NFL teams and college programs that could be soon calling the coach's agent.

The Tennessean and other news outlets already connected him to the Tennessee Titans, which was inevitable because they fired their coach and because of Marcus Mariota. The Big Lead opined he should be interested in the Indianapolis Colts job. ESPN wondered if he'd be a good fit for the Miami Dolphins.

But maybe Kelly should stop pursuing NFL jobs all together and go back to where he was most successful: college football.

There are plenty of openings at a number of Power 5 programs. If Kelly really does need total personnel control to be successful, any NFL fan base will get tired of him, but that kind of approach is tailor made for the college game. What's more, Kelly watched his 18-month show-cause sanction from the NCAA pass him by during his three seasons in Philadelphia.

The problem is few such programs have vacancies or could make a vacancy, and the premier jobs that were available were quickly filled. But that doesn't mean a school wouldn't buy out their coach just to throw more money at Kelly.

Auburn and Texas A&M could be inclined to do just that. Both schools would have to pay heavy buyouts for their coaches, but it's neither impossible nor unheard of. Texas seems committed to Charlie Strong's rebuilding effort, but they certainly have the resources to bring in Kelly.

His resume speaks for itself. Kelly was 46-7 in four seasons at Oregon and led the Ducks to a BCS bowl game each season, including the 2010 National Championship. He made Oregon a powerhouse with his hyper-up-tempo offense and his micromanagement of every aspect of his roster.

That approach works with amateur college students who already have highly organized schedules. Kelly's best fit might be in the NFL, but he will probably have to alter his approach or give up control over personnel to stay there.

© 2024 University Herald, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Join the Discussion
Real Time Analytics