In his first season as head coach for the Oregon Ducks, Chip Kelly quickly cemented himself as one of the best young coaches in the game. The 2009 Oregon team continued on the successful path that coach Kelly had them on when he was offensive coordinator, by leading the Pac-10 in scoring offense, total offense, and rushing offense for the fourth straight season. Coach Kelly also brought a swagger to the defensive side of the ball by always demanding they "Play Fast, Play Hard, and Finish." These ideals worked as the Ducks defense led the Pac-10 in almost every major defensive statistical category including total defense, rushing defense, and passing defense. As a head coach, Chip Kelly took pride in the detailed preparation by his team during the week. The thorough preparation, mixed with Coach Kelly’s leadership skills helped propel the Ducks to a 10-2 regular season record, winning the Pac-10 by a two game margin, something that hasn’t been done since 1991. In addition to his team winning the 2009 Pac-10 Championship and earning a birth in the Rose Bowl, Chip Kelly was awarded the Pac-10 Coach of the Year Award.
Before taking over as head coach of the Ducks, Chip Kelly served as offensive coordinator for two seasons. The former New Hampshire offensive coordinator arrived at Oregon in 2007 and promptly solidified his position at UO by producing the highest scoring team and most yards of total offense in school history. For an encore, his unit bettered both marks in 2008 and finished in the top 10 nationally in rushing offense, total offense and scoring offense. In his short time as offensive coordinator, Coach Kelly was named the Assistant Coach of the Year by the Gridiron Club and was selected as "one of the college football’s hottest coaches," by American Football Monthly. He was also a finalist for the Broyles Award for Assistant Coach of the Year.
One of Chip Kelly’s most impressive feats in his first year at Oregon was tutoring quarterback Dennis Dixon to a Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year award and a probable Heisman trophy if not for a late-season injury. Coach Kelly’s offense also highlighted the talents of running back Jonathan Stewart who set the school record for rushing yards in a single season with 1,722, en route to being selected 12th overall in the NFL Draft.
"My philosophy has been to coach an attacking style of football and stretch the defenses in as many different ways as you can."
Off the Field…
Coach Kelly loves surfing and reading. After a long day in the office, Chip Kelly likes to unwind in front of his TV, where he can be found watching 24, Entourage, or reruns of Rob & Big.
CBS Sports -- Chip Kelly: National Coach of the Year
SI.com -- Chip Kelly: Sportsman of the Year
