Rob Mullens first significant move as athletic director is to lock up Chip Kelly for five more years. Good move.
Chip Kelly is the most innovative, energetic, committed coach the Oregon Ducks could have. He's a motivator, a teacher, and a winner. He speaks with integrity and represents the university with commitment and character. He demands the same things from himself he expects from his athletes.
What Duck fans like best about him is the stand-up, focus-forward way he coaches. The loyalty he inspires from his players is legendary. These players believe and understand the vision. They're fully committed. They don't panic in adversity.
There are other great coaches around the country, but Chip Kelly is a tremendous fit at Oregon, the perfect coach to lead Oregon on their continued journey to excellence and prominence in college football. When he was hired, he asked, how do we get from number six to number one? No one ever rises to low expectations, and no one in Duck history has articulated expectations with greater clarity or consistency. The Ducks may lose some games this year. But they won't lose their heads, or their purpose, or their will to win.
Kelly has humor and style. He's fiercely individual and independent, constantly looking for ways to refine the process and communicate the vision.
Oregon is right to pay him this kind of money. He will produce results that justify this investment, raising the profile and profitability of the football team and athletic department.
When you have the right guy, you pay him what he's worth. And act proactively to keep him. Before long, someone would have come along and offered him substantially more.
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