There Will Be No Sappy Thanksgiving Article, but Duck fans should be thankful for this

Chip Kelly is every bit as thorough, driven and intense as Nick Saban, Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer, but one of the qualities that sets him apart is that he understands these athletes are kids.

It's not a small thing. In the intense scrutiny of a national number one ranking, it's helped keep this group loose, energized and fresh. Kelly works them hard, but he lets them play. In Wednesday's practice kids were running around throwing snowballs and making snow angels. Kelly even had a heart-shaped snow angel for the press. Before the USC game, which Oregon won 53-32, Kenny Rowe and the defensive linemen were running around on the field running pass patterns, just having fun playing football.

The genius tag gets thrown around a lot, uselessly. But a vital part of Kelly's genuine wisdom is that he understands young people and encourages them to have balance, confidence and enthusiasm. This fosters the growth of a team with an intense loyalty to him and each other. Bo Schembechler, Woody Hayes and Bear Bryant never built a heart-shaped snowball. Kelly's every bit as organized and disciplined as these greats, but the sense of fun and humor make The Visor a perfect fit for Oregon and what the Ducks have built.