IS it possible that guy who started out as a graduate assistant at Columbia, sharing a one-bedroom apartment with four other assistant coaches, has gone on to change football as we know it?
When Chip Kelly turned Oregon into a video game, not everyone bought the app. It was just the latest gimmick in college football, said the naysayers, like the run-and-shoot or the wishbone.
Yet college coaches from all over the country flocked to Eugene in the summer to visit with Kelly, to watch film, to return to their campus marveling how this guy could get his team to play so fast radar guns couldn’t keep track.
Now Kelly has debuted as a pro coach and man did the Eagles run circles around the Redskins — especially in the first half — Monday night. That was two days after Oregon, under Mark Helfrich, Kelly’s former offensive coordinator who was promoted when his boss left for Philadelphia, led the Ducks to a 59-10 win at Virginia.
Oregon scored those 59 points and racked up 557 yards in total offense while possessing the ball for just 21 minutes and 25 seconds.
“We knew they are fast and athletic,” Virginia coach Mike London said. “We tried to practice the pace, but it’s hard to practice for that type of athleticism that they have. It is always a challenge when you face an offense like that.”
The challenge of stopping Kelly’s creation falls to Tennessee this Saturday (3:30, ABC). The Volunteers should have the athleticism to match Oregon. It certainly seemed that way two years ago when Tennessee got out to a 13-3 lead. Oregon scored the game’s final 45 points.
Tennessee has a new coach in Butch Jones, a no-nonsense guy who, unlike previous coach Derek Dooley, is not the least bit concerned about wearing colorful pants.
Jones has a lot more to be concerned about because after traveling cross-country to play at Oregon’s Autzen Stadium, one of the most intimidating home fields in college football, he will get an up-close view of the Ducks’ high-powered, fast-paced offense.
“They’re as good as advertised, probably the most complete team I’ve seen in a number of years to date,” Jones said.
Oregon is too good. We’re giving the paltry 27¹/₂ points and will listen to Blurred Lines while we watch the game.
TEXAS TECH (+3) over Tcu: The Horned Frogs are without QB Casey Pachall who broke his non-throwing arm. Love the home team on Thursday night getting points.
Stanford (-29) over ARMY: Usually Army has players of superior character and that might be the case again in this game, but not as significantly as against other foes. Stanford’s front seven is too experienced and physical.
Ucla (+4¹/₂) over NEBRASKA: Last week we went against Florida because of a lack of faith in QB Jeff Driskel and were rewarded. We’re applying that theory this weekend against Taylor Martinez and Nebraska.
RUTGERS (-27¹/₂ ) over Eastern Michigan: Right now one of the smartest hires in college football is Rutgers offensive coordinator Ron Prince. The Scarlet Knights are 26th in the nation in scoring (44.5 points per game) and Eastern Michigan (34.5 points allowed) is 96th in scoring defense.
USC (-14) over Boston College: The Trojans have too much skill and speed, unless, of course, the players have all turned a deaf ear to coach Lane Kiffin.
Alabama (-7¹/₂) over TEXAS A&M: Let’s forget the Johnny Manziel train wreck or the contention this is the biggest game in Texas A&M history or that the Aggies upset the Tide 29-24 last season in Tuscaloosa. In the words of Nick Saban, that is all noise. So let’s put on our noise-canceling headphones and hear the beautiful sound of truth: The Aggies’ defense couldn’t stop a toddler from sticking his hand in a toilet and Saban has had two weeks to prepare.
FLORIDA STATE (-33¹/₂) over Nevada: Your honor, the people would like to enter this game into evidence as to why teams from the five power conferences are curtailing games against non-FBS teams.
Washington (+9¹/₂ ) over ILLINOIS: We think Tim Beckman is the right man to make Illinois football relevant again, similar to the hiring of Mark Dantonio at Michigan State years ago. Last week’s win over Cincinnati was a sign of what Illinois football can be. But the Huskies have had a bye week since crushing Boise State, handing the Broncos their worst defeat since 2005.
Central Florida (+5¹/₂) over PENN STATE: This is George O’Leary’s best team at Central Florida and QB Blake Bortles, who threw 25 touchdowns and just seven interceptions last season has thrown four more touchdowns this season and no picks.
S. CAROLINA (-13¹/₂) over Vanderbilt: Never go against an angry Ol’ Ball Coach.
Maryland (-6¹/₂) over UCONN: The Huskies lost to Towson State. Any questions?
Notre Dame (-20¹/₂) over PURDUE: This is more an indictment of Purdue than an endorsement of the Irish.
Ole Miss (+2¹/₂) over TEXAS: Mack Brown fired his defensive coordinator after the Longhorns were pulverized by BYU. So tempted to pick the Longhorns in a bounce-back game, but the Rebels have some serious mojo.
ARIZONA STATE (-5¹/₂) over Wisconsin: Yes, the Badgers have opened the season with consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1958 and Gary Anderson, we think, was a terrific hire. But those shutouts were against UMass and Tennessee Tech. The Sun Devils are a legitimate threat to win the Pac-12 South Division.
B EST BETS: Central Florida, Florida State, Oregon.