Oregon Football: Why Chip Kelly Moving to NFL Would Doom Program

The Oregon Ducks could be losing a crucial member of the football team this offseason—their head coach.

Chip Kelly is looking to take his talents to the NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be the front-runners to acquire the offensive genius, according to Albert Breer and Dan Hanzus of NFL.com.

Hanzus writes:

"

Breer said the Eagles could be an ideal match for Kelly, considering the structure they have in place. Kelly likely will want personnel control wherever he goes, and the Eagles are a team that gave [Andy] Reid control over those matters. Kelly potentially could slide into the same type of multi-faceted role Reid currently has.

"

Kelly taking over in Philly would be a perfect fit for the Eagles (as I wrote earlier this month), but it's also a move that would devastate Oregon's football program.

Kelly's offensive schemes have done wonders for the Ducks, as the spread offense has helped Oregon average more than 500 YPG throughout the last three seasons.

This season, the Ducks rank fourth in the nation in total offense, putting up more than 550 YPG—including 323 YPG on the ground, which ranks third in college football.

Under Kelly, the Ducks are an impressive 45-7 since he began running the show in 2009.

It's one thing to lose a 5-star quarterback or running back, but to lose the mastermind at the helm of the operation would be a big hit for a program like Oregon.

That's not to say they can't return to offensive glory, but when it comes to constructing offensive schemes, Kelly is in a class of his own.

Just think where the Ducks will end up without Kelly running the show.

If it weren't for such a high-powered offense, Oregon wouldn't be half the program it is today, because defense isn't exactly the team's specialty.

Given what he can do with an offense—especially the running game—Kelly will be an asset in the NFL, as the league continues to see a new wave of quarterbacks take over.

With NCAA sanctions looming in Eugene (h/t Yahoo! Sports), the Ducks could be in for some dark years with Kelly probably scooting for the NFL.

Follow me on Twitter: Follow @Pete_Schauer