Chip Kelly: Oregon Ducks Retain Head Coach for the Time Being

Oregon fans went to sleep Sunday night with tentative visions of a new head coach running the show in Eugene. Oregon’s shortlist included Chris Petersen, Gary Patterson and Tony Dungy, but not one potential candidate seemed to make up for what the team was losing in the minds of most.

When the fans awoke Monday morning, however, the position had been filled by a familiar face that seemingly nobody expected—Chip Kelly.

After an evening of hearing from sources that Kelly was headed to the NFL, it was announced early Monday morning, via news from ESPN's Adam Schefter, that Kelly had ultimately changed his mind and would be returning to the University of Oregon to coach next season.

Much to the appeal of Oregon fans, Kelly has stated that he is not ready to leave the university. As of right now, his biggest goal appears to be winning a BCS National Championship, but you have to wonder how long it will be until he submits to the craving of the NFL.

With so much success so early, Kelly won’t be willing to stick around forever—as he shouldn’t be. A BCS victory in January proved what many had been trying to claim for three seasons, which is that Kelly is among the elite coaches in college football.

Kelly’s loyalty, however, has been questioned by some since his tenure began in 2009. Although he appears to be the perfect fit for the team today, many have wondered how faithful the young coach from the East Coast would be, should the call come in from a bigger program.

If nothing else, we learned Monday that Kelly has reason to stay.

Whatever his reason may be, this will not be the last time Kelly is presented with an opportunity to leave the University of Oregon for something bigger. There is only so much money to be made, so many people to please and so many bowl games to win before career aspirations begin to shift.

The question is, however, has Kelly burned too many bridges to be considered any time soon?

With what appeared to be a last-second departure from an NFL contract, it’s possible that the appeal has dropped for many professional organizations.

If this is the case, Kelly will be welcome at Oregon for as long as he wishes to remain with the team. But while it’s possible that his name may be dropped from any immediate available positions, don’t expect teams to ignore what he does over the next couple of seasons.

The Ducks may have lucked out this time, but whether it’s the NFL or a bigger university out east, Kelly will certainly receive the call once again to take his unique system to the next level.