Chip Kelly and Gene Chizik: Blueprint for Getting It Done in Year 2

Championships can be won in year two.  Bob Stoops did it in 2000, Jim Tressel in 2002 and Urban Meyer in 2006.  Chip Kelly and Gene Chizik are in the driver’s seat to win the title in their second seasons too.  Is there a secret formula?  Yes.

First, the team must have a strong scoring defense.  Oklahoma finished seventh in 2000, OSU second in 2002, Florida sixth in 2006.  Oregon is currently 13th and Auburn is 55th.  The Tigers break the mold a bit, but their offense is so effective it might not matter.

Second, the team must have an excellent rushing defense.  The Sooners finished 23rd, the Buckeyes third and the Gators finished fifth.

The Ducks are 34th right now and the Tigers are 18th.  Their rankings might be a little misleading because their opponents’ strategy is to run the ball to keep the quack attack and Newton scoring machine off the field. 

Third, the team must have a very efficient quarterback.  Josh Heupel was 14th in 2000, Craig Krenzel finished 14th in 2002 and Chris Leak was 23rd in 2006.  Darron Thomas is 15th and Cam Newton is second. 

The luxury of having intelligent QBs who make fantastic decisions under pressure is critical to winning games, and Kelly and Chizik are both fortunate to have two of the best this year. 

Finally, the team must have a special player or two that comes out of nowhere to lead the team.  Heupel transferred from a junior college and lit up the Big 12 in 2000, Maurice Clarret and Krenzel delivered game after game for the Buckeyes in 2002 and Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin infused energy into the Gators offense in 2006.

Oregon’s season was supposed to be shot after Masoli was kicked off the team.  Instead, little known Thomas steps in, and is having an All-American breakout season. 

Newton was expected to be good, but no one predicted this amount of production.  He is the leading Heisman candidate, and coupled with freshman running back Michael Dyer, the Tigers are poised to make it to the BCS title game. 

Every coach will tell you that they’ll need a little luck too to make it through the season.  Chizik’s needed a little already, and Kelly will need some before the season is complete. 

Nonetheless, their teams share the same qualities as Oklahoma, Ohio State and Florida all had when they made the special run to earning the title in year two. 

Props to other second-year coaches making the grade:

Dan Mullen

Mullen has Mississippi State on the rise in a very competitive SEC West.  Smartly, Mullen has built the defense first, which is paying dividends.  If the Bulldogs beat the Crimson Tide on Saturday, Mullen deserves Coach of the Year consideration.

Doug Marone

Syracuse has been dreadful for the better part of a decade, and Marone has the Orangemen in a position for their first bowl bid since 2004.  Granted, two wins have come against vastly inferior opponents, but the program is on the rise.

Paul Rhodes

Iowa State has played up and down all season, but Rhodes has the Cyclones on the brink of a second straight bowl season, which is quite an accomplishment. 

Brady Hoke

San Diego State has won six games just one time in the last decade, and they already have seven this year.  The Aztecs' two losses were by a combined six points.  Next up is TCU.  If they stay within 14 points, Hoke should be the MWC Coach of the Year.