BCS National Championship: Gene Chizik Vs. Chip Kelly Head Coach Showdown
The BCS National Championship is quickly approaching and when those two teams take the field, we are going to see a chess match between Gene Chizik and Chip Kelly.
These are two great teams. It's going to come down to who can make the best adjustments to the other and, based on that, I think we're going to get our winner. As a preview to the game, we're taking a look at a couple of traits for the coaches and comparing the two to find out who is a better coach.
I'm sure it's going to be a great game and can't wait to watch it.
Recruiting: Gene Chizik
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Say what you want about the scandal that has surrounded Cam Newton and his recruitment: the Heisman Trophy winner is a member of the Auburn Tigers.
When everyone thought he was signed, sealed and delivered to Mississippi State, Gene Chizik pulled a rabbit out of the hat, brought the former Florida quarterback to Auburn and the Tigers haven't looked back since.
It was one heck of a job by Chizik.
Recruiting: Chip Kelly
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While Chip Kelly hasn't brought any Cam Newtons to Oregon, he's done a heck of a job getting talent in.
He's expanded the scope of the Ducks' recruiting range and is starting to get more and more attention as a program. Oregon wasn't exactly a powerhouse before Kelly arrived, but he's starting to bring some talent into the program.
If he keeps putting together seasons like this, he might start to get his pick of the recruits.
Rivalry Games: Gene Chizik
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Gene Chizik is 3-3 against Alabama, Georgia and LSU in his career.
Chizik and the Tigers went 0-3 against the trio last year, losing the Iron Bowl at the very end and only losing to LSU by a touchdown. However, this year Auburn got its revenge and swept through the season en route to the national championship game.
It's not bad for a guy who's just two years on the job.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Rivalry Games: Chip Kelly
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Against Washington and Oregon State, Chip Kelly is a perfect 4-0.
He has swept through both of them with relative ease and when you consider that it's not the SEC and that Washington has been down in recent years, it makes it pretty easy to do so, especially with Kelly's offensive genius.
It's been a walk in the park, but it's not exactly SEC competition.
Offensive Strategy: Gene Chizik
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While some may say it's just as simple as handing the ball to Cam Newton, I disagree.
Gene Chizik has done a great job of getting his playmakers like Newton in a position to make plays, like when he spread Newton out and threw him the ball for a touchdown. Auburn has a high-powered offense and that has a lot to do with Chizik.
Just because he has a stud at quarterback doesn't mean he isn't pulling the strings.
Offensive Strategy: Chip Kelly
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This is where Chip Kelly is at his finest.
We've all seen the Oregon offense and how high-powered and fast-paced it is. It's so fast that teams have actually faked injuries to try and slow it down. Teams have just gotten steamrolled by the Ducks and it's been impressive to say the least.
Plus, who doesn't love those play cards on the sideline?
Overcoming Adversity: Gene Chizik
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This year hasn't exactly been the easiest one for Chizik and the Tigers.
He's had to deal with the scandal and allegations around Cam Newton and get his team ready to play in the middle of a national title chase and he's done a magnificent job doing so. Chizik has had Auburn on top of its game week in and week out.
It's one of the more impressive things I've seen from a coach this season.
Overcoming Adversity: Chip Kelly
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Darron Thomas wasn't the quarterback of the Oregon Ducks this time last year.
Jeremiah Masoli was, and after the season he ran into some trouble off the field, along with some other teammates. Kelly took a stand and kicked Masoli off of the team. He ended up in Ole Miss, dealing a huge blow to the program.
A lot of people wrote off the Ducks and now they're in the national championship. That's pretty amazing.
Bowl Games: Gene Chizik
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Gene Chizik has only been to one bowl game in his career and it was a thriller.
Auburn played against Northwestern in the Outback Bowl and the Tigers beat the Wildcats 38-35 in overtime in a thrilling game. Chizik never made a bowl game at Iowa State and had two bad years during his time there.
Although it's hard to blame him with the resources and schedule that he had to work with.
Bowl Games: Chip Kelly
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Chip Kelly got to the Rose Bowl his first year as head coach at Oregon and met the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Ohio State won that game, as Oregon's high-powered offense struggled against the Buckeyes' defense and didn't look like they belonged in that game. Kelly and the Ducks lost 26-17, but it didn't feel as close as that when the game was over.
It was a tough blow after such a good season.
Conclusion
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In the end, I think Gene Chizik is the better coach.
Sure, Kelly may be a better offensive mind than Chizik and may do better against school rivals, but Chizik has had to deal with scandal this year, been a strong recruiter and won a bowl game at Auburn.
Plus, going undefeated in the SEC is not an easy thing to do and he deserves a ton of credit for that. These are two great coaches and I can't wait to watch them square off.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
