All the commotion surrounding a somewhat older head coach stepping down to assume a comfortable consulting/coordinating position is a bit excessive. Chip Kelly transitioning from being the head coach of the UCLA Bruins to running one of the most talented offenses in the nation at Ohio State is precisely how I would choose to spend my later years if I were a football coach.
Consider this. Chip no longer has to concern himself with a roster filled with young players toying with the idea of transferring, the amount of NIL money they’re receiving, or facing criticism after defeats. Nor does Kelly have to confront a younger version of himself at USC every year, navigate the intricacies of changing conferences, or advocate for his team’s position in the College Football Playoff rankings. He’s 60 years old, for goodness’ sake.
This turn of events is fortuitous for Kelly, who only obtained the job because Bill O’Brien decided to return to coaching full-time and abandoned the Buckeyes in an attempt to revive Boston College. After his unsuccessful stint as an NFL head coach, O’Brien spent the past three to four years doing exactly what Kelly is about to do: leading a top-tier group with minimal accountability.
Being a retread coach is absolutely fantastic. I wish every washed-up coach possessed the self-awareness that Kelly does. He acknowledges that his prime was at Oregon, he lost his touch in Philadelphia, and he could probably achieve success in Los Angeles one out of every four attempts until eventually being fired by the athletic director. Why go through all the hard work and stress if it’s evident that you won’t reach the promised land as the de facto leader?
Look at Dan Quinn. Sure, he’ll mess up Washington, but the past few years coaching the Cowboys’ defense were the best of his life. He got to sit in a luxury suite, be the cool uncle with his hat on backwards, coach Micah Parsons, and advance in his career after surrendering 48 points to a quarterback making his first-ever playoff start. Chip could find himself in a similar position in a couple of years if he truly desires it, assuming he does.
Therefore, cease being so self-righteous about Kelly supposedly abandoning his team. If anything, he’s doing the Bruins a favor by stepping aside once he realized his heart wasn’t in it. No one wants to work for a boss who lacks dedication—unless you also lack dedication, in which case an indifferent boss is the perfect boss.
Nevertheless, this is college football, where the aspirations, dreams, and hopefulness of young individuals haven’t been stifled by the harsh realities of life. The level of involvement demanded by Generation Z is draining. No one wants to create TikToks and put on a show for cellphone cameras. Let Kelly relax, with his visor unfastened, and sketch out plays on cocktail napkins.
It feels as though he’s entering his John Daly/Don Nelson phase, where he can simply show up, utter some catchphrases, and receive an abundance of praise for merely “still doing it.” Do you comprehend the luxury of having someone as above-average as Chip Kelly calling the shots? It’s akin to having Bobby Flay manning your grill station.
Sure, you wouldn’t trust him with the entire menu, but he can perfectly sear a flank steak when it’s his sole responsibility. Trust me, UCLA, you’re better off starting fresh.
On the list of things the Milwaukee Bucks needed, Patrick Beverley was second to last (right ahead of Doc Rivers). Ah, yes, nothing endears you to new teammates quite like grabbing a clipboard and pretending as if you haven’t been on six different teams since 2020.
I would suggest that Pat Bev retire, but the longer he remains on a roster, the less likely I am to compile his claims on First Take.
According to the Source deadspin.com