It is breaking all over, but if you haven’t heard, Mike Bellotti is stepping down as head coach of Oregon. He will take over as AD on 7/1. It was announced recently that this was going to happen, and Chip Kelly would be taking over sooner rather than later. But I have to admit to being surprised it is happening now? Anyway, it is Chip Kelly’s show now. HOORAY spread offense!
So, naturally the question is, how much does this change the landscape in the NW? Were talented recruits spurning UW & WSU for Oregon because of the mustache(or no mustache?) and sunglasses? Or is Oregon Football, brought to you by NIKE, such an overpowering factor that this really isn’t a big deal to where Chip Kelly, Chip from My Three Sons or Steve Kelley could walk around the sidelines in a headset and lead them to a bowl game??
Whatever happens, the spread is here to stay in our corner of the world. And like Oregon or hate them (which is likely if you are reading this), even I can admit that when that offense is clicking, it is a sight to behold. Remember how suffocating the Beaver D was last year against our Cougs in Corvallis? Go watch what the Ducks did to them last year with the Big Daddy on the line. It is impressive, and here to stay. Who knows….maybe, JUST MAYBE, we will actually see more than 50% of our own spread guru’s playbook this fall with Todd Sturdy? PLEASE??
Oh, and Ernie Kent might want to stay close to the phone…..as BH texted me moments ago, a new AD and their new hoops building might want a new face for the program? After a 2-win Pac-10 season, it might be last call for old Ernie.
So, why the picture of Mike Price?? Well, for one I can’t stand Bellotti. That much is obvious. But also because the Bellotti "path" is EXACTLY what Saint Mike should have followed at WSU! It’s not hard to look back to the early part of the decade with such promise, strong recruiting, etc, and wonder what could have been had he not been tempted by Alabama. And it is a lot easier to get to Coeur D’ Alene from Pullman compared to El Paso. See, EVERYONE could have won here!
Not that I have lost faith in the direction under Wulff – I haven’t – but it will always be something to think about how these last six seasons might have gone had Mike stayed the course. Oh well.
ENJOY the rest of your day, and GO COUGS!
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