Oregon to announce Mark Helfrich as head coach today

George Schroeder, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

An Oregon tradition – promoting from within – will continue.

Oregon is expected to announce the promotion of offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to head coach today, completing a plan the school has had in place for almost a year, according to a person with knowledge of the school's plans. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

USA TODAY Sports reported the informal succession plan to replace Chip Kelly on Jan. 4, just before Oregon played Kansas State in the Fiesta Bowl and just before Kelly spent several days interviewing with the Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills before deciding to remain a college coach. When Kelly made an abrupt reversal last Wednesday, taking the Eagles' job, Oregon athletic director Rob Mullens said the school would conduct a national search and said the school did not have a specific timetable for a hire.

Helfrich, 39, who has been Kelly's offensive coordinator for four seasons, is seen as the best choice to promote continuity in hopes of continuing the football program's run of unprecedented success. Before he could be promoted, though, the school had to comply with a state law requiring public universities to interview at least one minority candidate for head-coaching positions. Adopted in 2009 – a few months after Kelly was named Oregon's coach-in-waiting, then promoted to succeed Mike Bellotti – the law is similar to the NFL's "Rooney Rule," but carries no penalties.

Mullens conducted several interviews, including at least two with other Oregon assistant coaches. On Friday, according to the person with knowledge of the school's plans, Mullens interviewed then-Stanford offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton, fulfilling the state law's requirements. Hamilton was named the Indianapolis Colts' offensive coordinator shortly afterward.

CBSSports.com, The Register-Guard of Eugene, Ore., and The Oregonian are also reporting Helfrich's hire will be announced today. Along with Helfrich's promotion, The Register-Guard reported receivers coach Scott Frost would move up to offensive coordinator. The Ducks may also retain most of a veteran assistant coaching staff.

Promoting Helfrich is the same conclusion the school reached almost a year ago, when Kelly told officials he was taking the Tampa Bay Buccaneers job. Within the space of a few hours, Oregon considered its options and had made the decision to promote Helfrich, but Kelly changed his mind.

Helfrich was the choice then in large part because of timing. National signing day was less than two weeks away; Oregon officials were concerned that the time needed to conduct a coaching search would seriously damage their recruiting efforts. But in the months since, the Ducks grew more at ease with the idea of Helfrich as head coach. A formal coach-in-waiting plan was considered but never finalized.

The person with knowledge of the school's plans said Helfrich was endorsed by former NFL coach Tony Dungy, whose son Eric is a third-year sophomore receiver at Oregon. Tony Dungy has a home in Eugene, Ore., and lives there part-time.

Kelly, 49, was 46-7 in four with three conference championships and four consecutive appearances in Bowl Championship Series bowls, including a 22-19 loss to Auburn in the 2011 BCS national championship game. With flashy uniforms and a fast-paced, innovative offense, the Ducks have grown into one of college football's hottest brands.

Although the school's new status might have drawn interest from established head coaches – including perhaps Chris Petersen, a former Oregon assistant who has shown little interest in leaving Boise State for other opportunities – the goal in promoting Helfrich was to continue much of Kelly's philosophical emphasis in hopes of extending the football program's run of success.

Helfrich, an Oregon native who played at Southern Oregon University, has also coached at Boise State, Arizona State and Colorado, where he was offensive coordinator before joining the Ducks when Kelly succeeded Bellotti. Although the Ducks' high-powered offense is Kelly's brainchild, Helfrich has been heavily involved in game-planning and has earned a reputation for developing quarterbacks.

Helfrich's promotion continues an Oregon tradition. He would become the third consecutive Oregon offensive coordinator promoted to head coach. Before Kelly replaced Bellotti in 2009, Bellotti succeeded Rich Brooks in 1995.

"What we want," Mullens said last Wednesday, "is someone who understands the culture. It is unique here, not only within our football program but within our community. We want someone who has proven excellence, who's been around winning programs, who knows what it takes, because the expectations for this program have shifted.

"We want to compete for Pac-12 championships and we want to be in BCS bowls and so we want someone who understands what that takes from A to Z."