The reason Oregon coach Chip Kelly has become, if not the NFL’s hottest coaching candidate, then its most intriguing is as simple as the box score from the New England-San Francisco game a couple weeks back.





View photos

That night, the New England Patriots ran 92 offensive plays in a loss to San Francisco. It was an unusual game, with New England needing a huge second-half comeback, and thus Tom Brady to chuck it around just to make it a game, but still … 92 snaps is 92 snaps.

For three decades the average number of offensive plays per team in the NFL has hung around the low to mid 60s. This year it's 66.8. Yet here was New England, threatening 100 with a season-high 92, but also part of a season trend. The Patriots are averaging a league-high 74.4 snaps per game, up dramatically from 67.2 just a year ago.

In short, the Patriots are playing fast this year; really, really fast. Fast like one of those dynamic college offenses that blur your vision despite not having the kind of mobile quarterback or employing a zone-read running game such as the Washington Redskins or Seattle Seahawks.

Bill Belichick has embraced the speed spread that makes the no-huddle look outdated. Combine this high-octane approach with what Pete Carroll is doing with Russell Wilson or Mike Shanahan is doing with Robert Griffin III and on Black Monday the following also suddenly makes sense:

No matter his no comments about the NFL or his job security in Eugene, there’s been no better time for Kelly to leap to a league that is suddenly open-minded to a system that was long considered a college gimmick.



[Also from Dan Wetzel: Chuck Pagano's perseverance inspires Colts to defy odds]





Kelly has not spent a minute in the NFL. Not as a player. Not as a low-level gopher. Certainly not as a coach.

His résumé is rich in low-level football spots: Columbia, Johns Hopkins and New Hampshire. He headed to Oregon in 2007 as the offensive coordinator and his talent was so obvious, his boss Mike Bellotti soon "retired" in part so the school wouldn’t lose Kelly to someone else. Kelly has been the head Duck for four seasons now, and he’s 45-7 heading into Thursday's Fiesta Bowl.

Whatever he lacks in NFL pedigree can be overcome. This is a different era in the league, with new layers of complexity and execution gaining the upper hand on old-school, smash-mouth toughness and locker room pep talks. In essence, Kelly’s influence, among others, is already being felt. (Oregon is averaging 84.4 plays a game this season).

If he could convince NFL players that he knows what he’s doing and what he’s doing will work – and if there is one thing Kelly doesn’t lack it’s self-confidence – then they’ll respond.

It’s innovation, more than anything that moves the needle. Any coach standing pat is falling behind.

[Also: Chargers' next coaching hire could be made with L.A. move in mind]

Belichick is 60 years old and has been in the NFL since 1975. He’s the old school of the old school, except he’s running the fastest offense in the league, once again ahead of a trend line. His players speak in awe not of his locker room speeches or their deep personal relationships, but his precision coaching in film rooms and strong game management.

View photos

Story continues