Will Chip Kelly return to coach the Oregon Ducks?

Now that the Oregon Ducks need a new head coach, could we see the return of Chip Kelly to the college ranks?

The Oregon Ducks, after finishing the 2016 college football season 4-8, their worst record since 1991, officially fired head football coach Mark Helfrich on Tuesday evening. It was speculated the past few days that the school out west would be looking to make a change, and although many (rightfully) disagreed with the way the Ducks handled it all, it finally came to fruition.

So now, there’s really just one looming question on everyone’s mind: Will Chip Kelly return to be the savior of the Ducks football program?

Yes, as Oregon searches for a new head coach in the coming days and weeks here, you will hear the name of the current San Francisco 49ers head coach a lot. Hell, we’ve heard rumors about Kelly returning back to college at some point dating all the way back to when he left Oregon initially to become the Philadelphia Eagles head man to try his hand at the NFL. It was always believed by some that even if he enjoyed wild success in the NFL, some big-time program would pony up the bucks to woo him back to the collegiate realm.

Recently, as Kelly and the 49ers navigate their way through an abysmal 1-10 season and rumors of Helfrich’s eventual demise became more prominent, the return whispers came to prominence again. Of course, though, Kelly denied that he has any interest in backtracking to college.

“I don’t have any representatives that are telling anybody anything,” Kelly said. “I haven’t talked to a college since I’ve been in the NFL and that’s not my goal. My goal is to be the head coach of the 49ers and that’s what I want to do. So, I don’t know why that’s a new — it surprises me that that continues to be a new story. It’s been the same story since I left four years ago. So, I’m not looking to go back and that’s what I’ve always said. So, I don’t know why it’s still a story.”

Well, whether Kelly likes it or not, it’s going to continue to be a story, mainly because of the unique coaching search that we’re dealing with here.

Coaching situations like this in the college football world are not uncommon by any means — but for those who don’t know, this is for the Ducks; Oregon is not used to having to head out on the coaching search trail like this. In 1977, Oregon hired Rich Brooks, who won 91 games during his time there until 1994. In 1995, the Ducks turned to offensive coordinator Mike Bellotti, who went 116-55 in 14 years. When Bellotti hung it up as the head man, offensive coordinator Kelly took the reins until departing for the Eagles in 2012. Finally, Helfrich left his position as offensive coordinator to take the Ducks’ head job when Kelly wanted to venture off to the NFL.

So, again, using the most recent changes in Ducks coaching history — Oregon has not had to take part in an actual coaching search in a very, very long time. It was always as easy for the Ducks administration as next man up from the booth.

With all eyes on them now, and with the resources a certain Nike founder (Phil Knight) has –as well as influence over the entire University of Oregon institution– this could be one of the more interesting coaching searches that we see this coming offseason. Actually, it could be one of the more intriguing in a while.

And yes, Kelly will be a part of this venture. You know there have to be some pretty influential people who would like to take the somewhat easy route and hire the man back that went 41-7 there in four seasons, and led the program to a BCS National Championship Game appearance.

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Money talks in the game of college football; this is common knowledge for anyone who has followed the sport for a good length of time. And yeah, sure, maybe Kelly will always refuse to head back to the college game, continually believing that he could be one of the best the NFL has to offer someday.

Oregon will near certainly –whether it ever comes to public light or not– offer the mega Nike bucks to Kelly to make his way back. Whether or not he becomes the next Nick Saban, leaving the NFL after saying there was no desire to, remains to be seen.

My money is on the Ducks hiring someone completely outside the Oregon family, but we have seen crazier things happen.