Coaching Rumor Du Jour

What’s the coaching rumor du jour?  It’s the coaching rumor of the day (a few of you will get that reference).

Check  out this blurb from Pro Football Weekly’s Insider column a few days ago:

• “I’ve heard talk about (Eagles GM) Howie Roseman already meeting with (Oregon head coach) Chip Kelly. Obviously, there are no rules preventing a GM from talking to a college coach during a (school) visit.  I think San Diego would be a better fit for Kelly, myself. The run-and-shoot (scheme) worked at first back in the 1990s, and the Lions drafted Andre Ware and were plucking players to run it. NFL staffs were pulling out all the stops to figure out how to stop it, and once they did, it fell hard and hasn’t worked since. If you want the blueprint for how to stop Kelly in the NFL, watch the Stanford game. I guarantee you NFL coaches are calling up (Stanford head coach David) Shaw and saying, ‘Send me that tape.’ With Oregon’s running game trickling to the NFL, (NFL coaches) need to snuff it out.”

So what do we make of this?

Howie Roseman does make scouting trips during the year.  He easily could have simply gone to Oregon to check out players and met with Chip Kelly while there.  Howie could have picked Kelly’s brain about a number of things.  It is possible he talked about the Eagles job, but it would have likely been a casual conversation rather than anything serious.  Roseman could have been gauging Kelly’s interest in the NFL.  He could have also talked to him about how the Oregon offense would function in the NFL.  Maybe they talked about QBs or draft strategy or defensive philosophies.

If Howie was out in Eugene, I’m sure he did meet with Chip and do some talking.  You’d be a fool not to, if you had any interest in pursuing him. Making the transition from college to pro football isn’t easy so in order to make that hire you need to be 100 percent comfortable with the  coaching candidate.  Every minute you can talk to the guy should help, especially when it isn’t in a formal interview setting.

As for the second part of the blurb…about the Run ‘n Shoot…I have no idea what that has to do with Chip Kelly.  His offense isn’t the Run ‘n Shoot.  Kelly’s offense is based on running the ball.

Also, there are elements of the Run ‘n Shoot still in the league.  The Giants passing game uses some of them and has had big time success.

I will write about Chip Kelly some time in the near future.  He is a fascinating guy.  That means good and bad things.  Some people are down on him for being a gimmicky coach.  He really is a lot more of a fundamentally sound guy than most people realize.  Chip wants to run.  He just doesn’t believe in lining up power on power.  He’d rather spread you out and attack you creatively, but with his ground attack.  His QB has only thrown more than 28 passes in a game 4 times, with a high of 37.  The QB has thrown 25 or fewer passes 6 times this year.

I’m not pushing you to like him, but don’t fall into the trap that Kelly is a finesse coach that would throw the ball 50 times a game.  Oregon is 4th nationally in rushing this year. Were 5th each of the 2 previous seasons.  He is a much more complicated subject than some people realize and that’s why I’m hesitant to dismiss him too quickly.

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Jason Babin is a Jacksonville Jaguar.  They were 1 of 3 teams that claimed him, the others being Washington and Buffalo.  I know a lot of Eagles fans hate the guy.  I’ve given him a hard time the last couple of days, but I don’t have anything against him personally.  Won’t bother me in the least if he gets back on track down there.

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Oakland may cut MLB Rolando McClain.  He posted earlier tonight that he was done as a Raider and couldn’t wait to play for a real team.  The posts have since been deleted.  It sounds like the Raiders may very well cut him.

I loved McClain coming out of Alabama, but he’s been a disappointing NFL player.  Reuben Frank says the Eagles are watching tape to see if they should be interested, in case he does get cut.

I don’t have an informed opinion of him as a pro.  I’ve not watched much of the Raiders in the last couple of years.  Rolando posted big time stats last year, but I don’t know the context they came in.  He had 5 sacks, 14 pass deflections, and 3 TFLs.  Sounds good, but you would need to watch the tape to see how legit they were.

If the Eagles did put in a claim for him (once he’s cut), this would be about the future.  McClain was a Top 10 pick for a reason.  He is a gifted player.  The Raiders are disappointed in his play and he’s got some character issues as well.  McClain could be a MLB, ILB, or possibly SAM depending on the system used by the Eagles in 2013.  One of the benefits of being 3-8 is that you don’t have to wait long in the waiver system.  If McClain is cut, the Eagles have a legit shot at him…if they are interested.  Stay tuned.

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