I Don’t Trust Chip Kelly

Alright, I'll come out and say what everyone else seems to be tip toeing around and that is, "I don't trust Chip Kelly."  Look, it's pretty simple, the coach needs my input, advise and guidance in what to do with this incredibly difficult decision of which QB to start; Costa or Thomas?  Plus, we have to be honest and realize that Kelly isn't perfect when it comes to making personnel decisions.

For instance, Kelly started LeGarrette Blount at tailback last year, and because we now have hind sight we can see that LaMichael James was the better choice.  As a matter of fact, some people around here were wondering why LMJ wasn't used more in the BSU game in the first place.  Obviously Kelly could have benefited from some of the tremendous insight us fans and writers have to offer.

Secondly, in 2008 Kelly named Costa the starter going into Fall Camp.  Unfortunately for Nate he blew his knee out for the 3rd time and we had to move all the way down to our not 2nd, not 3rd, not even 4th string QB, but our 5th string QB to find Jeremiah Masoli.  What kind of a coach would have a future 2nd team all Pac 10 QB, one who would later lead the beloved Ducks to a Rose Bowl, one that would firmly hold the starting position the next year even when Costa was healthy in the 5th string spot?

I think it's pretty clear that Kelly needs help making this decision.  So here is how I've broken it down.

Costa is the veteran leader this team could use.  He job shadowed detectives and has been in Kelly's offense the longest of any of the QBs.  Did you know he's fought back from 3 major knee surgeries?  He's mature, older, seems to know what he wants out of life and you can trust him.  Who wouldn't want Costa watching their children or dating their daughter?  That's just the type of guy he is.  I know his throwing motion is not 100% perfect, but you know who else had a throwing motion a little different, Dennis Dixon.  Most importantly he has that one characteristic you just can't teach, experience.  He's played more downs than any other QB on the team, been around more years, and seen more practice reps.  Plus, he has infinitely more starts.

Then you have Darron Thomas.  This guy just looks like he was made to play in the spread offense as QB.  He's taller than any of the other QB's, hasn't had any major injuries that would limit his mobility, and when he's standing there in his jersey signalling in plays, he just reminds me of another Oregon QB, Dennis Dixon.  Sure he may not be as fast as Dixon, or throw like Dixon, or have nearly as much experience as Dixon to be able to read defenses and make plays, but he looks more like Dixon than Costa or even Masoli did.  He's just more our style of offense then Costa.  Plus, who could ever forget that memorable play in the Civil War?  I mean we could run those plays all game, and he'd have like 500 yards passing!!!  If you took what he did in the Boise State game in 2008 and extrapolated it out over an entire game he would have been 52-100 for 840 yards and 12 TDs.  I don't know about you, but that's the type of QB we need in Oregon's system.

So Kelly, if you're reading this, please heed these words.  Your starting QB for this up coming year should be Bryan Bennett.

Bennett has the most years left in the program.  Why go with Costa or Thomas when both will be gone in 3 years?  We need to get Bennett valuable reps and experience now.  Bennett is like the best of both Costa and Thomas.  Sure he doesn't look like Dixon, but he's from California like Dixon and that's close enough.  He's the best athlete we have in the QB position in that he has the fastest 40 time, was a track athlete in the long jump, triple jump and has a 36 inch vertical leap.  He also was a 4 star recruit and you know that Scouts and Rivals have done their homework better than anyone.  Finally, he took #3 from Cliff Harris, and if Cliff Harris is going to give you something, you know he's a born leader of the team.

Hopefully Kelly listens to all these people as well as myself.  Lord knows he needs our help in making this decision because we know this team, this offense and the quarterback position better then he ever will.