TreVeyon Henderson: Chip Kelly 'opened my eyes' on offense
Chip Kelly was obviously going to have a huge impact on Ohio State as the Buckeyes’ new offensive coordinator. It might be even more of one than we may have thought, though, based on the opinion of RB TreVeyon Henderson.
Henderson praise Kelly’s effect on him and their offense during a media availability on Wednesday. For himself, he said Kelly has showed him just an all new way to view the game. Then, in how he has affected their unit, he went on to explain the approach and high expectations he has had with them.
“It’s amazing, you know,” said Henderson. “He has just opened my eyes a lot just offensively. Just see a lot of things differently than I used to.”
“He’s helping all of our games get better,” Henderson went on. “He’s a great coach, you know, with a great mindset also. He wants perfection, he wants to be sharp so he’s definitely demanding it out of us.”
Kelly has been one of the best offensive minds in all of football during his 33-year coaching career. In his decade at the collegiate level at Oregon and UCLA, those teams have averaged 36.8 points per game with seven finishing in the Top-20, including five in the Top-10 and three consecutive in the top-three.
In four years with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers in the NFL, Kelly’s offenses averaged 25 ppg., including his first two that finished in the top-five in Philly.
That experience in the pros has also intrigued Henderson and the Buckeyes, especially with several of them looking to eventually be draft picks.
“I think, you know, he knows what it looks like. He knows what it takes to get there so it helps us out a lot just having him here right now,” said Henderson. “My fourth year, Quinshon’s third year – he has got an opportunity to go to the league after this year. So just preparing us for that next level.”
Considering his resumé and how it came about, Kelly is one of the best hires from the entire offseason. That has Henderson and Ohio State feeling as blessed as they do to have gotten him for the staff.
“We’re just trying to get better every day,” said Henderson. “So happy and so thankful that God has brought Coach Kelly here. He’s such a great coach.”
Kelly on timeline to decide a starting quarterback: ‘I don’t have an answer for you’
The quarterback battle at Ohio State has now extended into fall camp. From the sound of it, though, OC Chip Kelly doesn’t expect that to change soon either.
Kelly was asked if Ohio State would have a starter named in the next couple of weeks after a recent practice. However, he declined to comment on a timeline for naming the starting quarterback.
“That’s a great question by you and I know exactly where you’re going with that,” Kelly said. “I don’t have an answer for you.”
When another reporter then asked who the number two quarterback is at Ohio State, Kelly laughed.
“That’s a good question too,” admitted Kelly. “That’s a great way to phrase it.”