Report: Oregon requests interview with former head coach Chip Kelly

Oregon finds itself in need of a new head coach after the departure of Mario Cristobal, and the Ducks could look to a familiar name to take the reins: Chip Kelly.

According to a report from John Canzano, Oregon’s athletic department has asked for permission to speak with Kelly, UCLA’s head coach, about the Ducks coaching vacancy.

Canzano added that Oregon still has “moves to make” in the next 24-72 hours of its coaching search, but “this may signal a shift back to what Oregon is comfortable with and knows.”

Kelly is no stranger to Oregon, having served a two-year stint as offensive coordinator, then a four-year stint as head coach, before making the jump to the NFL. Kelly accumulated a 46-7 from 2009-12, when he served as head coach, with three Pac-12 titles and one BCS National Championship Game appearance in 2010. His Oregon teams finished inside the top five three times prior to taking an NFL job with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Former Oregon head coach and athletic director Mike Bellotti spoke on Tuesday about a potential homecoming for Kelly and whether it serves either side to have a reunion of sorts.

“Chip did a tremendous job when he was there – both for me as an offensive coordinator and for me when I was the AD as the head coach,” Bellotti said. “And the reality is I don’t know if it’s possible to recreate lightning in a bottle. At that time, we were the most innovative program in the nation and Chip did a tremendous job.

“I think if there was the belief that Chip could replicate – both in his mind and in the minds of the boosters and administrators – the kind of success he had here previously, then there’d be no question. He’d certainly be one of the first people they’d call. I don’t know if that’s happened.”

Though Bellotti made it seem unlikely that Kelly would return to Oregon, the tone seems to have changed in recent days, and the Ducks are reportedly looking into the possibility of hiring Kelly.

Since his departure from Oregon, Kelly has served two NFL head coaching roles with the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. Neither went as planned, though, and Kelly quickly returned to college, and he’s been the head coach at UCLA ever since. He’s 18-28 in four years with UCLA, but the Bruins capped off their best campaign under Kelly, amassing an 8-4 record this year. They are set to face No. 18 NC State in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 28.