Chip Kelly was officially introduced as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday afternoon. Notoriously an offensive-minded coach, it is still a question as to who will quarterback the team in 2013. The spread offense is a fast-paced, innovative offense that has yet to be fully introduced to the NFL.
With a seemingly perfect quarterback for the spread offense, Michael Vick, on the roster, the Eagles may not have far to look for their 2013 quarterback. Chip Kelly’s offense can also make a few adaptations to fit the quarterback who currently sits atop the depth chart, Nick Foles.
A common misconception of the spread offense is that it is full of speed options and running plays. While it does rely heavily on these, it also utilizes the play-action and short, quick routes. At one play every 20.9 seconds, the object of the Chip Kelly offense is to call as many plays as possible and tire out the defense with its unrelenting pace.
One of the biggest problems people attributed to Michael Vick in 2012 was the length of time he held on to the ball. With an offensive line made up of spare parts, Vick needed to learn to pull the trigger quickly. While some plays Marty Mornhinweg called took time to develop, 99 percent of the Chip Kelly offense will require the quarterback to release the ball within 1 to 2 seconds, a welcomed change to the fans who watched at their TVs on Sundays screaming “Throw the ball! Get rid of it!”
The ball can be delivered to the receiver within two seconds of the snap of the ball but the spread offense calls for more than just a receiver who can catch the ball. Yards after the catch (YAC) are an important trait for receivers in a spread offense to possess. DeSean Jackson is still one of the fastest players in the league and can make anyone miss in the open field. Jeremy Maclin has been known to go down with little contact but can excel with a little green in front of him. The Rams showed a few years ago that a dinking and dunking offense can work to an extent but eventually it can sputter out; three and five yard completions don’t add up to much if receivers are tackled immediately and not tacking on those deadly YAC yards.
Another big aspect of the spread offense, which the Eagles have already excelled at, is the screen pass. Not only to the running back out of the backfield but to receivers and tight ends as well. The Eagles have long been a dangerous team when a player gets the ball in his hands behind the likes of Todd Herremans or Evan Mathis, a trend that they can continue with Chip Kelly.
From the sounds of it so far, Nick Foles should be able to run the spread offense as well, right? One of the biggest pieces of the spread offense is the speed option. A pretty predictable, but effective play that spreads the offense out to one side after the snap of the ball with the ball in the quarterback’s hand and a running back behind him to toss it to if need be. Designed quarterback draws are also popular in the spread offense. These two types of plays are the only aspects of a spread offense that Nick Foles could have trouble succeeding with. However, with great short and medium throw accuracy, the passing aspects of the offense would greatly suit Foles.
The happiest player of the whole move may be LeSean McCoy. Looking at the stats of running backs under Chip Kelly, it is hard for one of the best backs in the league to hold back the salivation when thinking of what he can produce. Kenjon Barner ran for 1,700 yards and 21 touchdowns under Kelly in 2012 and in the three years previous, LaMichael James combined for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns.
It is unlikely that any NFL running back will consistently put up numbers like that but it is no doubt that a positive spike in LeSean McCoy’s production could be coming. Kelly’s spread offense will have to adapt to the NFL. Becoming more and more a passing league, the quick slants, curls, and over the top play action plays that are currently in the spread offense repertoire will likely be utilized more in the NFL than in the college ranks.
With a large pay cut, Michael Vick could lead the 2013 Eagles with little to no adaptations made to Chip Kelly’s offense. With some changes made to accommodate the more gifted passer on the team, Nick Foles could be the quarterback in 2013.
Of course, the quarterback may be an unknown third party. The free agency market for quarterbacks is barren and the draft doesn’t possess a quarterback worthy of a fourth overall pick. Trading back and drafting a player like Geno Smith may be in the cards for the Eagles but, as Chip Kelly said, there is still a lot of evaluating to do on the roster and he will put the right players in the right positions to succeed. That sure sounds like an Andy Reid type of statement but hopefully it isn’t changed during his post game press conferences to “I have to put my players in a better position to succeed.”
The Chip is in place and the questions are starting. Who is the quarterback? Who leads the defense? How will this offense fare in the NFL? Many more questions will be answered in the coming weeks and months. For now, let the speculation commence.
Not Mike Vick or Donovan McNabb
This is all I know at this time
I wonder if ole Chip even knows right now.
He knows and he knew before he took job
Josh Johnson,Dennis Dixon and Daron Thomas;let them fight it out.
UMMM, NO!!
Some of these ideas are getting ridiculous. Simply stupid. What is this Jacksonville where fans couldn’t give a damn about the football team where they prolly couldn’t even name have the roster off the top of their head. For people to throw out some of these names of players that can’t even make practice squads around the league because they flat out suck just show me they are out of touch with this football city. There would be a revolt and Lurie is not stupid enough to even try to sell us some of these bums as a possible starter of the franchise. ill say it again in regard to te draft why draft a qb this year when you have Bridgewater and Johhhny football coming out next year.
Further whether you like foles or not the guy put up solid numbers for a rookie. Maybe he gets better next year by playing with the actual starters on the team that hasn’t quit already. And he show he’s the answer. Maybe he doesn’t and sucks next year well then you got a high pick and you draft one of the 2 studs coming out next year and hope he is the guy. Either way were not winning shit this year because of the misery Reid put this football team in with his decisions that past couple years it will take time to fix. That’s the plan I see happening.
pheags, exactly the points, I’ve been trying to make. Couldn’t agree more.
I was impressed with Josh Johnson in the preseason.. Chip Kelly also had very god things to say about Foles when he faced him in College.
It’ll be Foles for the year, to see what he can prove. We are rebuilding boys, so if anyone has any aspirations of making a SB run, are clearly delusional, & clueless! See what we have in Foles, & if he fails, 2014, will have Johnny “Football” Manziel, Ted Bridgewater, Aaron Murray, Tyler Bray, AJ McCarron, Tajh Boyd & Derek Carr, coming out. This off-season, & upcoming season, will be used to gauge the current roster, & purge it, of the overpaid, talentless, heartless, quitting mutts, that are here! We desperately need to have a huge 2013 draft, with at least 3 starters/ significant contributors, sign Jairius Byrd, 1 of the top FA OT’s, & hope last years draft, continues to improve with Cox, Foles, Curry, Kendricks, Boykin, Brown & Kelly, or we’re F^#@ED!
DCAR I agree with you but let me ask you this. If Kelly plans on using this read option wouldnt it benefit him to have a QB this year run it just for the other players sake so they get use to it? Even if the ideal QB isnt here. It would seem like the Eagles would have to tailor thier whole offense to Foles then the following year install a whole new offense to a read-option QB. Seems like a wasted year fore the rest of the offense because your QB is unable to run the offense Kelly may want. So do you bite the bullet 1 year with another QB (Dixon,, Joohnson etc)so the rest of the offense learns? If Kelly has in his mind Foles doesnt allow him to do what he really wants to do then I hope he doesnt waste time with him at all. If he does feel Foles can be his QB of future and doesnt mind deleting 1/3 of his playbook then try Foles next year.
He can’t run the same exact system in the NFL. He has to adjust, or it won’t work in the NFL, with the mediocre type of QB’s, he had at Oregon. This isn’t the NCAA, where you can out recruit, lesser schools. The NFL is equal grounds, with the best of the best, week in, week out.
Whats USC excuse? Whats Floridas excuse? There are 25 teams that out recruit other teams. Why doesnt thier offense look like that? There was a great article about the myth of Oregon out recruiting teams. Stanford, UCLA, USC killed them in recruiting it wasnt even close people need to do the research. So thats not true about him out recruiting people. So lets just take 1/3 of his playbook away because there is nowhere in the universe where we can find a QB who runs under a 5.2 forty(unbelievable) and throw a forward pass.
Because those teams have differnt philosophy, than him. Point being, he has ZERO EDGE, in the NFL! Everyone is on equal grounds, & it’s all about talent evaluations, not cheating, & having boosters throwing nuggets to recruits. WTF part aren’t you getting! HE HAS TO ADJUST HIS SYSTEM, & FRAME OF MIND, OR HE WILL FAIL!
You dont bring Chip Kelly in here and take 1/3 of his offense away with a QB who runs a 5.2 forty. If you wanted Nick Foles to sit back in the pocket you should of hired Gus Bradley and let him do his thing on defenseWhich I would of had no problem with. Since Chip is here you have to be “all in” for better or worse thats why you hired the innovator. Vick is to old and fragile. Foles may be ok but you probably delete 1/3 of Kellys playbook with him. Have Brian Dawkins go to his alma mater Clemson and whisper in Tajh Boyds ear, “we will make you a very rich man son!”
You don’t delete 1/3 of his playbook. He is a run first offense!
His offense is predicated on the threat of the QB running. Obviously you have never watched Oregon. Those runs are made by the QBs reads and the threat that the QB is gonna keep. No you cant run that all the time in the NFL(boy but Kapernick looks pretty when he runs it) but the Eagles will eliminate that whole section from its playbook with Foles. Again if Chip Kelly wants to tailor his whole offense to Foles thats his choice. But I for one want him to be able to do what he wants. I want to see his whole aresonal for better or worse. Cant be mad with a QB who can do both can you?
NO, you never watched Oregon! I WATCH NCAA Football religiously, on a weekly basis. The difference is Kapernick is a good QB, that can also run good. I can’t try to talk rational, with someone like you. You’re irrational, factless, & always want to be right, & lack the comprehension of the differences between the NFL, & the NCAA. I’m done!
Dcar did you see my post yesterday you killed me and I was agreeing with you about Vick.
Kelly will go with what he has and right now and right now it’s foles, he will adjust his offense to fit foles strengths, if foles lights it up, then you will see foles for a long time, that’s a problem for some of you cats, but it could happen, so deal with it, stop with this insane qb du jour, Dixon, etc, it’s foles
Jakedog Which strenghts do you think Chip Kelly will focus on with Nick Foles? His strong arm, deep ball accuracy, his mobility or his durability (consecutive game streak)?
Foles has a good deep ball, didn’t show it much, but he has plenty of hose,
Foles extremely accurate with short throws, quick decision maker, reads defenses well, gets rid of ball, no negative yards, tall, tough, smart, gets ball into hands of playmakers, has shown he can drive and win game at crunch time,
Not a runner, but has mobility, poise in pocket, evades rush well, steps and throws to open receiver in face of rush, eyes downfield
Nick foles has the ability, poise, leadership abilities to develop into a front line nfl quarterback
Colts hire former OC/QB Coach Pep Hamilton
From Stanford who helped developed QB Andrew Luck
Since his Stanford Days..
Colts GM is building a very strong Team/Franchise with the Colts
Wonder If Lurie should have promoted him over Howie Rosenan for the Eagles
GM…
Pat Shurmur to be named the OC.. Not that it means a whole hell of a lot.
That tells me that Nick Foles will be the QB this upcoming season or maybe a trade for Colt McCoy and the offense will be similar to the New England Patriots
Turk, why in Gods name would we want Colt McCoy. He is a straight up scrub of a QB…..AND TRADE FOR HIM AT THAT!! I wouldn’t trade an undrafted free agent for Colt McCoy….He ‘s a bum…
Because he has a cool name………. XD
Very Interesting hire Pat Shurmur. It gets more interesting everyday!
Basically he is the QB Coach Dag…..
Keep an eye on BRowns 3rd String Thaddeoud Lewis from Duke..
He played the final game of the Season this Year when Weeden/McCoy were both injured.. At 6-2 205lbs, Coached at Duke by QB Guru David Cutcliffe..
He’s under Contract and there is no way Banner & Co will probably let him go…and there is no doubt that Cleveland wants to move McCoy who has not graded out well for the NFL Game due to his lack of height, his lack of arm strength and he is realyl not very quick of feet… McCoy is no NFL QB..
I will say this again, and watch it come to fruition. Nick Foles will be the Eagles STARTING QB next year, and into the foreseeable future……No Thaddeus Lewis, Colt McCoy, Alex Smith, Josh Johnson, or anybody else…Nick Foles, and possibly as a backup Michael Vick.
Cliff, Foles should be the QB, but since when have the Eagles ever done the simple prudent thing? Even hiring Shurmur who worked with Donovan for most of his career and two very mobile QB’s in Cleveland doesn’t make sense.
Why would you think that Turk, 2 of his 3 QB’s were mobile.
Cliff,
I agree it will be Foles until Kelly make a decision that he may or not need someone else. If Kelly has the intelligence that everyone says he has he will be looking at who is still in college now and deciding for 2014 if he needs one of those kids. The rest of these names being tossed about for next year are practice squad guys or chart carriers.
As far as Oregon’s talent base, I read an article last week that in Kelly’s entire time in Oregon he did not have a top ten class.
The man has already said he develops his offensive philosophy based on the talent he has, why doesn’t anyone take him at his word?
I agree phillyfan I think the QB class is better next year anyway.
Biggie, Philly, it won’t matter. Guarantee you Foles will be the Quarterback. I’m not going to say another word. Just watch. Johnny Manziel, will be nothing special in the NFL. He will always be a legendary College QB.
Yeah,
I wouldn’t mind seeing Johnny Manziel in Eagles green! (If only)
How about Tony Pike, Graham Harrell, or Kellen Moore! Let them battle it out. I heard chip Kelly might want to call a pass play this season, those guys lit it up with their arms in college they could be studs if given the fair chance in the pros. Problem solved Luries new franchise qb found.
If I actually meant that I would allow all of you to throw me off the Ben Franklin because it clearly would mean I lost my mind and might be a danger to society with a thought process like that.
If the Eagles had Johnny Manziel under Kelly’s offense we would be in the Super bowl within the 1st season. That would be sick
Akers ruined the eagles in the playoffs and now hes going to ruin the 49ers
This is a good game, these qbs are good, kaepernick got extra hose, with that arm I would not run him
larrwd.
Hey my man I think you counted your chickens before they hatched 49ers look like they are going to the SB.
49ers did not lose their composure. Kudos to Harbaugh for keeping his team steady. Congrats.
Atlanta not quite ready for the big game. Gotta away with blowing the lead last week, not this week with a better team.
This kaepernick experimint sure isnt ending well
Does not ending well mean going to the SB? oh… the experiment is over.
What a dip$#!T!!! LOOOL!
Now that my man RG3 is gone I’m rolling with the Niners and Kaepernick….Hey Vinnie?
Would you rather have Ryan or Kaepernick?
The Niners overcame our pathetic rejects….
Akers is ass..so is garbage ass Chad Hall…
Guys look at Chip Kelly along with our garbage ass roster and know the Eagles will never compete with these powerhouses in the playoffs.
Kaepernicks 10th career start another young QB you dont have to wait and see if hes good.lol. Just another level.
Right.
Foles has only played 6 games.
Well Kap has only played 9.
In all fairness though San Fran has a MUCH better team than the Eagles have had the last two years.
It seems like Matt Ryan is a hard luck quarterback just like Donovan McNabb was. He plays his worse when it counts the most.
I hope the 49ers kick the AFC team’s ass!
Songs,
Not a surprise you are team jumping to the niners. Nothing new there. But “our” rejects? When did Akers and Hall ever play for the skins?
Will it be a Harbaugh brothers SB?
49ers fans are good business for my bar. 49ers vs Pats!
Winning organizations always find themselves at the top and that’s the difference between the teams that actually win championships compared to the “Golden standard Guys” here in Philly.
Niner get an old school type coach to bring them back to glory and “shekels” hires another gimmick.
The only real competition Philly have now is against Shekels part duex in Cleveland battling for last place.
Chip Kelly and Jim Harbough are more similar then any other two coaches in the league. Why do you think Lurie wanted Kelly?
Jeez, you can tell you’re not a Philly fan Songs. Philly fans are knowledgable.
Songs,
I said it several weeks ago. You are not a fan. You are a front running fraud. It’s ok. You should just stop denying what you are. Embrace it, its ok.
Damn that Kap experiment.
He SO sucks. Right Vinnie?
Now if the Ravens win I will be so confused about who to root for since I am a University of Miami alum. Went to school with Gore and Reed.
It’s so nice to witness real football…this garbage ass organization deprived the fans of good ball for so long.
Oh the Falcons have gone as far with Ryan as they did with Vick. NFC Championship game. And Ryan has a MUCH better team than Vick ever did.
lol
Poor Atlanta.
Exactly larrwd, look at the weapons this kid has, and a running game, they didn’t ask him to win it by himself, this kid kaepernick has an extraordinary arm, one of the best I have seem since elway, but don’t count foles out with a new scheme, playmakers, if kellly delivers foles will
Eh…Foles is no Kap but I do think he can be successful everything else must be Pro-bowl status though
What more do you want Brown broke franchise records for rushing with Foles how soon we forget when convienient. . lol
Foles is ass..look at his record.
And your a turncoat. Look at your record!!!
This guy keeper nick is a better qb than rg3, way better arm the best since elway, if he can improve, play smart, he can be something special, reall special
Foles also a top prospect, let’s see how he develops with a coach that exploits his strengths , good times ahead for eagles fans
What are exactly Foles strengths?
161-265 60.8%
6 tds-5 ints
1699 yds passing
79.1 QBR
11rushes 42 yards 3 fumbles
20 sacks
1-6 record
on his way to HOF
look at the QB’s in the big games right now then look at Foles….Be realistic guys.
I know the rooting for a subpar organization leads one to hope that one day things will be different.
But nick freakin Foles?
The best thing could happen is that Reid is in Kansas City and maybe his bum ass will trade a 2nd rounder for Foles.
Only his idiotic ass would do such a thing.
No sense arguing about anything, time will tell, but I am optimistic about chip Kelly, especially if he goes with and develops foles talents, but regardless, this guy Kelly will turn around this sorry ass franchise, hop on board now, stop the bickering it’s all good, chip Kelly is the man
Dag, pretty good stats for the garbage he played with, coached by
I pray you are right. jakedog and I am wrong.
Looking forward to harbaugh super bowl, screw that fag Brady
Songs, Foles has played six games. Every QB playing now has been playing for at least two seasons and have more experience. Give the man a chance to play and with some decent talent around him.In time you may be proven 100% correct but give him a chance. You want him to come in and be a super star immediately. I do not know to many people who goes to work and masters their craft their first days on the job.
Keep praying dag, although not necessary
No wonder Chip left Oregon, did you see what he’s making? Yikes. Good for him
Brady could have run for tbe first but pussed out and for allmy friend s who want to argue qb it’s defense , its defense
Mike Vick led the Eagles to victory over Ravens 23-32 371 yards and game winning drive. Seems so long ago.
Joe Flacco just made himself alot of money. I would think 90-100 million long term deal is in order.
damn, if only Lurie seen Harbaugh as the future coach. He’s way better the Reid could have ever been.
Songs when I was bragging on the blue hen flacco I believe you were quoted as saying flacco is ass! I think you are ass