Yes, many of Chip Kelly's schematic elements still remain firmly entrenched as it concerns the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Surprisingly, he wants no credit for any of it and makes it well known, via Albert Breer of Monday Morning Quarterback (Sports Illustrated).
“I don’t really look at it like that,” Kelly said in reference to taking credit for some of his schemes remaining in Philadelphia. “The other part of this is none of us were in the room with Amos Alonzo Stagg and Knute Rockne when this game started, so we all stole it from someone else. Who cares where it came from? We didn’t get into coaching so everyone would say, ‘We run plays or implement things so everybody will say I invented this.’ I mean, if you think you invented it, you’re kinda full of crap.
“There have been a lot of people doing a lot of great things—[Dutch] Meyer at TCU was running empty no-back in 1950 from the gun, and tracking the ball with the quarterback. And when the numbers were right, the quarterback ran it, and when the numbers weren’t, and there were too many in the box, the quarterback threw it. And now everybody’s doing that and they’re calling it revolutionary.”
Kelly, of course, left Oregon and came to the NFL with must hype. His spread offense and tricky collegiate principles had never worked to the degree many have attempted many times over at the big-boy level.
In Philadelphia with the Eagles, Kelly amassed a record of 26-21 in three seasons with one playoff appearances resulting in a wild-card weekend loss. Though he finished with two 10-win seasons, it was his personnel decision making that ultimately doomed him in Philly.
Still, many of his elements (such as the RPO, run-pass-option) remained with the team and acted as a big-time difference maker in the Eagles first Super Bowl title.
If credit doesn't head Kelly's way for his schematics, credit is due for at least not taking credit.
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