Chip Kelly Named Coach of the Year

By Justin Worsley,

Oregon coach Chip Kelly was named the Associated Press coach of the year on Wednesday, beating out several candidates, including Auburn's Gene Chizik and TCU's Gary Patterson.

Kelly, who is in his second year with the Ducks, guided Oregon to and undefeated season and will face Chizik's Tigers in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game. At one point of the season, no. 2 Oregon was the top-ranked team in the nation, a first in school history.

Kelly received 24 of the 55 votes, edging Chizik's 17. Stanford's Jim Harbaugh received 5 votes while Patterson and Michigan State's Mark Dantonio both received three votes.

Chizik also fell short in the voting for SEC coach of the year, which went to South Carolina's Steve Spurrier after the Gamecocks won their first ever SEC East division title. Spurrier has won the award seven times as well as winning the ACC coach of the year award twice.

Kelly was also named the Pac-10 coach of the year as well the recipient of the Walter Camp Award. He is the first Pac-10 coach to be named the coach of the year by the Associated Press. Patterson won the award in 2009.

The Ducks first brought Kelly in as an offensive coordinator in 2007, the same position he held previously in New Hampshire. Utilizing a spread offense, which replies on the speed of the skill position players to cause big gains against defenses, Oregon saw their win total increase each season.

When the 2008 season ended, former head coach Mike Bellotti knew he could trust Kelly with the team and handed over the keys to the program as Bellotti took over the job as athletic director.

Now, in just his second season, the 47-year-old Kelly has exceeded expectations of both Bellotti and Duck nation as well as delivered Oregon to their first shot at the national title.