The game of football has many interesting career arcs but one of the most fascinating may be the path of former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly.
Kelly was the architect of the fast-paced offense that ripped through college football during his days at Oregon but failed when he tried to bring it to the NFL. Kelly got another shot when he was hired by the San Francisco 49ers in 2016 but returned to the college game as head coach of the UCLA Bruins when he was fired after one season.
After six years as the head coach at UCLA and another as offensive coordinator for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Kelly is back in the NFL as the offensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Raiders. But the transition back to the league isn’t going smoothly as he got off on the wrong foot with a prized rookie.
Former Eagles Coach Chip Kelly Made Ashton Jeanty Change His Trademark Stance
The Raiders added a blue-chip prospect to their offense when they selected Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty with the sixth overall pick. The star running back is known for his pre-snap stance in the backfield that has been compared to Michael Myers of the Halloween movie franchise.
Yet, one of Kelly’s first moves with the young rookie was to make him use a traditional stance before the snap.
“You know, sometimes, you have to, you know, go with the flow,” Jeanty said. “What’s crazy is, Chip Kelly comes to me first day of rookie minicamp, and he’s like ‘You ever play basketball?’ And I’m like ‘Yeah, I play basketball, you know, I can dunk and all that.’ He’s like, ‘OK, show me how you would guard me,’ and he’s acting like he’s holding the ball. And then he’s like, ‘That’s exactly why you have to be down in your running back stance.”
Perhaps the change gives Kelly some peace of mind with his new running back. But this could be a case of not needing to fix what’s not broken. Jeanty was one of college football’s most explosive playmakers the past two seasons for Boise State, running for 4,769 yards and 50 touchdowns. He also finished as the runner-up to the Heisman Trophy last season, running for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading the Broncos to the College Football Playoff.
The 21-year-old also explained to reporters that the stance was learned from a high school coach in order to help Jeanty relax in the backfield before the ball was snapped.
“One of my coaches used to say if you couldn’t stand in that stance for five minutes, then it’s probably not a good stance,” Jeanty said via Blue Turf Sports. “So [it’s about] being relaxed and comfortable and at that point, I’m just reading the defense and waiting for the ball to snap. I wouldn’t say there’s anything too specific about it, just that I’m relaxed and comfortable and I’m just ready to make a play for my team.”
Jeanty may have been a good case to keep his stance, but Kelly wasn’t buying it. After using the traditional stance during offseason workouts, Jeanty is willing to give the new style a try. But just like Myers coming back from his demise, the young rookie vowed to keep pleading his case entering his rookie season.
“He won for now,” Jeanty said. “I’m going to try to persuade him one day. I have to earn my stripes and make some plays first, but I don’t think it’s going to be the end [of the stance].”