Sports Radio Interviews

Chip Kelly Thinks Jeremiah Masoli is the Best Player in the Country

I’ve talked about it before, but I can’t say enough just how impressed I am with Chip Kelly and what he was able to do in his first season as a Head Coach at Oregon.  Things did not start great for him in Eugene.  In the first game of the season, not only did his team lose to Boise State, but his starting running back went off the deep end after the game, threw a punch at a Broncos player and was suspended for much of the season before getting reinstated.  Not exactly the way that Kelly wanted to start off his coaching career, but he handled it brilliantly and kept his team focused through the entire season.  After finishing the season 10-2 overall and capping off their season with a Pac 10 Championship by beating Oregon State, the Ducks are headed to the Rose Bowl to take on Ohio State.

I was enthralled in the game last week between the Ducks and the Beavers.  It was a tremendous College Football game and every time I watch Oregon, I become more and more impressed.  They have a quarterback who deserves an invite to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony because of how important he is for Oregon’s offense, they have a running back that has filled in beautifully for LaGarrette Blount when he was suspended and only one team has been able to slow down the Ducks explosive offense.  The Rose Bowl should be a dandy between Ohio State and Oregon.  It will be the first time really all season that the Buckeyes defense will face an offense the caliber of the Ducks and it will be quite the test for the Ducks offense as they will face one of the best defenses in the country.  There’s no question that Chip Kelly’s Ducks have had a tremendous season, but a win over the Buckeyes in the Rose Bowl could make it even better.

Chip Kelly joined 95.5 The Game in Portland with John Canzano to talk about the win against Oregon State, the Rose Bowl match-up against Ohio State and his quarterback Jermiah Masoli.

On the game Thursday night against Oregon State:

“It was a heck of a college football game and to be a part of it was something special.  The way both teams competed, I made sure I got a chance to see Sean Canfield and James Rodgers after the game.  They just played their hearts out and it was one of those games where whichever team had the ball last was gonna win it.  We fortunately got it, ran the clock out with 6 minutes to go ‘cause we knew if we gave it back, they were probably going to go down.  It was a heck of a football game to be a part of.”

On going for it as much as he did on fourth down:

“I think it was all of that.  A, I didn’t want to give it back to them.  If we had kicked a field goal we would’ve been up seven.  We were up four at the time so it still would’ve been a one possession game.  If someone asked me after the fact if I gave you a scenario where you have one yard to get and the ball is in what I think is the best player in the country’s hands because of what he does for our offense, he’s the best fit for our offense, would you take that opportunity?  And I would take it every single time, put the ball in Jeremiah’s hands and let him make a play.”

On what he has seen on film from Ohio State so far:

“Very, very. very impressed with their defense so far.  I thought they played a really, really good game against USC.  USC got a turnover early and converted it into a touchdown and got a late touchdown drive at the end to win it.  Besides that I think Ohio State is outstanding on the defensive side of the ball.  I think their defensive against our offense is going to be a great matchup.” 

On playing against Terrelle Pryor and the differences between him and Masoli:

“Terrelle is taller.  Terrelle is a little bit bigger, but I don’t know because I have never had a chance to coach Terrelle.  It will be interesting to see him up close and personal.  I watched him the two times we had evaluations to go watch him in high school practice and I just knew he was a phenomenal athlete.  I told him that when I was recruiting him, that I would see him in the Rose Bowl sometime.  I thought it was gonna be on our team, not on the opposing team.  So it will be kinda ironic that the first time we go to the Rose Bowl, he’s gonna be the quarterback on the other team.”

 Listen to Chip Kelly on 95.5 The Game in Portland here (23 minutes into podcast)

Tags: Chip Kelly, Jeremiah Masoli, Ohio State vs Oregon, Oregon Ducks, Pac-10, Rose Bowl