KPTV in Oregon today reports that Mike Bellotti is quitting today as football coach of the Univ. of Oregon. Ducks assistant Chip Kelly will take over head coaching duties.
(Hope the liquor cabinet is locked tonight in the Bellotti abode!)
Numerous reports out of the Pacific Northwest indicated that Bellotti today would announce he was stepping down, but not give a timetable. But KPTV reports the move will be made after this season.
UPDATE: Of course, KPTV had it wrong. Bellotti announced this afternoon that he has no timetable on the move.
You wonder if the move is such a grand idea, considering how succession plans like this one have flopped recently at West Virginia and K-State. It also comes as a bit of a surprise that Bellotti would step down as coach. Bellotti, 58, is in his 14th season as UO coach.
He certainly resurrected a moribund program, but has never been able to get the Ducks into position as a perennial national championship contender. And assistant Kelly apparently was on the verge of leaving, having planned to interview for the Syracuse job.
UPDATE: Actually, never mind, this isn’t a story, as ESPN’s Joe Schad hasn’t confirmed it yet!
8:24 pm on December 2nd, 2008
No way Bellotti's bolting anytime soon. He had the Ducks at #2 in the nation last year and could have contended for the national title had Dennis Dixon not gotten injured.
And other injuries have hampered the Ducks this year. Besides, the Pac-10 as a whole has had a down year.
But Mike can still coax a great game from the Ducks. Observe last weekend's brutal beating of the Beavers. Ruining their Rose Bowl chances made it a great season overall.
12:35 am on December 3rd, 2008
This is the best news I've heard in years…I've been waiting for this mediocre coach to step down years ago. Finally Oregon will have a coach that can take on USC
2:17 am on December 3rd, 2008
And just who will replace this so-called mediocre coach? It's slim pickins out there…
8:26 pm on December 3rd, 2008
What a rediculas take Turp….didn't we just beat USC last year?
I guess you forgot about the Rich Brooks era, lucky to go .500.