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Jones: Chip Kelly would be just Ducky for ailing Gators

 
[Getty Images]
[Getty Images]
Published Oct. 30, 2017

Know what the Gators need?

They need a splash. They need buzz. They need fun.

And gun.

They need someone who will reinvigorate the program, excite the recruits and revitalize the fan base.

They need Chip.

Chip Kelly.

Call him up. Call him up today. Send a private jet to wherever he is.

By tomorrow, he should be in Gainesville, wearing a Florida visor, doing the Gator chomp and learning the words to We Are The Boys Of Old Florida.

Hand him a blank check. Make him the next coach of the Gators.

There are plenty of intriguing candidates out there, guys who might be able to capably lead Florida out of dark ages of the Will Muschamp and Jim McElwain debacles.

There are old guys like Bob Stoops and Mike Leach. There are young guys like Scott Frost and Justin Fuente. There are familiar names like Charlie Strong and Dan Mullen. And there are off-the-radar guys like Lane Kiffin.

But if you want to blow this thing up and build it back right, you bring in a coach who does two things that Florida craves.

Someone who wins and wins with offense.

Remember what Kelly did at Oregon? His offenses put up video game numbers and the Ducks were a national power. During his four seasons as Oregon's head coach, Kelly went 10-3, 12-1, 12-2 and 12-1 and finished in the top five in the country three times.

How's that sound, Gator Nation?

He's a quarterback whisperer and an offensive guru and the Gators haven't any of those things since the Urban Meyer days.

Kelly is the coach who can restore glory to the program by restoring offense to the team. He's cocky and has every reason to be. He's Spurrier 2.0.

Is he perfect? Well, no. Kelly is a different kind of cat.

He doesn't always play well with others in the university. He's a control freak. His ego is enormous. Then again, I just described most of the college football coaches in the country.

Oregon had some off-field issues and because of that, Florida might have to cut through some red tape before it is allowed to hire him.

But if UF can get through that, imagine what Kelly can do here, playing pitch and catch in the Swamp, going head-to-head with Nick Saban, getting into shootouts with Jimbo Fisher and going back to beating up Tennessee and Georgia.

Do it, Florida, do it today.

Make Chip Kelly your next head coach.